Panchayat members protest against bureaucracy

JAMMU: The Akhil J&K Panchayat Sammelan, a registered organization working to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions, on Monday staged a protest against the Rural Development Department. The protesters accused the bureaucracy of conspiring to undermine the authority and autonomy of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Over one hundred elected Panchayat members and senior members of the Panchayat Sammelan, led by its president Anil Sharma, staged a protest against the Rural Development Department’s order to cancel and withdraw the actually available amount of Rs 200 crore outside the Press Club of Jammu. Protested while shouting slogans.

This amount was offered for Panchayats under the 14th Finance Commission (FC). The agitating PRI members pointed out that about two months ago a similar order was issued canceling the funds under the 14th FC, but later the Rural Development Department, after strong criticism and censure from the elected panchayat members, assured that it would be available. Funds will not be played with and panchayats will be allowed to access these funds till March 31 and they will be allowed to make payments against completed and started development works in panchayats with the approval of gram sabhas.

Conference President Anil Sharma said that despite the Lt Governor’s assurance that the panchayat would be allowed to access the funds under the 14th FC till March 31, the RDD has again issued a dictatorial order on March 1, 2023, and J&K Direction has been issued to the Bank to allow the Panchayats to utilize these funds and instead transfer the funds to the 14th FC Award Account maintained by J&K RDD. All the protesting PRI members urged the central government and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to warn the babus to stop their violations and violations of the Panchayati Raj Act.