Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 26: The best utilization of powers and services by three Gram Panchayats of Nagrota, Kota and Nagrota-Barnoti of Jammu and Kathua districts has brought laurels to Jammu and Kashmir and the areas these institutions represent. The members of these three Panchayati Raj have proven their mettle in making best use of the powers and services transferred to panchayats by the Omar Abdullah-led Government from 14 departments of public importance.
These three Panchayats have been adjudged the best and conferred awards by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India for the year 2013 under the Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Initiative Scheme (PEAIS). These Panchayats have fully utilized the powers making remarkable dent on the ground in service delivery and making Panchayats rule the roost in the rural development scenario.
The members of these Panchayats led by Sarpanch Nagrota, Block Dansal of District Jammu, Rameshwar Dutt, Sarpanch Kota, Block Hira Nagar of District Kathua, Kant Kumar and Sarpanch Nagrota-Barnoti of District Kathua, Kamal Kishore in a meeting with Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah presented resume of the work done by these Panchayats by utilization of powers to redress public grievances and implement development programmes.
They expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah for holding Panchayat elections in the State after over 30 years’ gap and fully empowering these institutions to work with authority and power at the Panchayat Halqa level for making decisions, identifying areas and beneficiaries in various sectors, monitoring schemes of urgent public importance, overseeing different functions of the Government Departments and being mastermind in the process of rural development and public welfare at grass roots.
The Panchs, Naib Sarpanchs and Sarpanchs of these award winning Panchayats narrated their experience to the Chief Minister in using powers conferred upon them by the Government and making Panchayats nerve centres of socio-economic development in their Panchayat Halqas.
Expressing satisfaction and happiness on the awards won by these three Panchayats for their best utilization of powers and rendering outstanding service to the people, the Chief Minister said that these Panchayats have shown way to other Panchayats as to how powers are utilized to earn awards at the State and National levels. He expressed the hope that all other Panchayat Institutions in the State will follow the suit and utilize powers to ensure welfare of the people who have elected them in their Panchayat Halqas.
The Chief Minister reiterated his determination to further strengthen the Panchayat system in the State and make it nucleolus of socio-economic change in the rural areas.
The Sarpanch of Nagrota Gram Panchayat of Dansal Block, Rameshwar Dutt presented a cheque worth Rs. one lakh to the Chief Minister from his Halqa Panchayat for the relief of earthquake survivors of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts.
Present on the occasion were Legislator and Provincial President National Conference, Devender Singh Rana and Legislator representing Panchayats in Legislative Council Dr. Shahnaz Ganai.
The Panchayat members Meyush Gautum, Boli Devi, Ravinder Sharma, Arjun Singh, Trishla Devi, Sushma and Ravi Singh from Nagrota, Mela Ram, Bishamber Shastri, Griya Dutt, Mukhtyar Chand, Mukesh Sangra, Baghwan Dass, Rani Devi, Neelam Sangra, Ram Chan Khajuria and Nirmal from Kota Block Hira Nagar and Roshan Lal, Kuldeep Raj, Neetu Devi, Shakuntla Devi, Purshotam Lal, Joginder Pal and Kartar Chand from Nagrota-Barnoti block of district Kathua shared their experience and views with the Chief Minister relating to the utilization of powers and monitoring various services in their Panchayat Halqas.
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