Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Jan 21: The Government today said it was open to any suggestions on incorporation of important provisions of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India into the State Panchayati Raj Act and that two reports submitted by Congress would be thoroughly studied.
“We have discussed the Congress proposals. The Congress legislator also met us. We will study all relevant material and draw up a conclusive report for discussions in the Assembly’’, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir told the Excelsior after the meeting.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar also attended the meeting besides Congress leader Ravinder Sharma, MLC and senior officers of Law and Rural Development Departments.
It may be mentioned here that PCC (I) president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz had constituted two Committees—one headed by Ravinder Sharma and another by GA Mir, who had recently been inducted into the Cabinet and made Tourism Minister—to hold detailed study of 73rd amendment of the Constitution and recommend important points, which could be incorporated into the State Panchayati Raj Act before holding elections to the Block Development Councils (BDCs).
Saifullah Mir said the Law Ministry has studied the material submitted by the Congress and other relevant documents. The Government would shortly draft a comprehensive document for discussions among the various stake holders to take a final decision on the amendments, he added.
Mr Mir, who had himself moved some private member’s bills in the Legislative Assembly as a MLA, said: “we would shortly take a decision as to what was required and what not for incorporation in the State Panchayati Raj Act’’.
Official sources said the Government would not only take into account the Congress proposals but also other relevant material available before it before deciding on moving amendments to the State Panchayati Raj Act.
Sources said another meeting could be held among the stakeholders including the Rural Development Minister, the Law Minister, the Congress leaders and officers of Rural Development and Law Departments in the next few days.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah could also call the stakeholders shortly for discussions, they added.
The Congress had initially been demanding implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India in the State to empower Panchayats in the State. However, the Chief Minister had refused to implements 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India but agreed to implements some amendments from it into the State Panchayati Raj Act.
The Congress had set up two Committees—one each headed by Ravinder Sharma, MLC and GA Mir, MLA (now Tourism Minister), which had submitted their reports to Prof Soz.
Prof Soz had circulated the reports among National Conference members in the Coordination Committee meeting on January 14 for their opinion.
The Congress Committee reports had suggested various measures to strengthen Panchayats in the State. There had been demands from various quarters to empower the Panchayats.
Elections to 143 chairpersons of Block Development Councils (BDCs), which had been announced by the Government and were scheduled to be held on November 7 last year, were cancelled midway of the process as the Congress had described them as meaningless in the absence of reservations to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women.
Mr Sagar during today’s meeting with the Congress legislator and officers assured that elections to the BDCs would be held soon.
Mr Ravinder Sharma, the Congress MLC had prepared an exhaustive report on implementation of various provisions of 73rd amendments of the Constitution of India into the State Panchayati Raj Act.
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