KL Report
11 October
At a time when empowerment of Panchayat Raj institutions is hot issue in the state, among 4128 Panchayat Halqas of J&K, 1788 are without Panchayat Ghar buildings and only 899 Panchayat Ghar buildings have been taken-up for construction so for.
This was released by the government on Thursday in response to a question asked by a lawmaker in the upper house of the legislature.
“Till date no Panchayat Ghar has been completed as it took a lot of time in identifying land for the purpose, though the building of 899 Panchayat ghars has been taken-up,” the government confirmed.
It however explained that in the Panchayat Halqas where land has been made available the work has been started and 50 percent of the Panchayat Ghars taken up are expected to be completed during the current financial year.
The General Administrative Department issued an order No.1126-GAD of 2011 dated 22 September 2011 in which activity mapping of 14 departments has been done regarding the funds, functionaries and functions to be devolved on the Panchayats.
“Based on the activity mapping all the departments have issued elaborate guidelines in which the processes through which the devolution shall take place have been clearly delineated,” the government explained.
It further said, “A complete compendium of guidelines has been translated in Urdu and Hindi and made available to the Panchayats in the form of a book”.
The government claimed that ADC,s have been appointed as Nodal Officers for Coordinating among various departments to ensure that the functions are actually transferred on ground.
“To make the devolution process active, government has prepared a budget supplement in which Rs.253.06 crores including Rs. 190.44 crores out of 13th Finance Commission have directly devolved to the Panchayats,” claimed the government.
