Union Cabinet Approves Adoption of J&K Panchayati Raj Act
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the move will help establish all the three tiers of grassroots level democracy like in other parts of the country for the first time since Independence
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the adoption of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj Act and said the process for local body polls in the union territory will start soon.
Speaking to media after a cabinet meeting, union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the move will help establish all the three tiers of grassroots level democracy like in other parts of the country for the first time since Independence.
The minister said while people across India had the right to elect local representatives, the same was missing in Jammu and Kashmir. Javadekar said the move will empower people in the UT and “they will elect their own representatives. And those representatives will plan the development of the district and implement the various welfare measures and programs”.
“The three-tier system was not there in Kashmir before. They did not have the opportunity to elect their local representatives. This step redeems the promise made by PM Modi in Kashmir, and Home Minister in Parliament,” Javadekar said.
“Now, there will be early elections, and the power to manage local bodies will go to the people,” the union minister said adding that the J&K administration is working on the adaptation of other laws following the abrogation of Article 370 and division of J&K state into two union territories by giving Ladakh a separate UT status.
There is a lot of homework to be done, but the principle has been established, the I&B and environment minister said.
Several union ministers spoke in favour of the cabinet decision. While Petroleum Minister Dhramendra Pradhan said “as normalcy returns to UT of J&K post the scrapping of Article 370, Modi Govt is ensuring all steps to root out corruption and help establish grassroots-level democracy in Kashmir, like in other parts of India”
“For the first time in 73 years after independence, paving the way for true grassroots democracy in Jammu Kashmir, Union Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi approves adaptation of J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989. All the 3 tiers of local self-rule, like in the rest of country,” tweeted Jitendra Singh Minister of State (PMO).
For the first time in 73 years after independence,paving the way for true grassroot democracy in #JammuKashmir, Union #Cabinet meeting chaired by PM @NarendraModi approves adaptation of J&K Panchayati Raj Act,1989. All the 3 tiers of local self-rule,like in the rest of country.
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) October 21, 2020
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