news details |
|
|
| Extend 73rd, 74th amendments of constitution to state : BJP | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 22: Strongly advocating for extending the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Indian Constitution to the State for devolution of powers to the gross root level, the leader of the BJP Legislature Party, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta has alleged that by taking undue advantage of the Article 370, the collation partners in state are making a mockery of the democratic institutions.
Sharply reacting over the reports that the National Conference and some of its fellow travelers are not willing to extend the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the State despite the assurance given by no less a person than the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, and to wriggle out from their earlier commitments including the one by the Governor in his address to both the Houses of the State Legislature in February 2009, the Government has mysteriously appointed some “Expert Committee” in the name of strengthening the Panchayati Raj Act of 1989, Prof Gupta said.
BJP leader further said that in the entire country there have been elections to the Panchayats and local bodies for over 12 times but in Jammu and Kashmir these were held only four times and these bodies were made quite ineffective.
Prof Gupta also alleged that even in the delimitation of Panchayat and Municipal wards, there is clear discrimination against Jammu. In this regard, he pointed that the number of inhabitant villages in Jammu region is 3428 spread over an area of about 2700 sq. kms but the number of Panchayats, has been given only 1969. On the contrary the Valley of Kashmir is having 2876 villages spread over just about 1600 sq. kms, but has been provided 1976 Panchayats, seven more than Jammu.
To substantiate his charge of discrimination, he further pointed out that Srinagar is mostly covered by the Municipal Corporation wards and thus, is having only ten Panchayat Halqas. But these ten Panchayats were provided CD and Panchayat sector funds during 2009-10 to the tune of Rs 115 lakh, where as the vast district of Jammu is having as many as 297 Panchayats and during this period got only Rs 317 lakh. This means that in Srinagar each Panchayat was provided over Rs 11 lakhs while in Jammu each Panchayat got only rupees one lakh and a few thousand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
