Identification of OBC Wards after fixation of percentage
*Fresh delimitation of Sarpanch, Panch segments to be taken up
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 9: The Urban and Rural Local Bodies which ceased to exist few months back due to delay in elections because of grant of reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are likely to get continuous grants for development works from the Union Home and Rural Development Ministries for upcoming financial year of 2024-25 uninterruptedly.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Central Government has assured continuous grants to Block Development Councils (BDCs), Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies including Municipal Corporations, Councils and Committees which completed their five years term between October to January.
Elections to the ULBs and Panchayats couldn’t be held due to grant of reservation to the OBCs while the BDCs ceased to exist as their term was co-terminus with the Panchayats.
“In the absence of elected Urban and Rural Local Bodies, the grants to them for the financial year of 2024-25 had become doubtful. However, the Centre is likely to release the grants due to valid reason of delay in the polls as the Government wanted to give reservation to OBCs in Panchayats as well as Municipalities at par with other States and Union Territories,” the sources said.
The continuous flow of grants is aimed at helping the Urban and Rural Local Bodies to continue the ongoing development works and take up new projects wherever required and approved.
There is a provision that if elections to rural bodies are delayed by six months the grants can be released in favour of the Panchayats.
Generally, budget of the Panchayats is approved in the month of March, days ahead of the start of financial year on April 1. However, sometimes, the budget can be approved in the month of April. Due to imposition of Model Code of Conduct by the Election Commission for conduct of Lok Sabha elections, the passage of budget can be further delayed.
As per the sources, the entire administration will be busy in Parliamentary polls till the end of May. Only after that, an exercise to reserve the Wards for OBCs can be taken up. However, for that the Government first has to fix percentage of reservation to be given to OBCs in Panchayats and Municipalities.
Besides, fresh delimitation of Panchayat Wards will also be required, they said, adding delimitation and fixation of reserved Wards are likely to be taken up simultaneously.
It may be mentioned here that there is provision of 33 percent reservation to Women in Municipalities and Panchayats besides DDCs and BDCs. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have also been extended reservation in the Local Bodies.
There were 4291 Panchayats and 310 Block Development Councils (BDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir whose term ended on January 9 this year.
Five-year term of BDCs was scheduled to end in October 2024 but as per the Rules and Panchayati Raj Act, term of BDCs is co-terminus with the Panchayats and they too ceased to exist along with Panchayats.
The Panchayats and BDCs accounted for nearly 28,000 representatives in Jammu and Kashmir including BDC chairpersons, Sarpanchs and Panchs.
Elections to 77 Municipalities including 40 in Kashmir division and 37 in Jammu region and 4291 Panchayats were due in October-November last year but were delayed due to grant of reservation to OBCs and discrepancies in number of electorates in different Wards of Jammu and Srinagar Municipal Corporations that required delimitation.
The ULBs are also expected to get the grants from the Central Government, the sources said.
The administration had in January appointed Administrators for running affairs of the rural bodies for six months or till further orders. The Administrators were appointed under Section 9 of Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989.
The Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj had appointed Block Development Officers (BDOs) as Administrators for running affairs of the Panchayat Halqas under their jurisdiction.
The powers enjoyed by the Panchayats have shifted to the BDOs till elections to the rural bodies are held again.
Similar powers in terms of Corporations have been granted to the Commissioners and Administrators for Municipal Councils/Committees.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
