Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 10: Reiterating commitment of National Conference to public participation at grass-root level in decision making, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Monday said empowerment of Panchayats is a leap forward to achieve this objective, which forms core of Sher-e-Kashmir’s cherished agenda of power to people.
“With the proposed extension of several provisos of 73rd Amendment of the Constitution in J&K Panchayati Raj Act, the rural people will become real masters of their own destiny, as their elected representatives would don the mantle of chairmanship of all important development boards at district and block levels”, Mr Rana said while welcoming a senior PDP leader Abdul Rehman Wani in the party fold at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this afternoon.
Retired as a senior engineer, Mr Wani had contested 2008 Assembly elections from Inderwal Constituency on PDP ticket and worked in various capacities in that party.
The Provincial President said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah unequivocally emphasized the representative character of Chairpersons of District and Block Development Boards, as he believed that nominating these important functionaries at the basic level would not be in consonance with democratic spirit.
Mr Rana described the decision on Panchayat empowerment yet another milestone of the Omar Abdullah led Government after the creation of new administrative units, which reflects the urges and aspirations of the people, particularly those living in remote and far off areas. He said these decisions have enthused the people who for the first time feel themselves to be major stakeholders in the governance. “This is what National Conference stands for”, he said adding that these people-friendly initiatives have unnerved cynics and opponents to such an extent that they have taken recourse to obstructions.
The Provincial President exhorted the party workers to fan out in their respective areas and generate awareness among the people about people-friendly initiatives of the Government led by Omar Abdullah. He said the record card of the past five years speaks for itself about the steps taken for enhancing the quality of life in terms of development and other utility services.
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