Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 26: With the exit of UPA-II next month, the hopes of 4145 Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir of getting Rs 414.5 crores worth development funds every year (Rs 10 lakh per Panchayat) would dash to ground as the new Government was likely to take its time in considering the assurance, which the UPA failed to fulfill despite the lapse of about a year when it was announced by UPA vice president Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh in Kashmir.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Rahul Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh during a function in Budgam on June 15, 2013 to kick start ‘Umeed scheme’ of the Centre had announced Rs 10 lakh worth grant for every Panchayat every year for carrying out development works in the rural areas. The announcement had given a ray of hope to the Panchayats, which had virtually no powers and negligible funds at their disposal to carry out developmental works in their areas despite the fact that the Panchayats would be completing three years of their existence in June this year.
“There had been no forward movement in release of funds, or even part of grant, announced by Rahul and Jairam Ramesh during remaining period of the UPA Government (June 2013 onwards) despite Rahul and then AICC (I) general secretary, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, Ambika Soni reiterating the commitment in Jammu on November 6, 2013,’’ sources said, adding now when the Model Code of Conduct was in force, no such grant was expected and after that the UPA-II would exit from the Centre.
They added that it would solely depend on the new Government, which is formed at the Centre after ongoing general elections on whether they decide to fulfill the commitment held out by the outgoing Government or not.
On their part, the Panchayat members were a dejected lot. While they had no hope from the State Government on grants to the Panchayats for development works, they had definitely pinned hopes on the Centre that it would release Rs 414.5 crores worth grants for 4145 Panchayats of the State (Rs 10 lakh per Panchayat).
“However, this hope too has been lost,’’ they said.
After June 15, 2013 announcement, the Sarpanchs had disrupted Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Jammu on November 6, 2013 in protest against denial of grants to the Panchayats. As Rahul had left the dais in a huff, AICC (I) general secretary, then Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, had intervened and announced that the file pertaining to grant of Rs 414.5 crores for the Panchayats of Jammu and Kashmir had reached Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and the grants would be announced very soon.
“But the statement of Ambika Soni, who is presently contesting Lok Sabha election in Punjab, was never fulfilled and it wouldn’t be fulfilled during the regime of UPA-II, which is going to expire next month,’’ sources said.
They added that the Panchayat members have virtually lost the hopes. They feel that the UPA-III is not going to come to power, if the opinion polls are to be believed. And a new Government at the Centre would have to study the proposal afresh and by that time, the tenure of Panchayats would come to an end. The Panchayats would complete their tenure of three years in June and full tenure of five years in next about two years.
The Panchayat members said a hope had been generated among them that they would be able to do some developmental works in their areas with Rs 10 lakh Central grant every year.
It may be mentioned here that a number of Panchayat members have been killed by the militants, three of them recently, in the Kashmir Valley. This has resulted in resignations by several Sarpanchs and Panchs in the Valley.
Sources said the State Government had followed the case for grant of Rs 414.5 crores worth grant for the Panchayats with the Union Ministry of Rural Development after the announcement and replied to all queries raised by the Centre.
“A complete case was prepared for release of the grant. The case was followed fully till the Model Code of Conduct was imposed,’’ they added.
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