Cong celebrates National Panchayati Raj Day
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 24: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief GA Mir has said that the credit for introducing three tiers Panchayati Raj system and 33% reservation to women and SCs/STs in the country goes to the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Congress Party.
Addressing an impressive function to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the “National Panchayati Raj Day” on the introduction of 73rd amendment of the constitution here today, Mir and other prominent leaders recalled the struggle of Congress Party in the country especially, in Jammu and Kashmir for the empowerment of Panchayats and through them to the people at the grass roots level.
Mir said that the dream of Mahatma Gandhi was fulfilled by late Rajiv Gandhi by introducing the amendment in the constitution to give constitutional status to the Panchayats in Rural and Urban areas through the 73rd and 74th amendment which was implemented on this day in 1993 in the country.
He said that the reservation of 33% to women in all three tiers right from Panch, Sarpanch, BDC and DDCs including heads of DDC heads and similarly to the SCs and STs at all levels was ensured throughout the country as well in Jammu and Kashmir by the Congress party.
He said that the Congress struggled and worked with the PDP and then with NC from 2002 onwards to 2014 to incorporate the left out provisions of 73rd and 74th in J&K Panchayati Raj Act and finally all provisions of the Central Legislation were incorporated into the J&K on March 14, 2014. He said it was Congress Party which had recommended that the status of the chairperson of the DDCs should be of the cabinet minister in Jammu and Kashmir and it was the foundation laid by the Congress that the DDC members and BDC chairpersons were struggling to get the same to perform their responsibility.
He blamed BJP of reversing the 73rd amendment when came to power with PDP and took retrograde step of introducing indirect elections of Sarpanchs in 2016.
Former Ministers- Mula Ram and Raman Bhalla, PCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, senior leaders Kanta Bhan, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Shiv Dev Singh, Manmohan Singh, Th Hari Singh, Ashok Sharma, Udey Chib and others also spoke on the occasion.
Kashmir unit of Congress Party also celebrated National Panchayati Raj Day, describing it as a great initiative of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The Party also said the 73rd amendment of constitution came into force on April 24, 1993, subsequently 74th amendment was implemented on June Ist, 1993 to ensure inclusive development of poor and down trodden people living in the country through three tier Panchayati Raj System introduced in the country by former PM aiming to bring the development at the door steps of the people.
PCC vice president and Ex-MLA Haji Abdul Rashid Dar addressed a party function at Dangerpora, Sopore in Baramulla district, in which prominent party leaders and workers participated. Speaking on the occasion Dar highlighted the significance of the three tier Panchayati panchayat Raj system in the country, which was gifted to Nation by former PM ensuring 33% women reservation, besides SCs/STs in all three tiers of the Panchayati Raj System, he said.
DCC President Baramulla Fayaz Ahmad Mir, DDC Member Shahjehan Dar, BDC Chairman Mir Iqbal, Abdul Rashid Dar (Sangrama) Sarpanchs and Panchs also spoke on this occasion.
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