Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 3: Terming the upcoming Block Development Council (BDC) polls as crucial for strengthening democracy at grass-roots level in Jammu and Kashmir, former minister and BJP leader Sham Lal Sharma exhorted the cadre to gear up for the challenge and ensure election of public spirited and honest representatives to the basic democratic institutions.
Addressing meeting of Sarpanches, Panches and prominent leaders at Akhnoor today, Sham Lal Sharma said that participation of youth and women is imperative for ensuring their effective involvement in decision making at local levels.
Sham said that ensuing BDC polls are very crucial as the aim of these elections is to empower the people at grass root level. “The Govt of the day is more concerned about the development of areas particularly the rural areas. Therefore these elections are very significant so far as the development and other facilities to the people of rural areas are concerned, he said and added that BDC elections, which are being held for the first time in the State, will go a long way in paying the tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, whose dream was to strengthen the Panchayat system for democracy at grass root level.
Maintaining that strengthening the Panchayati Raj system to ensure empowerment to the rural people was the earnest desire of PM Narendra Modi, Sham Lal Sharma said that Kashmir centric parties create hurdles in fully implementing 73rd and 74th Panchayati Raj Act because of their vested interests. “But with the steps taken by the PM, the Panchayati Raj will get strengthen and as a result the people at grass root level will get an opportunity to decide about the development of their area,” he added.
Sham Lal stressed that BJP does not believe in communal and caste based l politics and the party’s only agenda is welfare of people while safeguarding national interests.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
