Panchayat Election are Just a Drama of the State Govt. Anil Sharma

AJKPC Demands of Implementation of 73^rd Amendment before Panchayat Election

AJKPC Demands Budgetary Allocation of Funds for Panchayat's

Jammu, 26/Dec/207: 

With the state government proposing to hold delayed Panchayat polls from February 15, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, (AJKPC) today demanded equal budgetary allocation of special funds exclusively for each Panchayat ward to ensure balanced development and end the voices of discrimination. 

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference has demanded implementation of 73^rd 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 73^rd 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.

Addressing a press conference here, 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.

He also raised the issue of improper implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the state, which calls for providing minimum 100 days guaranteed employment to the registered MGNREGA Card holders and time bound payment of their wages and blamed the corrupt officers of the Rural development department for not providing 100 days job to the card holders and also withholding their wages for months together. 

Sharma said the Finance Minister should made provisions in the budget so that poor MGNREGA labours do not suffer for want of funds. He also demanded increase in daily wage rate minimum of Rs. 300/ day. 

He informed that as compared to other states of the country, Jammu and Kashmir is amongst the states that gives minimum wages to the MGNREGA labours.

The state government should also appoint adequate number of Ombudsmen to resolve the genuine grievances of the MGNREGA labours because as per the provisions of the law, there should be Ombudsmen at local level so that the villagers need not to knock the doors of the regular courts and pay hefty legal fees.

On the issue of lack of transparency in allocation of funds under MGNREGA in the state, he said as per the provisions of the law and directions issued by the government of India time to time the state government have been several times asked to conduct social audits of the works done under the act.

AJKPC President also raised the issue of families of the martyr Panchayat members who have not been provided any compensation and urged the state government to provide government jobs to the next of the kin of the deceased Panchayat members.

S/Sh. Gautam Singh Jamwal, Raj Kumar, Ram Pal Sharma, Yash Pal Singh Charak, Ashwani Sharma, Mohd. Sadiq, Ajeet Singh Charak, Kant Kumar Sharma, Vijay Tagotra and others.