New Delhi (NVI): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved the adoption of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989.
Briefing the press after the Cabinet meeting, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the move will help establish all the three tiers of grassroots-level democracy in Jammu and Kashmir like in other parts of the country.
The three-tier system was not available in Jammu and Kashmir in the “pre-370 period”, Javadekar said, referring to Article 370 of the Constitution that was abrogated last year.
The article gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir and Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament now stands redeemed, Javadekar added.
“Now, there will be early elections, and the power to manage the local bodies will go to people. Locally elected representatives will be able to do district and block level planning, and implement welfare schemes,” he noted.
This will help the people of the Union Territory to elect their representatives at the village, block and district levels, he said.
-CHK
