Sarpanchs, Panchs pivotal to strengthening grassroots democracy: DC Rajouri
Rajouri district holds maiden Sarpanch conclave
RAJOURI DECEMBER.16: District administration Rajouri today held maiden conclave/interaction meeting with the Sarpanches elected in recent Panchayati elections here.
The conclave convened in the lawns of Dak Bungalow Rajouri was chaired by Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Aijaz Asad.
Other officers including Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sher Singh, District Panchayat Officer, Abdul Khabir were also present in the conclave.
Interacting with the newly elected Sarpanches, district development commissioner Aijaz Azad said termed them ambassadors of democracy at grass root level.
Deputy Commissioner, while speaking on the occasion said that Panchayati elections make the institution of Democracy very strong at the grass root level with the involvement of large number of people from rural areas.
“Now people have elected the elected local body members, it is duty of elected members to contribute to the development of their Panchayats/wards,” he told gathering.
“Government has also taken a series of steps to further strengthen the Panchayati raj institutions and role of sarpanches is very important in implementing various important schemes of public welfare,” said Deputy Commissioner in his interaction.
While highlighting the provisions kept for Panchyat in new budget, he informed that Government has devolved Rs 1151 crore for the current year, Rs1422 crores for the next year and Rs 2573 core will be devolved into the panchyats in a time frame of next 15 months.
To further strength the Panchayat an amount of Rs 20 lacs to Rs 1 crore kept for each panchyat depending upon the area and the population.
He also asked them to play pivotal role in ensuring that benefit of government schemes percolates among grass root beneficiaries.
Deputy Commissioner also asked these elected representatives to keep a close eye on the working of government schools and health centres in their areas.
Sarpanches thanked the District administration Rajouri for taking the initiative of holding the conclave and providing the necessary support to the Local bodies for holistic development of District Rajouri.
The newly elected sarpanches appreciated the district administration Rajouri for conducting free, fair and transparent elections in the district.
It is pertinent to mention here that 312 sarpanches and 2394 panches have been elected. The total number of contesting candidate for sarpanch was 1167 and 5395 candidates for the panches. The average turnout of voter was 80 percent in the district.
