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Power devolution to grass root level will expedite progress: Sagar

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 4/21/2013 1:51:51 PM

JAMMU, Apr 20 : Maintaining that Government has fulfilled its commitment of ensuring full empowerment of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ali Mohammad Sagar said that empowerment of Panchayats will surely expedite the progress and prosperity in the State besides ensuring effective and need based implementation of development programmes.
The Minister was addressing a gathering of Panches and Sarpanches of the Rajouri District at Sunderbani here today during a one day interaction organized by Rural Development Department to oversee the status of implementation of devolution of powers to the Panchayati Raj institutions.
Minister said that the empowerment of Panchyati Raj Institutions (PRIs) is a befitting reply to the forces that had earlier raised doubt about same and now in a state of frustration are trying to resort to lies and misleading people.
Sagar said that the holding of Panchayati elections and putting in place Panchayati Raj Institutions, besides ensuring their proper empowerment is one of the landmarks of the government and it will serve as a watershed in the history of the State.
The Minister said that by empowering PRIs they have become a part of governance and we have also ensured that the power trickles down to the grass root levels which forms the basis of democratic set up and participatory role of the people is also ensured.
Referring to the demands of Panches and Sarpanches, the Minister assured early redressal.
Asking the officers to involve Panches and Sarpanches in developmental programmes, the Minister said that the orders have already been passed for empowering them with 14 vital departments and the government will not hesitate to take action against those who will flout the directives. He said that Additional District Development Commissioner has already been nominated as the Nodal Officer for overseeing that orders of empowerment are properly adhered to at the district level.
Vice chairman Advisory Board Radhey Sham Sharma and MLC Ravinder Kumar Sharma also spoke on the occasion. They said that government has fulfilled its promise of empowering the PRIs and now onus lies on all members to work for ensuring sustained development of their respective areas and work for the welfare of the people.
Thousands of people besides Panches and Sarpanches of Rajouri district attended the function held as part of a series meant to monitor the implementation of orders on ground of empowering the PRIs.