By Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar (NVI): The government has embarked on a plan to strengthen grass root leadership in Kashmir by giving more administrative and political powers to the elected Panchayat members to fill the political vacuum created after detention of mainstream political leaders since August 5.
All the mainstream leaders of all the politicians, including Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were detained on August 5, when the Centre moved to abolish special status of Jammu and Kashmir granted under Article 370 and divided the state into two union territories.
Since then, about a dozen junior-rung political leaders have been released while the top leadership continues to be detained at MLAs hostel in Srinagar.
Due to their detention, there has been hardly any political activity in Kashmir for over five months.
In the meantime, the government is strengthening Panchayats in the newly-created union territory of Jammu and Kashmir by giving Panchs and Sarpanchs enough powers to take decisions regarding development works in their respective jurisdictions.
The Union Territory administration has decided to give administrative control of 21 departments to Panches and Sarpanches at the Gram Panchayat level.
Some of the departments which have been zeroed-in on include Rural Development, Social Welfare, Health, Education, Power, Horticulture, Fisheries and Agriculture.
Explaining the administrative role of panchayat members, Director, Rural Development Department Kashmir, Sarwar Qazi said they will administer these departments at the Gram Panchayat level.
“If a Gram Panchayat constitutes of seven Panches and Sarpanches, then multiple departments will be allotted to a member. If there are more than 21 Panches in a Gram Panchayat, then more than one member will share powers for looking after each department,” he said.
The empowered Panchayats could also generate their own funds by charging fees for building permission, advertisement and hoardings.
Pertinently Centre has released Rs 1000 crore to Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir. Panchayats have been selected as eligible beneficiaries for various government welfare schemes and can get Rs 50 lakh-80 lakh per year for implementation of key national schemes such as the National Health Mission, Samagra Shiksha etc.
The government conducted Panchayat elections for 4483 Panchayat Halqas in November- December 2018 in which 35029 Panchs and 4483 Sarpanchs were elected. Currently, 12,776, which constitute 60 per cent of the Panch and Sarpanch seats, are lying vacant.
To fully establish the grass root democratic institution, the government is now contemplating holding of elections to vacant seats in the month of March this year.
An official from Election Office said the Centre has told the Jammu and Kashmir government to initiate the process of holding elections for vacant Panchayat seats.
“The final electoral rolls for the vacant seats will be completed in two weeks,” he said.
Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar also held a meeting with Divisional Commissioners and Inspectors General of Police of Kashmir and Jammu divisions to discuss poll preparations.
Kumar said the Centre has given an indication to initiate the process. “The entire process will begin once the notification is issued,” he said.
Moreover, it will be the Panchs and Sarpanchs who will replace the political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir on Republic Day function at Sher-i- Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar.
It will be the first time in the political history of Jammu and Kashmr that Panch and Sarpanchs will be sitting along with the bureaucrats in the front on Republic Day function.
According to official documents, the district development commissioner Srinagar has been directed to prepare the list of invitees. “Invitees shall include VVIP and VIPs including chairperson BDCs, Panchs, Sarpanchs and Councillors,” it reads.
An official said that road from Radio Kashmir to Sonawar would remain closed for few days before January 26. “The SSP security has been directed to ensure arrangement of bullet proof kiosk for VIPs along with dais.”
While Panchayat members welcome government’s initiative, they claim the powers given to then have been “supervisory” in nature only.
“It is good thing to have vacant panchayat seats filled. But the empowerment of Panchayat has remained confined to papers only. We demand panelising power also,” said Shafeeq Mir, President of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Association.
