Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 13: Empowerment of Panchayats with Constitutional guarantee, 33 per cent reservation for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and women and constitution of Finance Commission to decide percentage of funds from the tax collections for the Panchayats are some of the areas on which the Core Group of National Conference and Congress was gradually reaching to consensus after two rounds of extensive meetings in Srinagar.
The Congress has almost agreed to drop the demand for implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India in Jammu and Kashmir provided that major parts of it, as identified by its five members in the Core Group, were agreed to by the National Conference representatives for adoption in the State Panchayati Raj Act.
Reliable sources said both National Conference and Congress, the coalition partners in the Government, could contest the upcoming elections for chairpersons of Block Development Council (BDC) in alliance if a consensus was emerged by October 20, the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers. Otherwise, the Congress was determined to go it alone in the elections by fielding its candidates for all 143 posts of BDC chairpersons, the elections for which were being held on non-party basis.
Sources said the Core Group, which didn’t meet today due to visit of Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, was likely to hold more meetings before October 17, the last date for filing nomination papers for the BDC elections. The nominations can be withdrawn till October 20.
The Core Group, which met for two consecutive days on October 11 and 12 in Srinagar, comprised Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar, Industries and Commerce Minister Surjit Singh Slathia and Political Advisor to Chief Minister Devender Rana, all from National Conference, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma, GA Mir, former Minister and MLA, Ravinder Sharma, MLC and Bashir Ahmad Magray, vice president PCC (I), all from Congress.
Sources said the Congress had been stressing on empowerment of Panchayats with Constitutional guarantee, immediate constitution of Finance Commission for Panchayats for which an Act has already been approved in the Legislature and 33 per cent reservation for SC/STs and women in remaining tier of the elections i.e. the District and Planning Development Board and for future elections of the Panchayats.
According to sources, ruling National Conference was also not averse to these proposals, which were part of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India. The NC leaders in the Core Group have maintained that it was their party, which had passed the legislation for setting up of the Finance Commission for the Panchayats and the chairman and members to it would also be nominated soon.
Pointing out that both the coalition partners have shown flexibility on adoption of various provisions of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India by amending the State Panchayati Raj Act, sources said both sides were unanimous on empowerment of Panchayats with Constitutional guarantee of their term and future elections after every five years, constitution of Finance Commission to decide percentage of funds, which would be allocated to the Panchayats directly from the tax collections and 33 per cent reservation to SCs/STs and women in all three tiers of Panchayats.
As per the provisions, there would be reservation for SC/ST women within the women quota in the Panchayats. Both sides were of the view that the Government should now go ahead with the BDC elections as the process for them has been set into motion while reservation part for SC/STs and women should be implemented in third tier of Panchayats i.e. the District Planning and Development Board, the elections for which would be held after the completion of BDC poll process.
Sources said there was a possibility that if the Core Group agreed on most of the points of 73rd amendment to be adopted in the State Panchayati Raj Act by the way of Legislature amendment in the budget session, the National Conference-Congress could go for an alliance in the BDC elections to present a united face to the opposition backed nominees.
According to sources, the Core Group was likely to hold few more meetings before arriving at a consensus. The focus was to hold the meetings and evolve consensus before November 20, the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers for the election of the BDC chairpersons.
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