Elections to J-K civic bodies soon: Dy CM

Stating that the government was committed to ensure democratic decentralisation of powers, Jammu and Kashmir deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh today said elections to urban local and other civic bodies in the state would be held soon.
Singh also exhorted the people to participate in the civic polls in order to involve themselves in day to day governance.
The deputy chief minister was addressing a gathering after inaugurating additional blocks of middle schools at Dharmani, Amala, Katali Billawar in Kathua district.
Singh asked the people to be prepared for the civic polls so that they can elect genuine representatives who can effectively catalyse the developmental initiatives of the government besides highlighting the problems being faced by the people and readdressing them effectively.

He said that it is the visionary approach of the Prime Minister that the power should percolate down to the ground level by involving the people in governance, policy formulation and implementation.
Singh said that ever since the present government took over it has been an endeavor to ensure proper implementation of various flagship programs being undertaken for accelerating the development of the state and necessary instructions have already been passed to the concerned.

Speaking about the National Food Security Act, he said the legislation would go a long way in providing subsidised food grains to the people of the state and maintained that the verification time for registration under the Act has been extended so that more people can avail its benefit.

The chief minister on the occasion also hailed the prime minister's package to J-K, which he said would catalyse a comprehensive development of the state.
"Necessary steps have already been initiated for ensuring its effective implementation so that the development of state is accelerated," he said.