Schedule for Tehsil, Zila panchayat polls for J-K to be announced within 5 days: Shah

Schedule for Tehsil and Zila panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be announced in the next four to five days, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said on Sunday.

Speaking at an event here, Shah said the government is committed to making three-tier panchayat system fully functional in the region.

"We ensured Panchayat polls will happen in Jammu and Kashmir, after which 40,000 village heads are working for development. In the next four to five days, Tehsil and Zila panchayat elections will be held. Three-tier panchayat system will be fully functional in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Shah said the central government will provide Rs 70,000 crore to panchayats for the development of the villages. "The money will directly go to Sarpanches' bank accounts. Earlier, it did not go below secretariate level," the Home Minister said.

Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 was repealed and it was reorganised into two Union Territories last month.