Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 23: Maintaining that mechanism for implementation of provisions of the Act have already been put in place to ensure empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), the Minister for Rural Development, Law, Justice, Parliamentary Affairs and Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that the Government has fulfilled its promise of democratic decentralization of powers to the grass root levels.
The Minister was addressing a gathering of panchs and sarpanchs of Kulgam district at one day interaction programme to oversee the status of implementation of the empowerment of PRIs.
Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo, MLA Kulgam, M. Y. Tarigami, MLC, Mohammad Amin Bhat, District Development Commissioner, Jehangir Mir, Director Rural Development, Kashmir, Mir Altaf Ahmed, senior leaders, Safdar Ali and Abdul Majid Bhat were present on the occasion.
Mr. Sagar said “Government headed by Omar Abdullah believes in sustained action rather than misleading the people by obnoxious ideas and we have ensured that Panchayati Raj election were held which is a watershed in the political history of the state and it has ensured the participation of people at grass root level in implementation of various developmental programmes and schemes initiated by the Government”.
Referring to the demand of panchs and sarpanchs, the Minister said that a comprehensive proposal for provision of honorarium to them has already been submitted to the concerned and an amount of Rs. 285 crore has been released for the construction of new panchayat ghars across the state besides repair and renovation of the existing ones.
Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo urged the people to come forward and strengthening the hands of the Government in ensuring their participatory role into the day-to-day governance. She said that the Panchayati Raj representatives are part and parcel of the Government and they should not shy away from their responsibility in ensuring the sustained development of their areas in close coordination with officers of various departments.
Asking the people to play a participatory role in ensuring that the peace is sustained in the state, Mr. Sagar said that they should understand that no developmental and other related activities are possible in a disturbed environment. He said that the Government has ensured that the peace is restored in the State and now the people are reaping the peace dividends and a record number of tourists has visited the state which will go a long way in uplifting the socio-economic profile of the people.
MLA, CPI (M), M. Y. Tarigami also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the importance of Panchayati Raj System in ensuring the sustained development of rural and far-flung areas of the state. He said that by putting in place Panchayats the effective decentralization of powers is ensured to the grass root level and asked the Government to consider the provision of providing honorarium to the Panchayati Raj representatives.
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