Excelsior Correspondent
AKHNOOR, Feb 14: Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma today said that responsibilities of Sarpanchs/Panchs have increased manifold with the incorporation of 73rd Amendment in State PRI Act and they should gear up to play a bigger and pro-active role as envisaged in the Act.
Addressing a large gathering of Sarpanchs/Panchs and Chairmen of Panchayati Adalats at a function organized to facilitate him and MP Madan Lal Sharma here today, the Minister said that empowerment of Panchayti Raj Institutions (PRIs) is the victory of people of Jammu and Kashmir and specifically of Sarpanchs/Panchs who were fighting for their cause for many years. The credit for this historical decision goes to various stakeholders, including Central leadership, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi, State PCC President Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Describing the decisions of crating new administrative units and 73rd Amendment as landmark achievements for the Coalition Government, the Minister said that both the partners made a conducive environment with sincere efforts to adopt these pro-people issues and ultimately the efforts brought positive results. Regarding demands of some more deserving areas for creating the administrative units, the Minister said that the Chief Minister has already announced in his reply to the Motion of Thanks to Governor’s Address in the House that Government would set up a Committee of experts who will examine the demands and all deserving areas, if left will get the justice, he added.
He said peace and tranquility is pre-requisite for the development and Sarpanchs have to make efforts for strengthening the bonds of mutual brotherhood, communal harmony and social fabric, especially during the ensuring elections when some anti-social and anti-national forces will try to vitiate the peaceful environment. He asked them to remain vigilant against such forces and defeat their nefarious design.
Madan Lal Sharma lauded the coordination of State and Central Governments and said that welfare initiatives taken by both the Governments have started yielding results on ground. He expressed his gratitude to the State Government for creating new administrative units and bringing 73rd Amendment in the PRI Act.
He also expressed his happiness over the excellent performance of Rural Development for implementation of MG NREGA for which the Akhnoor was adjudged best performing block and Central Government conferred award. He hoped that the other departments will also take aspiration and achieve their targets. He said Central Government has provided free flow of funds for infrastructural development during the past over one decade and scenario is before the people. He said Parliament elections are round the corner and people must take massive participation in the process. He asked the Sarpanchs/Panchs to make aware the people about the importance of election and motivate the people to remain vigilant against the hollow slogan mongers.
OBC Vice Chairman, Kuldeep Verma, President Block Congress Committee, Akhnoor, Ram Saran Bhagat, Working President, Block Congress, Baldev Sharma, Block Congress Committee Mahila President, Smt. Raj Rani and large number of Sarpanchs/Panchs, Panchayat Adalat Pradhans drawn from various parts of Akhnoor and sectoral officers of various departments were present on the occasion.
Later, the Minister also participated in a function organized in connection with the celebration of Guru Ravi Dassji Jayanti at Akhnoor. The function was organized by Guru Ravi Dass Sabha Akhnoor.
Follow our WhatsApp channel