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| Panchs, sarpanchs feel ditched as govt fails to devolve powers on them Panchs, sarpanchs feel ditched as govt fails to devolve powers on them | | | BHARAT BHUSHAN
JAMMU, June 18: On December 1 last, panchs and sarpanchs in J&K were "empowered" to impose fine under anti-tobacco act but they feel ditched now as even after six months of this official announcement they have yet not received any intimation in this regard.
"In the absence of an official intimation to us, we cannot fine a person smoking at a public place, or ask him to desist from violating anti-tobacco act," Kot (Bhalwal) panchayat sarpanch Prabhakar Singh said.
"Also, while trying to ensure the implementation of the act, we will be turning our voters against us," he added.
Prabhakar said despite the oft-repeated government assurances that it was committed to devolve powers upon the elected panchs and sarpanchs, they continued to be powerless. Their role in the state's development process was yet not defined by the government, he asserted.
A senior block officer said panchs and sarpanchs had been interfering in their day-to-day work, saying it was part of their duty. "This can lead to a problem, or even a clash between officials and panchayat members," he said.
The government must define the role of panchayats. "Once their role is defined, they will not try to encroach upon other areas," the officer added.
Panchs and sarpanchs had also raised the issue of empowering them by holding conventions across the state after their election to panchayats. Even a threat was issued to the government of a statewide agitation in case powers, under panchayati raj, were not transferred to them.
Following protests by them, rural development and panchayati raj minister Ali Mohammad Sagar had issued a statement in a joint meeting of panchs, sarpanchs and senior officers of various departments at Ganderbal on March 26 last that "the government will leave no stone unturned in devolving powers on them."
Even as he had told the meeting that the state cabinet had empowered panchs and sarpanchs to monitor the functioning of 14 departments of public importance including rural development, PHE and social welfare, nothing had been conveyed to them in written, or through the officials of these departments, panch Subash said.
While warning the officers of any laxity in implementing the cabinet decision, Sagar had also instructed RDD director to release Rs 1 cr for each panchayat.
There are more than 35,000 elected panchs and sarpanchs in the state. Panchayat elctions were initially fought in the state on non-party basis but after the results were declared, various mainstream parties claimed that their candidates had emerged victorious.
Official sources said MLAs in many areas were not in favour of empowering panchayats.
"MLAs feel that if panchayats are empowered, they will become irrelevant as no one will come to them with their problems," the sources added.
In a meeting held in the recent past, sarpanchs and panchs of various panchayats had demanded their empowerment at par with the panchayats of Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan by implementing 73rd amendment of Indian constitution.
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