AJKPC welcomes honorarium but says main demand is empowerment, security

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, an amalgam of elected Panchs and Sarpanchs of Jammu and Kashmir, while welcoming the honorarium for Panchayat members of the State said that their main and prime demand is empowerment of Panchayats and security for Panchayat leaders.
In a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Shafiq Mir, the Panchayat Conference leaders termed the honorarium projected for Panchayat members by the State Government in the budget as their first victory. However, they made it clear that until and unless Panchayats are fully empowered they can not deliver any thing to the public.
While addressing the meeting, AJKPC general secretary Anil Sharma said that though it was not satisfactory but a good beginning.
In his address, Shafiq Mir, chairman of AJKPC while welcoming the step taken by Government said, “though this step has brought a little smile on their faces but this honorarium can not solve the problems of Panchayats. Our main and prime concern is to deliver the people for whom we were elected and that is not possible till the Panchayats are fully empowered”, said Shafiq Mir adding that security of the Panchayat leaders is another main and prime concern of the AJKPC for which they will continue their fight.