Govt neglecting Panchayati Raj system: JKNPP

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party today accused the PDP-BJP coalition government of totally neglecting the Panchayati Raj system in the state.
"We are here to remind the BJP-PDP alliance partners of the tall slogans given by them during elections for empowerment of Panchayats, we are here to draw their attention towards the utterly pathetic plight of the rural local bodies with the Panchayati Raj system having become literally defunct in the state", JKNPP chairman Harsh Dev Singh said.
He alleged that the local bodies were the worst sufferers in the present dispensation with the Panchayats having been deprived and robbed of their routine funding and the grievances of Sarpanches and Panches remaining unattended.

Singh was addressing party workers and Panches and Sarpanches who were holding a protest here today.
Singh said that the issues relating to their empowerment, funding, creation of three tier panchayati raj system, bringing of additional government departments under their control, creation of separate finance commission were nowhere on the itinerary of the government despite lapse of seven months after the formation of government.
He lambasted the state government for "withholding" the funds sanctioned for Panchayats under 14th Finance Commission by the Centre.
"The Government of India had sanctioned Rs 4769.37 crore under 14th Finance Commission for local self government out of which Rs 3463.73 crore had been sanctioned for rural local bodies (Panchayats)", he said.

He said that with first instalment already having been released by the Centre, the state government had wrongfully "withheld" the funds thus making the panchatats to starve.