JK News Today
Jammu, December 26: Terming Panchayat Election without proper powers to Panchayats mere a drama, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, (AJKPC) today demanded implementation of 73rd amendment before panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
With the state government proposing to hold delayed Panchayat polls from February 15, AJKPC today also demanded equal budgetary allocation of special funds exclusively for each Panchayat ward to ensure balanced development and end the voices of discrimination.
The Panchayat Conference today addressed a press conference here and has demanded implementation of 73rd amendment of Indian Constitution regarding Panchayati Raj in the state of Jammu and Kashmir before conducting Panchayat elections in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is pertinent to mention here that JK government has announced to hold Panchayat elections in state in the month of February 2018 which were due for the past one and half year.
An emergency meeting of ex Panchayat members held at Jammu today discussed the issue in detail and threatened to protest against the state government which weakened democratic institutions in the state. Speaking on the occasion, president AJKPC Anil Sharma said that they will protest against state government for its denial to extend 73rd amendment in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Sharma said that such elections are just a drama of the state government to get the central funds release but it will not serve any purpose to the people of the state. Threatening to launch an agitation against the state government the Panchayat leaders said that they will not accept such dramas of Govt. and fight for the real Panchayati Raj as in other states of the country.
Anil Sharma, president of the organization urged the Centre particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and the state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to allocate special funds of Rs 10 lakh each exclusively to be used by each Panchayat ward to meet the local demands and ensure involvement of all stakeholders in development activity.
Sharma said as the State government have hinted to hold Panchayat elections soon therefore it would be in the best interest of the people of the state if budgetary provisions is made for allocation of funds for each panchayat ward separately.
The AJKPC president demanded minimum Rs. 10 Lac for each ward of the Panchayats which should be exclusively utilized only on the recommendations of the 25% of total voters in a Panchayat ward who will be the part of suggested ward Sabha.
Sharma said these funds should be directly transferred in the accounts of the respective Panchayats so that there is no room left for corruption by the officers at different levels right from the secretariat to Block Level.
The AJKPC leader said as both coalition partners of the state government always orchestrate loudly about devolution of power and giving more autonomy to the local self governance institutions therefore we find no reason for not accepting our demand of budgetary allocation of special funds for Panchayat ward separately.
