Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 16: Terming Government’s decision to put off the Block Development Council (BDC) polls as a “welfare measure”, the State Congress today said the move would help strengthening the Panchayati system in the State.
“We welcome the decision of the Cabinet to postpone the BDC elections for sometime in order to incorporate some provisions for further empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions in the State,” JK Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Saif-ud-Din Soz said in a statement here.
The State Government yesterday announced postponement of the BDC elections, which were to be held next month, to provide for quota to SC, ST and women.
The decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here last evening.
“It is a welfare measure as it will provide more time to the coalition to identify the areas where State’s Panchayat Act will need to be improved and strengthen so that democracy will reach the grass roots level and make the functionaries of the Panchayat System more powerful to perform their role,” Soz, whose party is the junior partner in the National Conference-led Coalition Government, said.
He said incorporation of further measures would also help make Panchayat System more inclusive and responsive.
“It is this way that the functionaries of the Panchayat system will play the role effectively for which they were chosen through a free and fair election in which more than 80 per cent people participated against great odds,” he said.
He said many suggestions are expected to crop up during the deliberations between the two coalition partners.
“The question of exercise of financial powers by the Panchayats will also be deliberated,” he said.
He said “in my opinion, it is not a situation of any party being winner or any party being loser. The coalition will together organise the process of reform and empowerment of the Panchayat system”.
Among other things, Soz said the empowerment of Panchayat system would strengthen and broaden the democratic base and ensure participation of the masses in the developmental process on the principles of equity and justice.
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