Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) has requested the Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu, for early elections to about 13,000 vacant seats of Panchayats in J&K.
Talking to reporters here, today AJKPC president Anil Sharma also demanded immediate constitution of District Planning and Development Boards (DPDBs) after holding elections to these Boards on the pattern of 73rd Amendment of Indian Constitution.
“We recently met the Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and raised the demand for early conduct of elections to about 13,000 vacant seats of Sarpanches and Panchs in the UT. We have also demanded for immediate constitution of DPDBs at every district level after holding elections to these Boards on the pattern of 73rd Amendment in letter and spirit,” Anil Sharma, said.
Sharma, who earlier addressed a daylong convention of Sarpanches and Panches said that the Lieutenant Governor was very positive vis-à-vis demands being made by the Panchayat members and has shown his positive intent for completion of election process for all vacant lying seats at Panchayat level and the constitution of DPDBs.
“We believe that the early conduct of elections to vacant seats of Panchayats and the immediate constitution of DPDBs , elections for which to be held first time in the history of UT, would further strengthen the grass-root level democracy in Jammu and Kashmir which, in turn, will pave way for the restoration of peace and tranquility in the region,” he said.
Sharma said they raised several demands, including hike in monthly honorarium of elected Sarpanches and Panches, bringing an insurance policy for elected BDC chairpersons, Sarpanches and Panches, early registration of digital signatures to speed up developmental works under 14th Finance Commission, clearance of Rs 1,000 crore MGNREGA liabilities and implementation of 73rd Amendment in letter and spirit.
He said they also raised the issue of security to AJKPC leaders so that they are able to conduct their activities in vulnerable areas for strengthening the grass root level democracy.
The AJKPC leader said the LG assured the delegation that UT administration would take all pro-active measures to strengthen the grassroots level democracy and all the demands of elected Panchayat members would be solved at the earliest.
He said the Panchayat members have high hopes with the LG and early resolution of their issues.
Prominent among those who attended the daylong convention included Mohammad Aslam Mir, Bilal Ahmad Wani, Amjad Hussain Katana, Ram Saroop Sharma, S. Raja Singh, Jitender Singh, Des Raj Bhagat, S. Ravinder Singh, Balwant Raj Sharma, Rohit Sharma, N R Bhagat and Gul Mohammad.
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