57 cr spend in Panchayat in 2 years: JK GOvt

Jammu, Mar 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has expended Rs 57 crore through Dehi Majlisis or Gram Sabhas during the last two years of the award period in the Panchayats where elections were held during 2001, according to an official statement.

The State government has already introduced the Panchayati Raj Act with suitable amendments in accordance with the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution of India, envisaging reservations to the women, SCs and STs.

While, tremendous steps have been taken on the basis of 2001 Census followed by reorganisation of Panchayat constituencies to be reserved for under-privileged section of the society and women with a view to establish a vibrant Panchayati Raj in the state.

Presently, the funds received for various panchayat units are spent through Gram Sabhas or Dehi Majlisis, the statement said.

The exercise has been carried forward and the State Government said it is committed to hold fresh elections of Panchayats as early as possible.

Like wise, Rural Development Department (RDD) has been implementing various programme, schemes like SGSY, IAY, DRDA and Administration of Flagship Scheme of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

The State Government has not only got its due share of funds under various schemes during the current year and the preceding year but on the basis of good performance endowed with certain amount of incentives from Union Government.

The Government has also agreed to provide funds for rural housing as a special measure to overcome housing problem in the state, said the statement.

The Panchayati Raj Ministry has been also engaged in a dialogue with the State and Union governments, who have been trying to aid and assist rural development department in the J&K for coordinating its existing infrastructure, it added.

Recently the Backward Region Grants Fund Scheme has been launched in the state through the Rural Development Department as a nodal agency, by which deficiencies in the rural infrastructure at different departments would be met through this mode of funding. The Union Rural Development Ministry has been funding the State Government for implementing the PMGSY, drinking water under Swajaldhara Scheme, under which J&K has drawn more than its due share in the last two years.

Likewise, 'total sanitation' campaign projects costing Rs 98 crore have been sanctioned for the state with Five Year Plan period, envisaging coverage of entire rural J&K for providing individual household latrine and sanitation facilities to the Government schools, Anganwari centers and other government institutions.

Similarly, the department is implementing Haryali programme costing Rs 125 crore, of which the Rs 36 crore has already drawn during the last two years in order to extend the scheme across the length and breadth of the state, said the statement.

The state is presently charged with the massive responsibility of implementing National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, which envisages provision of guaranteed 100 days job to each family who register itself under the programme.

The programme, presently, under the implementation in nine districts would be extended to entire state during the next financial year, it added.

UNI