Though a sort of entirely new phenomenon of making Panchayati Raj system fully operative via its three tier mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir was felt , yet it appears the process of acclimatising or getting fully accustomed with the nitty- gritty of the functioning of District Development Councils (DDCs) is in the experimental stage. Since these DDCs are primarily to focus on and get involved in the holistic development of their respective districts , yet the supporting mechanism has not been provided to them as yet. In other words, the reasons of causing inordinate delay in establishing District Planning and Development Boards (DPDBs) and other vital committees under the relevant provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act is precluding these DDCs from delving upon how proper planning could be chalked out, a blue print or a road map framed to pursue the agenda of the specific mandate people have given to them for the purpose so overwhelmingly. Not that the importance and the need of providing such structural support to the DDCs was not made known to the concerned authorities of the Government by many Chairmen of these DDCs from time to time which otherwise is believed to be fairly known to it, yet no concrete action has so far been taken in the matter even though such a stand taken by the DDC Chairmen is fully backed by the favourable and supportive legal opinion with reference to the Panchayati Raj Act provisions. Where is , therefore, the hitch and why a workable solution , at least is not found out by the UT Government instead of keeping the matter lingering on by maintaining a status quo position which means nothing other than keeping the Councils virtually handicapped . Even Block Development Councils and Panchayats in the process of the prevailing suspense are affected in the absence of receiving of and being guided by various policy guidelines that would automatically flow from the District Development Boards.
Has the matter got something to do with the constituting and election of the members of the Legislative Assembly with representation from the respective districts and assembly segments , in that case, as nothing definite about the timing is known ,it denotes that further delay in framing of the District Development Boards and other vital committees was going to take place which in simpler parlance meant ambiguity about the prospects of a sustained , planned and holistic development , the very aim of the District Development Boards. It is to be realised that raising of one problem or the other faced by the Councils, though many a time critically analysed will, in fact , be found in most of the instances genuine. It appears things are done in halves and not in totality to ensure the DDCs functioned smoothly. How can in the absence of the important core committees like in respect of Finance, Development, Public Works, Health, Education and Welfare etc , the gamut of development in respective districts have any relevance that of direction, priority and framing of plans.
We feel that either the entire concept is confused or a stand is not taken to address the problem and any relevance to election of the Members of the Legislative Assembly to make the DDCs fully functional cannot be understood in the context of constituting the District Development Councils which due to the associated deficiencies may even be termed as half -hearted measure. In other words, when DDCs are constituted all in the absence of the elected representatives to the Legislative Assembly , why the same yardstick cannot be applied in respect of constituting DPDBs. We , therefore, expect the UT government taking a decision to address the problem with the sole aim and motive of making the three tier system of Panchayati Raj properly really function , particularly ensuring that DDCs functioned for the broader purposes for which they were constituted under a due democratic process.
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