Guv amends PR Act using Legislative powers
Taxation powers to generate resources
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 4: For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, the Panchayati Raj Institutions have been really empowered with the State Government today assigning charge of 20 Departments to them by an act of legislation, just ahead of nine-phase Panchayat elections, which are scheduled to be held between November 17-December 11.
The National Conference-Congress coalition Government headed by Omar Abdullah had made similar attempt to extend control of some Departments to the Panchayats by an administrative order but the plan didn’t succeed.
However, official sources told the Excelsior, that keeping in view the past experience, Governor Satya Pal Malik using the Legislature powers vested with him under the Governor’s rule and the Assembly being under suspended animation, approved requisite amendments in the Panchayati Raj Act to give cover of legislation to the powers extended to Panchayats.
“Implementation of important Schemes line MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Mid Day Meal and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) have been devolved to the Panchayats,” sources said, adding that monitoring and supervision of schools and health institutions have also been passed on to the Panchayati Raj Institutions to make them accountable to the society.
Sources said the Panchayats will also be conducting concurrent/ quarterly social audit of works/ programmes in their area. However, along with all the authority, responsibility to ensure socio- economic and human development of the area will also be vested with the Panchayats, they added.
“The most significant change is the addition of specific schedules in the Panchayat Act giving extensive powers to Halqa Panchayats and Block Development Councils in many areas, covering almost 20 Departments. There are also specific schedules with financial powers for Halqa Panchayats and Block Development Councils, which will go long way in giving powers to the people right at the grass root level and ensure transparency in working of the Departments, which will be directly accountable to elected representatives of the people at village level,” sources said.
They added that to make the Panchayati Raj Institutions true harbingers of socio-economic development, the amendments will ensure well defined taxation powers to the Panchayats for generation of adequate resources by themselves.
“The amendments defined the role of Ward Majlis/Sabha and Halqa Majlis (Gram Sabha) in detail, placing the power to plan, implement, monitor and supervise various Government schemes/ programmes in the hands of people themselves,” sources said.
According to them, the Panchayats shall also be conducting concurrent/ quarterly social audit of works/ programmes in their area. However, along with all the authority, responsibility to ensure socio- economic and human development of the area including literacy, sex ratio, water conservation, natural resource management, agriculture/ horticulture development, health etc has also been placed on the shoulders of the Panchayats.
“They have also been made the agents of change through sensitization and awareness generation,” sources said.
According to sources, the functions and functionaries of all 29 subjects transferred to Panchayats under 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India will also be transferred to the Panchayats of Jammu and Kashmir including institutions like Primary Health Centres, Primary Schools, Anganwari Centers etc.
They said that financial powers of Panchayats will be enhanced 10 times from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh for Panchayats and from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh for Block Councils.
Sources said on an average, every Panchayat will now get around Rs 50-80 lakh per year at its disposal for implementation of key national schemes.
Noting that majority of the powers and responsibilities being extended to Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir were already being enjoyed by various States of the country, sources said the State had deliberately been deprived of these powers at the grass root level by successive State Governments.
Few days back, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had announced that 29 subjects transferred to Panchayats across the country under 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India, will also be transferred to Panchayats of the Jammu and Kashmir and financial powers of the Panchayats will be enhanced 10 times from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh.
According to sources, the announcement of major powers to the Panchayats and Block Development Councils (BDCs) could encourage more contestants to the Panchayat elections, scheduled to start on November 17 in nine phases and will conclude on December 11.
More than 3000 candidates have already joined the fray for Municipal elections, which will be held in four-phases on October 8, 10, 13 and 16.
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