Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 20: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that the Government has ensured the socio-economic transformation of the rural and far-flung areas by putting in place a vibrant and fully empowered Panchayati Raj System.
The Minister was speaking at one day interaction on the status of devolution of powers to the Panchayats, organized by the Department of Rural Development at Majalta block in Udhampur district.
District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, P. K. Pole, Director Rural Development, Jammu, Shafiq Ahmed Raina and other senior officers of various departments were present.
Mr. Sagar said that the Government has created a watershed in the political history of the State by holding elections to the Panchayats and ensuring their empowerment with the powers of 14 vital departments. He said a senior officer of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner has been nominated as the nodal officer for overseeing that these orders are implemented in letter and spirit.
Calling upon the officers and the Panchs and Sarpanchs to work in close coordination with each other, the Minister said that the same is necessary for carrying out sustained and need based development of the rural and far-flung areas. He said that they should convene regular meetings so that the bottlenecks if any in the empowerment of Panchayati Raj representatives are removed.
The Minister said that the Government has been holding these types of interactions across the State on the directions of the Chief Minister to get the necessary feedback about the status of implementation of the orders for the empowerment of the PRIs. He warned that the officials and the persons who are found deviating from the order would face action.
Mr. Sagar said that the Government was committed to put in place a 3-tier system of governance to ensure the democratic decentralization of powers so that the people at grass root level are involved in the policy formulation and the implementation of various schemes undertaken by the government for the welfare of the people. He said that the Government believes in sustained action rather than rhetoric and has ensured holistic development of the State.
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