Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 5: Re-iterating its demand for implementation of 73rd and 74th amendment in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act, Indian Youth Congress secretary and incharge J&K affairs, Chetan Partap Singh lamented inadequacy of J&K Panchayati Raj Act in real upliftment and empowerment at the grass root level of the system.
Addressing a press conference at party office here today, IYC secretary said that Panchayati Raj is the brain child of the visionary Prime Minister Late Rajiv Gandhi who had dreamt of bringing absolute transformation at the grass root level rural people by involving them in development and decision making process. But it is pity that the said Act has been reduced to a ‘sham’ in the J&K State.
“It seems that the legislators and powers that be can not help developing real powers upon the elected Panchayats. The Panchayati Adalats have been debarred of true powers. The provision of social audit through Gram Sabhas is also missing in J&K”, Mr Singh maintained.
He stressed that the 73rd and 74th amendments in the Panchayati Raj Act be made at the earliest.
PYC president, Mohd Shahnawaz Choudhary, while serving seven-day ultimatum to the Government failing which Youth Congress cadre may embark on harsh and coercive steps, said that failure of the institutions to deliver has also been the major cause behind the turmoil in the State. Efforts should be made in effecting the desired reforms and bringing the Act in line with 73rd amendment and the Acts as in force in rest of the States of the country. He also called for increasing the tenure of Panchayats from five years to six years to bring them par with elected legislators.
Others present on the occasion included Pranav Shagotra (vp), Manjit Singh Jatt, Abid Kashmiri, Pankaj Basotra and Kamaljeet.
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