Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, July 20: Terming existing District Development Boards as ‘illegal bodies’ Dr Shazad Malik, Vice Chancellor of Sai Nath University and an educationist from Mendhar in Poonch, has urged upon the Governor NN Vohra to immediately dissolve all existing DDBs across the State and set up new District Development Planning Boards.
The appeal for dissolution of these boards has been made by Dr Shazad today while addressing a gathering in Naka Manjhari Panchayat Halqa of Mendhar under youth motivational and border residents interaction program.
The VC appealed to the Governor to dissolve these existing Boards and alleged that the successive Governments for political considerations appointed their ministers as the chairpersons of these boards. Dr Malik informed the people that though there is provision of constitution of District Development and Planning Board in each district under the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989 and further citing section 45, 46 and 47 of the act, the VC said this act clearly calls for elected and democratic bodies unlike existing boards where like monarchs, the ministers are appointed as chairpersons unlawfully. The VC said how a non- local (Minister) can spare time and take decisions at micro level as a district is comprised of several tehsils, blocks, panchayats and wards. The VC also demanded inclusion of eminent and prominent locals of the districts as special invitees in meetings of new District Development and Planning Boards(DDPBs) as and when constituted as per the act.
During the meeting, the locals of the area apprised the VC of the shortage of clean drinking water and shortage of staff in Government schools. Earlier, during the day prominent people of the area gave a warm welcome to the Vice Chancellor on his arrival at the village.
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