Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that the government has already empowered the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) with the powers of 14 vital departments besides putting in place a mechanism to ensure that these are fully implemented at ground level.The Minister was interacting with a deputation of panches and sarpanches of Kulgam area led by MLC Mr. Abdul Majid Bhat. Sagar said that by putting in place a vibrant Panchayati Raj System, the government has ensured that the democratic decentralization of powers is ensured and the people at the grass root level are involved in policy formulation and implementation. He said that these panchayats have also been fully empowered with the powers of different departments and a senior officer has been nominated as a nodal officer to oversee that the orders of empowerment are implemented in letter and spirit.
Orders have already been passed to the officers of the different departments to involve the sarpanches and panches of their particular areas in implementation and formulation of various welfare programmes so that need based development of these areas is ensured, the Minister maintained. The Minister said that certain parties in a state of frustration are now trying to negate the achievements registered by the government in different fields of development. He said that the developmental activities initiated by the government have been responsible for changing the socio-economic profile of the people of the state especially those living in rural and far-flung areas. Sagar said that the people should not pay heed to the pisive propaganda of certain forces who are trying to disrupt the peaceful environs of the state and defeat their nefarious designs.