In a decision that could impact development of rural areas, the Government has reduced funding of the Panchayats from Rs 23 lakh to Rs 16 lakh every Panchayat in the district Capex (Capital Expenditure) budget while budget of some of the districts is yet to be finalized even as about two and half month of current financial year have passed.
Such is the resentment among the District Development Committees (DDCs), who are in last year of their term, that DDC Kishtwar Chairperson Pooja Thakur, who belongs to ruling National Conference, said she and some of her DDC Members have decided not to submit their plans as a mark of protest.
Sources confirmed to the Excelsior that the Government has reduced Capex budget of every Panchayat by about Rs 7 lakh i.e. from Rs 23 lakh to Rs 16 lakh this year which would definitely hit development in the rural areas.
There are about 4290 Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir. In view of this, amount running into crore has been reduced for development in the Panchayats for current financial year, they said.
However, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of the MLAs has also been included in the district Capex budget. The MLAs are entitled to Rs 3 cr CDF annually.
DDC Udhampur Chairman Lal Chand told the Excelsior that they haven’t received any sanction for Capex budget of the district so far. “We haven’t received any sanction letter,” he said and regretted decline in grants of the Panchayats saying this will affect development works in the rural areas.
“It is not necessary that the MLAs will spend CDF in particular Panchayats. The CDF can be spent for other works also. The CDF should have been kept separate,” Lal Chand said, adding the institution of PRIs was running smoothly for last four years but during last year of their tenure the Government has hit the development.
DDC Jammu Chairman Bharat Bushan, however, said they have received sanction of Capex budget but he too regretted the decrease of Rs 7 lakh per Panchayat in the budget. “The DDCs haven’t been consulted before reducing budget of the Panchayats,” he added.
DDC Kishtwar Chairperson Pooja Thakur, who is from ruling NC said she and some DDC members have refused to submit the plan for the current year due to “growing interference” of MLAs and administration.
“Let them do what they want. We are not going to submit plan,” Thakur said, adding the administration is trying to use them as rubber stamps.
Thakur too batted for keeping MLAs’ CDF separate and maintaining the grants of Panchayats instead of reducing them.
However, Dr Shamshad Shan, DDC Chairperson from Ramban, who is also affiliated with the National Conference, said they have received sanction of Capex budget but it is Rs 10 crore less for this financial year as compared to previous year.
Naseem Liaquat, DDC Chairperson from Rajouri, who also heads NC Council in the border district, said seven to eight departmental heads are missing from the Capex budget though they have received the sanction.
DDC Doda Chairman Dhanantar Singh of the BJP said entire system was working very well for last four years and now suddenly after new Government taking over at the helm, the interference has started and the elected institution is being derailed.
“We have not been released the Capex budget so far. There are only queries. The Government is interfering and harming the institution. Decline in budget of the Panchayats will affect development,” Dhanantar Singh said.
Out of 10 District Development Councils in the Jammu region, the BJP rules six including Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi and Doda while National Conference is in power in the remaining three—Rajouri, Kishtwar and Ramban. An Independent female DDC Member heads the Poonch Council.
The institution of DDCs was established for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020. Elections for 20 DDCs in the UT-each having 14 members (including Chairperson and Vice Chairperson) were held in December 2020. The DDCs will complete their five-year term in January next year. Daily Excelsior
