J&K govt looks towards Himachal

Jammu and Kashmir government, even as its sits on the horns of dilemma over 73rd constitutional amendment act, has decided to take a cue from states which have already extended this act and have been ranked among the model states. Interestingly, it looks towards a BJP-ruled state for inspiration.

For the purpose, a seven-member committee has been constituted to study the functioning of Panchayati Raj institutions and mechanism put in place for flow of funds to these institutions in Himachal Pradesh. The committee has been constituted as per the directions of Planning and development department, whose minister incharge is the Chief Minister Omar himself.

Notably Himachal was among those eight states where 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act was first extended in their tribal areas in 1996 after the Constitutional (73rd Amendment) Act 1992 came into force to provide constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj institutions on April 24, 1993.

The incorporation of 73rd constitutional amendment in J&K Panchayati Raj Act is a major bone of contention between the alliance partners National Conference and Congress. While the latter (mainly JKPCC president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz) is asserting itself for its incorporation in J&K Panchayati Raj Act, NC has minced no words in conveying its disinterest for the same. For the purpose, the coalition government even constituted a cabinet sub-committee headed by the Chief Secretary whose recommendations are already out yet the issue is still far from being resolved. 

The 73rd Constitutional amendment Act aims to provide a 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj for all states having population of over 2 million, to hold Panchayat elections regularly every 5 years, to provide reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women, to appoint a State Finance Commission to make recommendations as regards the financial powers of the Panchayats and to constitute District Planning Committee to prepare draft development plan for the district.

The 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj consists of village-level panchayats, block-level panchayats and district-level panchayats.

Powers and responsibilities are delegated to panchayats at the appropriate level. Among the powers and responsibilities included the preparation of plan for economic development and social justice, implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice in relation to 29 subjects given in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.

They can levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, toll and fees.

Under the Act, Gram Sabha has been vested with powers for ownership of minor forest produce, development plans approval, selection of beneficiaries under various programmes, consultation on land acquisition, management of minor water bodies

control of mineral leases. It can regulate/prohibit sale of intoxicants, prevent alienation of land and restore unlawfully alienated land of STs, manage village markets, control money lending to STs, control institutions and functionaries in all social sectors.

As per the Government order No 159-GAD of 2012 dated February 2, 2012, the sanction was accorded to the constitution of Committee comprising Commissioner/Secretary to government, Rural Development Department, Director Area Planning, Planning & Development Department, Additional Secretary to government, Rural Development Department, Joint Director (AP), Planning & Development Department, Joint Director (Coord), Planning & Development Department, Deputy Director Budget, Finance Department and Member Secretary, MGNREGA, Rural Development Department to study the functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions and mechanism put in place for flow of funds to these institutions.

As per the order, the committee members will visit Himachal Pradesh in the first week of February 2012 for a period of 4 days and submit a report to the Government in the Planning and Development Department.

DDC tours Srinagar city

District Development Commissioner (DDC), Srinagar, Baseer Ahmad Khan, today conducted an extensive tour of Srinagar city and took stock of the various development schemes and reviewed steps for removing snow from the main city roads especially the National Highway and other busy roads.

Besides getting feedback from various City Hospitals of providing medical facilities to the patients, the District Development Commissioner also reviewed the steps taken by the Mechanical department for lifting snow from the other towns of the Valley, restoration of damaged grid stations, electricity, water supply and also availability of the essential commodities.

The District Development Commissioner was accompanied by the Superintending Engineer Circular Road, Mohammad Amin Taba, Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar, Dr. Farooq Ahmad, Joint Director CA&PD, Bashir Ahmad, Joint Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Fayaz Bala, Executive Engineers of R&B, PHE, Mechanical, Electricity, Drainage and other concerned officers.

Khan during his whirlwind tour visited Gousia Hospital, Khanyar and inspected various units/wards and interacted with patients about the facilities and medicines being provided to them.

He also visited Rainawari and Lal Ded Hospitals and inspected various wards, OPD, Blood Banks, Emergency Wards and paid a surprise visit to administrative blocks and checked the attendance of the doctors, paramedical staff and other concerned officials.

The District Development Commissioner during his visit to Rainawari Hospital interacted with various Indoor Patients and enquired about the medical facilities being provided to them by the Hospital. He inspected various wards including Recovery Ward, Gynae and Obst and CT Scan etc.

Later, Khan also made surprise visit to Lal Ded Hospital. During inspection, he found many employees absent from duty and on spot directed the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital to place them immediately under suspension.

Khan also asked the Chief Medical Officer to take strict action against those employees who will fail to fulfill their duties in providing medical facilities to the needy one. He also asked the Chief Medical Officer to make regular checks of Primary Health Centres working in peripheries so that the over burden of reference cases may be reduced to city hospitals.

Earlier, the District Development Commissioner visited historical Jamia Masjid in downtown and took a round of the mosque.

On the occasion, he directed the R&B officers for immediately lifting snow from the complex to facilitate the common people for offering prayers. He also directed the CA&PD officers to conduct routine market checking so that the people may not feel any kind of inconvenience in getting the essentials like Gas, ration, k.oil, sugar etc.

On the occasion, a large number of locals met the District Development Commissioner and put forth some suggestions for beautification of the historical Jamia Masjid.

Khan assured them that necessary steps would be taken in this behalf.

development of students

Omar for holistic development of students

Underlining the importance of personal development for moulding young children into capable and responsible citizens, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Wednesday asked the educational institutions to focus all round development of students while attending their academic excellence.

Speaking at a platinum jubilee celebrations of Presentation Convent School here, the Chief Minister said that the holistic development and growth of young boys and girls is need of the hour to enable them face futuristic challenges with capacity and calibre. “They should be proved to compete at the national and international level with confidence and competence”, he said adding that after completing education they have to step in a wider world to make a dent.