Staff shortage in DDCs to be over in a month
Major changes in J&K after 3-tier PRI System: LG
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 29: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is reported to have assured about 10 percent increase in next financial year’s Capex (Capital Expenditure) budget for the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and also directed the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department to overcome shortage of staff in the District Development Councils (DDCs) within a month.
The Lieutenant Governor today addressed 20,000 representatives of the PRIs through video conferencing including DDC and BDC Chairpersons, Sarpanchs and Panchs.
Some of the DDC Chairpersons told the Excelsior that the Lieutenant Governor has assured 10 percent increase in Capex budget for the PRIs in next financial year of 2022-23. During current fiscal year of 2021-22, the Capex budget for the PRIs stood at Rs 12,600 crore.
A 10 percent increase would mean around Rs 1200 crore hike in the PRIs budget which is quite significant, they said, adding it would take 2022-23 Capex budget for the PRIs to around Rs 13,800 crore.
Last year, the Lieutenant Governor had finalized the Capex budget on June 16.
Every Panchayat might get a handsome amount in the next financial year as compared to current fiscal. This year, every Panchayat has been given Rs 1.47 cr for development works.
However, all works would be tendered by the DDCs, BDCs and Panchayats even if they the amount is small.
Some of the DDC, BDC and Panchayat representatives had demanded that works only above Rs 3 lakh should be tendered while rest be allowed to be executed locally but the demand didn’t find favour with the administration.
“There has also been no provision for carrying forward budget of current Financial Year to next year which is lapsing,” sources pointed out.
It may be mentioned here that there was a demand from some DDC and BDC Chairpersons besides Sarpanchs that expenditure for current financial year ranged between 60 to 70 percent in some of the PRIs and balance amount should be allowed for utilization in next financial year of 2022-23.
On demand of several DDC Chairpersons, Sinha is reported to have directed the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department to overcome shortage of staff in the DDCs within a month.
Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu on April 24 on the occasion of National Panchayat Day also figured and the Lieutenant Governor stated that it was historic for the Union Territory that the PM will be attending function in Jammu.
Sinha said that major changes have come up in Jammu and Kashmir due to implementation of three-tier Panchayati Raj System in the Union Territory with the efforts of Narendra Modi.
“Results of development will be fruitful when development will reach weakest man sitting in last corner,” he added and said a lot of changes have come to Jammu and Kashmir after implementation of the Panchayati Raj System completely.
Sinha disclosed that more than double works were executed after 2018 at less than 10 percent cost as compared to works done in 2018.
DDC Jammu Chairperson Bharat Bushan raised the issues of increase in Capex budget and raising ceiling of tender works to Rs 3 lakh.
DDC Ramban Chairperson Dr Shamshad Shan said tendering works should be decentralized from district to block levels so that more and more works can be taken up simultaneously.
Other DDC Chairpersons also raised the issues.
Sarpanch Anil Sharma regretted that he despite being president of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference was not given even a single minute to speak.
“Only selected Sarpanchs were allowed to speak,” he lamented.
An official hand out said:- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today addressed 20,000 PRI members from across the UT during a virtual PRI conference organized by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in collaboration with IMPARD, J&K at the Civil Secretariat.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor termed the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as the foundation of rural construction and development programmes.
“In governance, from policy to service delivery, PRIs act as the living cell of the system. By strengthening the PRIs, we are empowering a more effective system to truly realize the vision of Gram Swaraj,” he said.
“Our effort is to remove the gap between rural and urban, so that prosperity reaches the home and heart of every citizen of J&K”, he added.
While appreciating the initiative taken to bring the PRIs on a common platform, Sinha said that the unprecedented participation of PRI representatives reflects the untiring efforts of the Government to make Panchayati Raj Institutions more empowered, participatory and vibrant.
The Lt Governor observed that the effective devolution of three Fs- funds, functions and functionaries has established the centrality of Panchayats in governance and implementation of public welfare schemes.
“A historical decision was taken to involve PRIs to formulate District Capex Budget to effectively plan and carry out development works. Funds are also being provided to the PRIs to evolve their development schemes as per the needs of local population,” he observed.
“On average, about Rs 1.47 crore has been given to each Panchayat for developmental works, besides in this year’s record budget of Rs 1.13 lakh crores for J&K, an amount of Rs 1000 crore has been allocated to all Panchayats, Rs 200 crore for Development Fund for 20 District Development Councils (Rs 10 crore for each DDC) and Rs 71.25 crore for Block Development Councils (Rs 25 lakh each). Apart from this, Rs 313 crore has also been given to local bodies and about Rs 1727 crore to all Panchayats under MGNREGA, 14th Finance Commission, Mid Day Meal and Integrated Child Development Scheme”, he added.
Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary said that the Sarpanchs and Panchs are the foremost priority of the administration. He hoped that the UT of J&K will lead by example for other UTs/ States in the Panchayati Raj system in the coming months.
Mandeep Kaur, Administrative Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj highlighted the reforms being undertaken by the department to change the rural landscape of J&K.
Saurabh Bhagat, Director General, Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development J&K delivered the welcome address, Dr Ruchi Gupta conducted the proceedings, while Prof Reva Sharma, Director Training IMPARD presented the Vote of Thanks.
Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department; Vivek Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department; Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor, Administrative Secretaries, HoDs and senior officials also attended the Conference, in person and through virtual mode.
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