JK NEWS TODAY
Jammu, January 4: Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday announced that the forthcoming Panchayat elections in the state will be held on non-party basis , repeating the same method that was adopted by the Omar Abdullah government in 2011.
This was disclosed by minister for rural development and Panchayati Raj , law and justice , Abdul Haq while addressing a public meeting at Lolab in Kupwara district. He said the Panchayat polls will be held next month and all arrangements are being made to ensure smooth elections.
He said the basic purpose of holding Panchayat elections is to bring democracy at the doorstep of the people and empower people by giving them authority to take decision themselves with regard to development of their villages.
Abdul Haq said the Panchayat institutions will act as the mini-parliaments in rural areas where people of the particular area will decide which development works are to be taken up in their village. He said these institutions will play a vibrant role in effective execution of developmental programmes by availing full benefit of the flagships schemes of the central and state government.
The Minister said that the government is committed to empower the Panchayat Raj institutions and after the elections more funds will flow to these institutions for execution of various development schemes that will help to change the socio-economic scenario of the rural areas.
