Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: The Upper House of the State Legislature today witnessed noisy scenes and protests on the issue of strengthening Panchayats with regard to the implementation of 73rd Amendment of the Constitution and making newly created administrative units fully functional in the State.
All the four Members, two each from Congress and National Conference, who have entered the House on the quota of Panchayats got agitated over the response of the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Abdul Haq Khan. Congress Member Ghulam Nabi Monga raised the issue in the House asking Government whether it is willing to implement the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India in order to make Panchayats more powerful.
The Minister claimed that at present the Government has no such proposal to 73rd Amendment. He said this Amendment is not applicable in the J&K State in view of special Constitutional position enjoyed by the State under Constitution of India. However, J&K Panchayati Raj (Amedment) Act 2014 has been enacted to bring in the broad features of the 73rd Amendment act in the State Act.
Agitated over the reply of the minister Mr Monga and Sham Lal Bhagat from Congress and Dr Shehnaz Ganai and Ali Mohd Dar from NC stood up from their seats and then moved near the well and lodged protest. They alleged that Government was not serious in providing powers to the Sarpanchs and Panchs and strengthening Panchayats.
The members alleged that Government’s intensions are not clear. Neither Panchayats nor CD Blocks created recently by previous Government are being provided staff and strengthened.
RDD Minister while intervening amidst noise and protests, claimed that no proper mind was applied before sanctioning CD blocks by the previous regime. They distributed CD blocks/ administrative units like potatoes. ” Inhone Tau Aalu Bante.” From 143 CD blocks they reached up to 383 with just one stroke and without realizing the quantum of responsibility and funds involved. It was not done to facilitate the people but to increase their miseries. They followed no norms and criteria. There is already shortage of staff. One VLW is looking after 2-3 Panchayat Halqas and similar is the position in case of BDOs. There is no staff, no buildings. Huge funds are required for it. No provision of sufficient funds was kept. This irked the agitating members and others from Treasury benches also joined the minister to open salvo on opposition. They had heated exchanges for some time and then all the four staged walk out from the House.
Minister for Revenue Javed Mustafa was again cornered by the Opposition members on the issue of defunct Administrative units during Question Hour. The issue was collectively raised by Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and Dr Shehnaz Ganai from NC and Firdous Ahmed Tak from PDP. They got agitated when the minister replied that no funds have been earmarked for creation of infrastructure for newly Sub Divisions, Tehsils, CD Blocks Niabats etc.
He said that there was need to go for review of such a large number of Administrative units created by previous Government and it was not possible for the Government to manage huge funds for raising infrastructure.
Replying to another question the minister disclosed that during last year an amount of Rs 20 crore was released for the infrastructure which was not sufficient. With internal arrangement at many places officers were appointed but staff at many units is yet to be placed. The Government is expecting funding through 14th Finance Commission. He said new administrative units have created additional burden on the Government but it is not impossible to make them functional.
While some PDP members stressed for the review of the decision as many undeserving places were given Tehsils and Blocks/ Niabats, majority of the members cornered the minister for dragging feet on strengthening these new units and providing staff on the pretexts of the funds and support from Centre. Showkat Ganai asked whether Government was going to implement Khursheed Ganai Committee report but he did not get satisfactory reply.
Qaiser Jamsheed, G N Monga, Surinder Choudhary, Yasir Reshi, Showkat Ganai and others raised supplementaries to the main question.
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