AJKPC welcomes Guv's decision to hold BDC polls, says it will empower people at grass-roots level

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), an organisation representing panchs and sarpanchs,Saturday welcomed the Governor administration's decision to hold elections for constitution of Block Development Councils (BDCs), saying it would go a long way in empowering the people at grass-roots level.

The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met here under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik on Friday, gave the approval, after issuance of necessary notification in this behalf in consultation with state chief electoral officer and as per dates to be announced by him.

The objective of constituting block development council is to establish second tier of Panchayati Raj Institutions for implementation and monitoring of several centrally sponsored schemes and other projects transferred to halqa Panchayats, an official spokesperson had said.

"We express our gratitude to the central government and the Governor's administration for giving their consent to hold BDC elections for the first in state's history. It showed their sincere approach to empower the people at the grass-roots level," AJKPC state president Anil Sharma told reporters here.

He urged the Governor for issuing immediate directions to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K for the conduct of BDCs polls before the Assembly elections.

"We have no faith in political parties which may sabotage the process of empowering the people at grass-roots level by scuttling the move of holding elections to BDCs.

"It is our fervent appeal to the Governor that the Sarpanchs and Panchs have great trust in his able administration and he should immediately issue directions for the necessary notification to hold BDC elections prior to Assembly polls," Sharma said.

He said it was the people's long yearning for having three-tier Panchayati Raj System in the state and it can be achieved only by announcing elections to district development and planning board (DDPB) after completing the BDC polls.

Section 27 of the J&K Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 1989, provides for constitution of a BDC for every block. Every BDC would be a body headed by a Chairperson and other Members.

Chairperson of the BDC would be elected by the electoral college comprising panchs and sarpanchs of halqa panchayat falling within the block, the spokesman had said.