Published December 13th, 2017 by Fida Iqbal

Of private tuition centers!

Let private sector flourish, but not as a money-minting industry. It has to be a mission to teach and learn

These statements of the honorable education minister in the context of existing monstrous tuition scenario in the state has opened a whole new debate and made the task of streamlining the existing education set-up more challenging.

Any state with flawed education is a nation with no real wealth to shine. People lacking prospects of quality education are more often vulnerable to abuse and deprivation. In the contemporary era, every aspect of life is related to scope and value of education. Empowerment, progress, and well-being are vital issues that get perceptible impetus from real learning and knowledge. State of Jammu and Kashmir over the period of time has shown significant growth on education front since 1947. Consequently, ushering a new era of empowerment and emancipation for a nation suppressed for centuries. However, with unethical race in expansion and unrestricted corruption, some vital aspects of education got severely compromised.

Published December 4th, 2017 by Fida Iqbal

A grave concern

Is our healthcare system crumbling?

In the absence of proper facilities most of our doctors avoid working in rural areas and for last seven decades, we are unable to provide a conducive working atmosphere for doctors and health workers in places other than big hospitals.

Last month I skipped a routine appointment with cardiology department at SKIMS because of the prevailing N1H1 virus scare. No doubt the situation of swine flu was not that bad then, but recent deaths and rising number patients have created a situation of alarm. Particularly, the recent death of a college warden due to the virus under mysterious circumstances has put a question mark on our preparedness and professionalism. Anyways, this is just one virus that has put our healthcare system to test for last several years. In real terms, the overall condition of the state’s healthcare system is not that healthy as is being projected by its managers.

Published November 28th, 2017 by Fida Iqbal

Heritage week and conservation

Join hands to guard the precious capital

The present condition of these two structures is a best case study to assess our negligence levels towards our heritage.

World Heritage Week was celebrated from 19th to 25th November to increase the awareness and inspire the people about the conservation and protection of the cultural heritage and monuments inherited from our ancestors. Here in Kashmir at the government level, the activity remains confined to debates, whereas as people we are least bothered about awareness regarding heritage. Except for few stakeholders in the tourism sector, most of the people in Kashmir are unaware of the importance of rich cultural and architectural heritage Kashmir possesses and should have been proud of. Kashmir by every standard is a rich heritage repository and showcasing it is a never-ending process.

Published November 15th, 2017 by Fida Iqbal

A looming threat

Is Srinagar waiting patiently for another flood?

The whole Kashmir valley particularly the Srinagar basin with main water carrying (draining) structures passing through its middle is sitting on a ticking ‘flood bomb’ that can explode any time with no or very little warning time.

Srinagar and flood management are the two inseparable subjects and the two can’t be taken in isolation. Instead, the whole Srinagar basin stretched beyond the populated areas and including the adjoining water bodies, waterways and flood spill structures are part of any flood activity in this bowl. Many people believe that Kashmir floods have a fixed cycle and records of last more than a century also convey about a definite time cycle and pattern. However, the ecosystem of the valley was not under such stress, then, the way it is for last half a century. The pace at which our precious ground cover both on mountains and the plains of the valley is disappearing and because of other environmental mismanagements, it seems, in future not only all earlier flood cycle in Kashmir will go wrong but the patterns will be more ferocious.

Published October 20th, 2017 by Fida Iqbal

J&K Bank: A bank with a mission

The Bank is not just a department that deals with money, it’s a socio-economic institution

At present it is is one of the prominent banks in the country with huge deposits and investments and has diversified beyond traditional banking operations

The Jammu and Kashmir Bank founded by late Maharaja Hari Singh in 1938 was a watershed in state’s financial and banking sector. Prior to this state-owned public-private partnership banking initiative, the financial scenario of Jammu and Kashmir was dominated by the exploitative private financial institutions and crude moneylenders. Hari Singh was an autocrat and autocrat is an autocrat by all standards and means. But as an administrator and head of the state, he was a visionary. JK bank was his brainchild to cater to the financial requirements of his much-cherished conception of the sovereign state of Jammu and Kashmir—independent of influential neighboring states. JK banks shaping in the late thirties should not be studied in isolation. state subject law promulgated by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1927 was his well-thought strategy for greater and autonomous Jammu and Kashmir and so was the JK bank. Anyways, whatever the late Maharaja’s plans—either to have an independent state for his subjects or to secure the interests of his dynastic rule, one thing is clear that Hari Sing not only conceived an idea of the state-centric loyal banking system but implemented it beyond the autocratic protocol by inviting private investors.

Published October 12th, 2017 by Fida Iqbal

The road rage

Deadly driving machines and killer roads!

Our traffic system is not in good and sound shape and mainly four reasons are squarely responsible for gridlocks and never-ending death on roads.

I don’t know what made us so heartless; filming painful death of a budding soul in a traffic accident and uploading it on social media is not sensible! Anyways, today I am not here about the insensitivity of Kashmiri people but the way modern vehicular traffic along with bad roads and our negligence kill the people. A few days back a young student riding his two-wheeler got crushed under a speeding truck at Pantha-chowk and he died an excruciating death almost instantly. And we keep counting! God knows how much more will be swallowed by these deadly driving machines and rash driving by the time these lines get printed.

Fida Iqbal.com