Srinagar: Representatives of All J&K Panchayat Conference today staged a peaceful protest here, demanding Panchayati Raj and Municipal body polls be held together in the Union Territory in accordance with the three-tier structure of the government.
Shouting slogans “Long live Panchayat unity and fulfill our demands”, scores of Panchs and Sarpanches from different places of J&K assembled at Srinagar’s Press Enclave and staged a peaceful protest to press for combined elections of Panchayati Raj institutions in J&K.
Protesters also appealed to the government to restore full ration quota supply to J&K and ensure people aren’t hit with enhanced monthly electricity bills.
They also urged the government to create a job policy on Ladakh pattern so that the job rights of people of J&K are secured like that of the people of Ladakh.
“We have assembled here with a charter of demands and want the Centre and the LG administration to consider these demands on priority. All Panchayati Raj elections should be held together as per three-tier system of the government; or our term be extended by two more years if elections can’t be held at the moment,” Shafiq Ahmad Mir, chairman All J&K Panchayat Conference said.
Mir said since Panchs and Sarpanches have been “working tirelessly”, the government is duty-bound to resolve the issues facing people, including the issue of reduction in ration quota supply, enhanced electricity bills and other allied issues.
He also appealed to the government to release pending wages of MGNREGA workers, which he said have not been released over the years, causing poor workers to suffer immensely.
“Poor people cannot afford to pay enhanced electricity bills, while reduction in ration quota has broken the back of the common people in J&K as the reduction in the ration has spurred a wave of desperation among consumers in the UT,” Mir added.
