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Can’t give security to all J&K Sarpanches: Centre

P L UNIYAL. Dated: 11/6/2012 10:57:09 PM

NEW DELHI, Nov 6: In the backdrop of fear gripping sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Panchayati Raj Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo today agreed with the state government's stand that it was not possible to provide security to all of them but said they should be given powers to perform.
He said he has been writing to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in this regard and had recently sent his Additional Secretary to Srinagar for the same purpose.
"I have written to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The Ministry is taking up the matter with the state government. I have been talking to them over phone. I had also sent my Additional Secretary there for this," Deo told reporters.
He was replying to a query on the state of Panchayats and sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir.
"I agree with the state government's view that it is not possible to provide security to all 40,000 sarpanchs. But the main aspect is that we have trained the sarpanches and got them elected. But you have not devolved any funds and functions. So, what else do you expect? This could also be one of the reasons for sarpanches feeling insecure in the state," he said.
It is understood that devolution of powers to Panchayats is being delayed by MLAs heading the Political Committees made for this purpose, sources said.
MLAs heading the Political Committees are not willing to share funds and responsibilities with sarpanches, they added.
Sarpanches in a few districts of the state were targeted by militant groups sometime back.
Along with J&K, a similar problem has been reported from Jharkhand where the state government is awaiting formation of District Planning Committees (DPCs) before delegating works and funds to Panchayats.
Terming it as a lame excuse, Deo said, "Jharkhand also has the same problem. They had (panchayat) elections after 32 years. In Jharkhand, they (state government) are saying the DPCs have yet not been formed, therefore they have not devolved any power. This is a lame excuse."
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment had prescribed a list of matters which can be transferred or devolved to sarpanches in a state.
"I don't think there is any state that has devolved all these 29 items, but they have devolved some items," Deo added.
Earlier in the day, the Minister met a Canadian delegation headed by its Minister of State for Democratic Reforms Tim Uppal.
The delegation is visiting India to learn from its process of power decentralisation, local governance and democratic reforms.
"We gave them a comprehensive insight into our system of governance and related developments... They particularly looked at how Panchayats have handled disturbed and extremist-hit areas, how normalcy has been restored in areas where panchayat elections were held," he said.
The Minister also briefed the Canadian delegation over the state of panchayats in J&K and Jharkhand.