Jammu, 12/Jan/2017:
Calling “Panchayat Budget “ as crude joke, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat
Conference, AJKPC today slammed the state government and the finance minister
Haseeb Drabu for not making serious efforts to strengthen the Panchayati Raj
Institution.
Anil Sharma, the
president of the organization , today while interacting with the media persons
at Jammu said that these superficial exercises and announcements means nothing
and they do not serve the real purpose of giving autonomy to the PRIs.
Posing a set of serious
questions to the Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and alleging non seriousness,
the AJKPC president asked the F.M to apprise the people about the amount
sanctioned for each panchayat of the state which he has announced in his budget speech.
Though the Finance
Minister has called for a provision of Rs. 1000 Crore for the Urban and Rural
Local bodies but he has not clarified the amount distribution for Panchayats
and Urban Local bodies including Jammu Municipal Corporation and Srinagar
Corporation besides 100s of Municipal Committees, Councils and notified areas. He
said there are over 4100 Panchayats in the state and Mr. Drabu has proposed a
meagre amount of Rs. 10 Crore for equipping them with broad band and
computerization.
He also asked the
finance minister to explain the concept of “Panchayat Banks”, Sharma alleged
that, it appears that this is a ploy to enhance the business of the troubled JK
Bank which because of it’s failure facing serious financial losses and have
huge NPA liability. The F.M should explain the role of the elected Panchayat
members in these so Called “Panchayat members”. He said we won’t allow the
failing JK Bank to loot the money of the innocent villagers.
He said, the F.M in
his budget speech has announced the appointments of Ombudsmen for Panchayats,
this is so bizarre that till date in the state we had no institution of
Ombudsmen which is a pre-requisite under MGNREGA Act. Anyhow, it is good that
at least this FM confessed the failure of the state government for not
appointing ombudsmen for so many years. We also demand that , the office of
ombudsmen should not be occupied by political workers and only competent and
capable people should be appointed on these posts on merits, their appointment
process should be transparent without any political interference as an
Ombudsman have to act on the principle of natural justice and fair play which
is only expected from an impartial and unbiased person.
AJKPC leader also
condemned the Finance Minister for not making any announcement for ex-gratia
for the martyr Panchayat members, why no job-policy is announced for the family
members of the deceased Panchayat members who have been killed by the
terrorists. We have made several appeals to the CM, finance minister to
consider this genuine prayer but they deliberately did not announce any policy
for the democracy supporters instead
those who challenge the sovereignty, integrity of the country and writ of the
state are obliged.
The other prominent
people who were present on this occasion include.....
Sd/
Anil Sharma
President, AJKPC,
9419186510.
