AJKPC demands early release of funds for Panchayats to carry out development works

14/02/2019

JAMMU, Feb 13: All Jammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) on Wednesday urged the Governor Satya Pal Malik for early release of funds for Panchayats, saying development activities in rural areas of the state have come to a standstill due to non-availability of funds.
"Over two months have passed since the Panchayats were constituted in Jammu and Kashmir but not even a single penny has released in their favour which has badly affected development works in rural areas of the state," Anil Sharma, state president AJKPC said while addressing a daylong convention of Sarpanchs and Panchs in Dansal block of Jammu district here.
Sharma said the state Government had notified that a specified amount would be given to each Panchayat under 14th Finance Commission but that amount too has not been released to them till date
He also referred to the Centre's flagship programme, MGNREGA scheme which was envisaged for the generation of employment in rural belts of the state.
"The scheme has been lying defunct for the past six months in the state as the liability of material cost is still there. No new work has been undertaken under the scheme which is defeating the very purpose of the scheme in the state," AJKPC leader said, adding that there were no funds at the disposal of Panchayats due to which they were able to carry out development activities.
"Panchayats will lose their relevance and hold no meaning if the state government does not immediate address these issues," he said.
Sharma also raised the issue of difficulties being faced by the people in rural areas due to non-bifurcation of ration cards.
Prominent among those who attended the convention included Executive members AJKPC Ramal Singh and Balbir Singh, Sarpanches Amzad Beg, Mansa Ram, Kanta Devi, Gulzar Bibi, Soma Devi, Jasmine Akhtar, Onkar Singh, Kuldeep Kumar, Saraj Din and former sarpanches Balwan Singh and Khurshid Ali.

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