Govt keen to empower Panchayats: Sagar

‘Some oppn parties playing destructive politics’
Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Apr 23: Minister for Rural Development, Panchyats, Parliamentary Affairs and Law, Ali Mohammad Sagar today said that the Omar Abdullah Government is very keen to empower the Panchyats as these institutions are basic sources of implementing the right decisions with regard to development process in the rural areas.
Addressing a large gathering including a number of Sarpanchs and Panchs at Dara-Faqir Gujjri in District Srinagar, Mr Sagar made it clear that 73rd amendment is not applicable to J&K State due to Article 370 of the State constitution. But at the same time, he said that certain good provisions of the 73rd amendment are already under execution and have been incorporated in the Panchayati Raj promulgated by the State. He said the report with regard to 73rd amendment of the Cabinet Sub Committee constituted by Government and other suggestions to make democratic institutions very powerful is under active consideration.
The Minister criticized those forces who during their tenure weakened the pillars of democratic institutions of the State but now advocating for strong democratic institutions. He said panchyat elections was a long dream of the late Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah as he was very much keen to empower the rural bodies so that development process in rural areas can get fillip and this dream has been fulfilled by Omar Abdullah Government.
Mr. Sagar said that the devolution of powers to Panchs and Sarpanchs was a sincere and conscious decision of the present Government as it really wanted that these grass root democratic institutions to grow and address the peoples grievances to their satisfaction. He said that the Panchs and Sarpanchs can play a major role in weeding out the corruption in the public life.
Referring to various achievements of the present Government, he said to make the administration accountable before the public,the Government has enacted passed a Public Services Guarantee Act under which any officer/official has to deliver within the 15 days, otherwise he has to face music by paying Rs 5000 as fine.
Lasting out at some disgruntled opposition parties, he said that their only one point agenda is character assassination of National Conference and nothing else. He said the same opposition party through a number of conspiracies succeeded in dislodging democratically elected Sheikh Abdullah Government in 1975 . The same opposition party in 1984 dislodged duly elected Farooq Abdullah Government and repeated the same undemocratic process in 1989.
Mr Sagar further said the same opposition party all along played destructive politics rather constructive and never protected the rights of the people of the State.
He said, it was the Omar led Government which employed 4000 Kashmir Pandit migrants, and this shows that how much present Government is conscious about the welfare of all the communities of the society. He said that the present Government is making every efforts to provide basic facilities to the common people especially to the poor, downtrodden and those belonging to SC, ST and weaker sections.
Meanwhile, the Minister impressed upon the Panchs and Sarpanchs to discharge their responsibilities honestly and effectively in accordance with the law and try to come to the expectations of the people.
On this occasion MLA, Mohammad Yaseen Shah, MLC, G.Q Pardasi and other Sarpanchs and panchs also spoke.