“People here, I have realised, simply want respect”
Following the dastardly terror attack against Indian security personnel in February 2019 that left 40 dead, Pulwama went from being seen as the rice bowl of Kashmir and the mecca for quality saffron to being regarded as the hotbed of militancy along with the neighbouring South Kashmir districts of Shopian and Anantnag. The task of restoring its image as one of Kashmir’s more progressive districts now falls on the 33-year-old Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary, its enthusiastic deputy commissioner.
Having grown up in Rajouri at a time when the erstwhile state of J&K was literally up in flames, Chaudhary is no stranger to violence. He decided early that he was going to make a difference to his state. He pursued engineering and, for a brief while, considered setting up a food processing unit to tap the vast horticultural potential of the state, but eventually decided to join the civil service. Initially, he was selected for the Kashmir Civil Service, but soon cleared the IAS examinations and became the third officer from the state to be inducted into the premier civil service.
“We can categorise Kashmir based on social, economic, political and religious perceptions, but Sufism still remains the backbone of this society,” he says. It is the mystical expression of Islamic faith that Chaudhary believes will ensure that Kashmir’s culture remains unique. While dealing with the issues confronting Pulwama, he says, “Every religion preaches practising humanity, and that is the key. People here, I have realised, simply want respect. The key is interacting with them in a fair and transparent manner and being available to them at all times.”
Apart from ensuring that all the 52 development schemes of the Centre are implemented effectively, Chaudhary is also focusing on engaging the district’s youth in constructive activities and in generating employment opportunities. Half of the district’s 560,000 population falls between the ages of 18 and 35 and the district has set aside an impressive Rs 3,600 crore for their advancement. Apart from holding financial literacy camps to help them avail of bank loans for entrepreneurship, Chaudhary has organised talks with specialists on how to set up projects varying from steel fabrication plants to carpentry shops and garment establishments. “The beauty is that 40 per cent of those coming for help are women keen to stand on their own feet,” he says. Chaudhary has also involved the youngsters in setting up district youth centres, which organise skill development classes and include facilities like gyms and digital libraries. They are even involved in designing these complexes. “There are so many opportunities across India and it is important to give them a sense of belonging to the country,” says Chaudhary. A tough task, but worth every penny and effort.