Jammu: Congratulating the people for reposing faith in Panchayat Raj, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday underlined the role of powerful panchayats in ameliorating the socio-economic structure in the state.
The Chief Minister said that decentralisation of powers is a revolutionary step in the state to involve public representatives at panchayat level in decision making and execution of works.
Addressing panches and sarpanches of Bishna and RS Pura constituencies, Omar said that decision making at the secretariat and provincial levels for the far-off and remote villages is not as effective as taken by panches and sarpanches at panchayat level.
"My government is committed to make panchayats as powerful as is possible and revolutionise the development scenario in the state. You can yourself decide about the schemes to be launched in the particular areas and in particular sectors and monitor their implementation," he said.
Omar added that self-governance at village level will develop by the establishment of Panchayat Raj and people will experience a new change in the field of development.
"People have exercised their vote power in a big way to elect you. It is now your responsibility to pay them back by rendering selfless, honest and sincere service," he said.
Omar also assured his government's full support in the cultivation of an effective and viable panchayat system in the state and said that his government's agenda to seek equitable and faster development in all regions and sub-regions of the state would get considerable fillip by the panchayat raj.
"The monitoring mechanism would get further strengthened and chances of corruption reduced," Omar said. The chief minister revealed that state has lost about Rs 1,500 crores of central grants for not having panchayats in place in the state and said that the state government expects central grants worth Rs 400 to Rs 500 crores annualy to be utilised at panchayat level.
He added that panchayats will have to play their role in making public delivery service of the government more effective in the sectors of health, education, water supply, agriculture and allied sectors.
Omar also expressed satisfaction over the participation of women candidates and their success as panchayat members.
This would help women population in the panchayat halqa to frankly narrate their problems to the women panches and sarpanches for redressal of grievances, he added.
Comments
0 comment