news details |
|
|
| NC vision: power for people too | | Omar releases manifesto, says Panchayat polls first task | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Oct 31: Twelve years after it returned to power on plank of autonomy –which empowers government and not exactly the peoples –the National Conference has vowed to let the power travel down to grassroots if the party is voted to power.
In its voluminous 52-page election manifesto named as “Vision Document” and released by party president Omar Abdullah, the National Conference has committed to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system. Party’s veteran leaders and think-tanks Mohammad Shafi Uri and Abdul Rahim Rather are the architect of manifesto.
Believing that restoration of Autonomy in its pristine form was the only viable solution to the Kashmir issue, the National Conference, however, said it was ready to accept any better solution acceptable to the people of the state.
Taking a cue from the PDP-Congress coalition government, the National Conference has also laid emphasis on good governance. “Good governance is a primary requisite for overall development. Good governance would consist of responsive and people friendly mind set of the political workers and the civil servants, close monitoring of implementation of programmes and policies of the Government, the habitual use of modern aids devised by Information Technology for improvement of efficiency and transparency, and curbing of misutilization of funds and effective check on corruption. In order to energize the administration to deliver the programmes of the Government to the people in a time bound framework and in adequate measure, a mechanism shall be devised for each department. This shall be institutionalized, to take periodical reviews and undertake inspections in the field. The independence of the civil service shall be respected and officers shall be encouraged to perform their duties without fear or favour”, says the manifesto.
On sharing power with the peoples at grassroots, the National Conference has said that if returned to power, the first major task will holding elections to the Panchayats. The Vision Document recalled with regrets, “the National Conference Government held elections to the Panchayats in 2001. But the Coalition Government after 2002 took no steps whatsoever to implement the Act in letter and spirit. Instead of strengthening the Panchayati Raj system the Coalition Government made repeated but unsuccessful attempts to dissolve the duly elected panchayats. In a final, sinister attempt to subvert the Panchayat Raj, the Coalition Government introduced and passed a Bill in the Legislature despite strong opposition by the National Conference Party. The Bill aimed at empowering the government to dissolve duly elected Panchayats at its sweet will. This Bill was prevented from becoming Law by the National Conference Party which convinced the Governor not to give his assent”.
The National Conference government immediately after coming to power shall hold elections to all the Panchayats and fully support them to discharge their functions as envisaged in the Act. Similarly the Urban Local Bodies which are elected and are functioning shall be financially supported and also encouraged to raise their own resources and reduce their dependence on the government. In respect of Jammu and Srinagar cities which have elected Municipal Corporations the scope and jurisdiction of the existing District Development Boards shall be reviewed to eliminate the possibility of overlapping of authority for plan formulation and implementation.
NC also promised to attract private sector investment in every field, rehabilitation of militancy affected people, zero tolerance in Human Rights (HR) violations, war against corruption, employment to unemployed youths in government jobs and private sectors, improvement in power sector and industrial development.
The document said if elected to power in the state, the NC will try to convince those who have taken recourse to violence and intimidation as means to achieve their goal, that the lessons of history are very clear that all social, political discords are resolved ultimately by discourse and dialogue.
The vision document, which was released by the NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah, his son and party president Omar Abdullah in the presence of senior leaders, without naming separatists said all parties in the state, must accept the reality that the solution to the Kashmir problem can be found only through sustained dialogue between all stake holders.
It said the NC will hold elections to all panchayats and fully support them to discharge their functions as envisaged in the Act. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
