Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Law & Justice Abdul Haq today termed Gram Sabhas as the parliaments of the rural areas. He called for strengthening the democracy at the grassroots level by empowering the Gram Sabhas.Maintaining that Gram Sabhas are the most important element of the Panchayati Raj system, Abdul Haq said J&K would achieve real progress at the grassroots level only if the Gram Panchayats are made more vibrant and active.Minister expressed these views while reviewing the implementation of Rural Development schemes at a meeting with ACDs of all the districts of the state.Abdul Haq said for the people of rural areas, Gram Sabha is the parliament, where people decide which development works have to be taken up in their villages. He said this process will build confidence among the people in democratic setup and will ensure transparency in functioning of the government.He said the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti wants to bring transparency in the system and that the Gram Sabhas will play crucial role in this regard as people will be part of decision-making.He said increased participation of people in the rural development programmes, decentralization of planning and greater access to credit are envisaged for providing the rural people with better prospects.
The Minister asked the Gram Rozgar Sevaks (GRS) to interact with the people of their villages and identify the unemployed youth so that they can get benefited by MGNREGA and other schemes of the Government. He said adequate publicity should be undertaken before convening Gram Sabhas to ensure larger participation of youth, women and elders in such events.He asked block level officers to record Gram Sabhas on camera and hold in open ground instead of closed rooms so that more and more people participate in these Sabhas. He said government will act against the officials who fail to make the people part of decision making.Minister stressed on zero tolerance for illegal practices and corruption in the department and directed the district officers to prepare a list of tainted officials within 15 days from their respective districts who have not mended their ways despite repeated warnings. Abdul Haq said the government has already declared many tainted officers as ‘deadwood’ and send them packing as there is zero tolerance for corruption in the government. He said the people who are involved in corruption and other illegal practices will be shown doors.