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| Harsh seeks amendment in Panchayat Raj Act | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 9: MLA and working chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Nationalist Party, Harsh Dev Singh today demanded the amendment of the Panchayat Raj Act in the State to ensure strengthening of Panchayati Raj System with empowerment of Panchayats so as to make them vibrant institutions of Local self government.
He said Panchayati Raj System was conceived with the objective of decentralization of power and authority to the village level which, however, has been defeated due to excessive concentration and Centralization of power by the helmsmen.
Emphasising the need of enhancing the administrative powers of Panchayats, Singh called for further decentralization of authority to Panchayats and at the same time fixing of accountability as well. He said that resources constraints has always been a major handicap for the proper functioning of Panchayats and suggested the formation of a Finance Commission on the analogy of others States of the country. He said the formulation of Finance Commission has been envisaged under Art 243-1 of the Constitution of India but regretfully that has not been made applicable to the State.
He said that the proposed State Finance Commission should govern the distribution of taxes, duties, tolls and fees between the State and Panchayats as envisaged under constitution of India. He said that the Finance Commission should further determine the taxes which may be assigned to and appropriated by the Panchayats. He advocated the grants-inaid to the Panchayats out of the consolidated Fund of the State on the recommendations of Finance Commission.
Singh further sought the constitution of Panchayat Advisory Committee as envisaged under Sec 8-A of the Panchayat Raj Act. He said such Committee should be immediately operationalized so as to oversee not only the constitution of Panchayats but also ensure their smooth functioning with redressal of their issues and grievances.
Harsh Dev Singh expressed concern over the neglect of Panchayati Adalat System and non-constitution of Panchayat Adalats despite a provision for their constitution on sec 48 of the Act. He said that the Panchayat Raj System is incomplete without Panchayati Adalats which should receive equal attention of the government.
Harsh Dev Singh said the duration of the Panchayat should be the same as that of the State Legislature.
Singh further called for appropriate amendment in the Act so as to provide for remuneration to the Sarpanchs, Panchs and Chairman of Block Development Councils.
Harsh Dev Singh sought the completion of the process of re-organization of the Rural Development Blocks at the earliest. He sought the holding of elections on the basis of reorganised and rationalized blocks. He said for the purpose, the Committee constituted for creation and re-organization of blocks and tehsils should be directed to expedite the process and finalize the proposals along with its recommendations at the earliest.
Harsh Dev Singh suggested the holding of a special session of legislature in December to enact the requisite legislation and to made the necessary amendments in the Panchayat Raj Act so that elections could be held early next year. He said holding of elections without the necessary amendments for empowerment of Panchayats would be a faux Pas, an exercise in futility and an operation to hoodwink the people.
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