news details |
|
|
| BDC elections were postponed to get women, weaker sections their due: Azad | | Azad pays rich tributes to Martyrs | | Abodh Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 21: Former Chief Minister and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad today gave a befitting reply to his detractors within and outside the party who had alleged that the Congress had sought postponement of BDC elections as it did not care for the empowerment of democratic institutions.
Azad said that he had called for postponing the proposed elections of the Block Development Councils so that they could be held in the true spirit of the Panchayati Raj Act as envisioned by the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi by giving due reservation to the women and weaker sections. Azad had termed the BDC elections a 'futile exercise' without extending reservation to the women and the weaker sections during the party convention in Srinagar recently.
"Those who say that we got the elections to the BDCs postponed because we are not concerned about empowerment of panchayats must understand that we are actually more concerned and hence we got the process postponed just for a couple of months so that powers could be transferred to the heads of these democratic institutions as done in rest of the country," said Azad while addressing a gathering at Bishnah.
"I thank the State Government for taking the cognizance of our concerns and agreeing to hold elections after doing the amends," Azad said emphasising that the elections should be held as early as possible after ensuring 33 percent reservation for the women and as admissible to the SC/ST and other social classes. "I have spoken to the JKPCC president Soz Saheb and the DyCM Tara Chandji that elections should not be postponed for more than a month or so and should be held by December," he added.
Earlier, paying rich tributes to the 37 martyrs who had made supreme sacrifices while upholding the honour, dignity, integrity and sovereignty of the country during different battles at the LoC, IB or while fighting militancy, Azad called upon the civil society to extend every possible help to the families of such martyrs and remember their sacrifices. "There is no way in which we can repay the families of these martyrs, but it is important that the society recognizes their sacrifices and extends them all possible help with dignity," Azad said. "Even though Governments do extend help to the martyrs' families under rules but it is not enough," he added.
Azad also appreciated the contributions of the ex-servicemen who return after giving the prime of their life in the service of nation and face many hardships. "Ex-servicemen also deserve all our respect. These are the people who faced prolonged separations from their families so that we could live in security and peace," he said adding, "We raised the annuity to the decorated soldiers in J&K by 65-75 percent to give dignity and honour to their achievements. A Param Vir Chakra used to get mere Rs 2000 as annuity which was a dishonour rather than an honour to him," said Azad. "We raised annuity for PVC from 200 to 1.3 lakhs, to MVC from Rs 1500 to one lac and to VC from Rs 1000 to 75000".
Azad also announced up gradation of Bishnah sub district hospital from 10- bedded hospital to 50- bedded hospital at an expenditure of Rs. 16.5 cr. "First instalment of Rs. 3 cr has already been released and we hope to complete the project by next year" Azad said announcing a couple of other welfare schemes of his Ministry that shall implemented in the coming months.
The function was organised by Gulchain Singh Charak under the aegis of Dogra Sadar Sabha. Others present on the occasion included DyCM Tara Chand, MP Lal singh, former DyCM Mangat Ram Sharma, Minister for PHE Taj Mohiuddin, Union Minister for parliamentary affairs and Water Resources Pawan Kumar Bansal. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
