Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice, Abdul Haq on Thursday said that the government has decided to hold Panchayat elections on non-party basis.Addressing a Public meeting at Lolab in Kupwara district, Minister said the Panchayat polls will be held next month and all arrangements are being made to ensure smooth elections. He said the basic purpose of holding Panchayat elections is to bring democracy at the doorstep of the people and empower people by giving them authority to take decision themselves with regard to development of their villages. Abdul Haq said the Panchayat institutions will act as the mini-parliaments in rural areas where people of the particular area will decide which development works are to be taken up in their village. He said these institutions will play a vibrant role in effective execution of developmental programmes by availing full benefit of the flagships schemes of the central and state government.The Minister said that the government is committed to empower the Panchayat Raj institutions and after the elections more funds will flow to these institutions for execution of various development schemes that will help to change the socio-economic scenario of the rural areas.
Minister appealed the people of the state to actively participate in the elections and elect the honest persons for their Panchayats so that they serve the people better and help in strengthening the institutions at grassroots level.Earlier the minister interacted with the people during the Public meeting wherein the people raised various issues of public interest related to ration, Power supply, Water Supply, Roads, Irrigations, renovation of lanes and drains, healthcare etc. Minister gave patient hearing to the delegations and passed on-spot directions for the redressal of their grievances.Abdul Haq said State Government is committed to the welfare of public and every possible step is being taken to mitigate the problems faced by the public. He said that the aim of conducting this programme is to address public grievances at grass root level and reach out to people who are unable to reach to the power corridors in Srinagar or Jammu. He said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has directed all ministers and legislators to listen to the greviances of the people at their doorstep so that people aren’t forced to visit Srinagar or Jammu.