Hold simultaneous elections to 3-tiers of PRIs in 2026; clear MGNREGA liabilities: Anil Sharm
Jammu, July 05 (KNB): All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayats Conference (AJKPC), the frontline body of elected Panchayat representatives, today staged a strong demonstration and demanded that the government should immediately extend the term of existing Panchayats in J&K by two years.
In a handout issued to KNB AJKPC leaders said, the government should conduct the polls for all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), as the guidelines of 73rd Amendment of Indian Constitution, together for bringing vibrancy in the system.
Led by the AJKPC president Anil Sharma, the demonstrators reiterated their demand for extending term of the existing Panchayats in J&K by at least two more years and hold Panchayat elections in January 2026.
“The term of existing District Development Councils (DDCs) will end in November-December 2025. The guidelines of 73rd Amendment state all the three-tiers of the PRIs should have co-terminus and elections to these bodies should be conducted within a span of 45 days. The simultaneous elections will ensure vibrancy in the rural bodies,” Anil Sharma said.
As the term of the District Development Councils shall end in 2025 therefore, there is no logic to end the term of the Panchayats prior to that, Sharma said.
He said the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha must take a call and grant extension in the term of Panchayat units in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Justifying his point, Sharma said that the term of existing Panchayats in J&K would be expiring in November-Dec 2023 and there are rumours that the Government may dissolve the existing Panchayats even before the due date and this is not acceptable to the Panchayat members and they would strongly oppose it.
The AJKPC leader also demanded immediate clearance of all outstanding material liabilities of the people under MGNREGA scheme who had been waiting for their payments since 2016-17.
“The patience of these people is running out and the government should immediately clear their liabilities for the period 2016-17 to 2021-22 without any further delay,” Sharma said.
He also demanded immediate resolution of all issues of temporary Guards/Maalis-Chowkidars of the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department who have contributed their land for various infrastructural developments in their respective Panchayats.
He said the families of these poor people are at the verge of starvation due to the adamant attitude and step- motherly treatment adopted by the UT administration.
“We once again make a humble request to the government that these people should be adjusted as temporary daily wagers at the monthly honorarium of Rs 9,000 so that they are able to feed and support their families,” he said.
The leader also highlighted the worsening power and water supply situation in rural pockets of Jammu and Kashmir, and urged the respective departments to take immediate corrective measures to improve water and power supply in villages.
Prominent among those who joined the demonstration were Jatinder Singh, Ramsaroop Sharma,S Ravinder Singh, Rohit Sharma, Rattan Lal Sharma, Ramesh Kumar, Hans Raj thakur, Koushal Kumar, Balwan Singh, Anil Barsala, Iqbal Chowdhury, Iqbal katoch, Rajesh Sharma, Balwant Raj, Babu Ram, Ravinder Kumar, Raja Singh.statement added
(KNB)