state times news
JAMMU: A Congress delegation led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir met Governor N.N. Vohra on Monday and discussed the prevailing political situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to STATE TIMES, former minister and Senior Vice President Sham Lal Sharma said, “In over two hour long meeting, the delegation favoured holding of early elections to the Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats in order to set up a fully empowered Panchayati Raj system in the State.”
The State Panchayat Raj laws were amended during NC-Congress regime by incorporating the provisions of 73rd and 74th amendment so that the basic democratic institutions are further strengthened and powers democratised and decentralised to the grass root level, Sharma said.
The delegation discussed the measures to streamline the system of voter lists and rotation of wards as per provision of reservation for women, SC/ST and process of delimitation, as per law.
The delegation expressed concern over the prevailing unrest amongst the people with regard to the availability of ration following the implementation NFSA and demanded that the entire system be streamlined besides ensuring the existing scales of ration. Various shortcomings in the system were brought to the knowledge of the Governor. The delegation criticised the haphazard procedure adopted in the matter by the previous PDP-BJP government.
The delegation raised the issues of daily wagers, casual, need based and such other categories of workers in different departments and other categories of employees seeking regularization like NYC, KGBV, ReTs, Gender Coordinators, temporary teachers and others. The issue of revision of honorarium of SPOs and enhancing the same to Rs 10,000 per month was also demanded.
The delegation raised the issue of refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971, whose package of over Rs 9,000 crores was recommended to the Centre at the rate of Rs.25 lakh per family besides other benefits like reservation to their wards etc.
Great concern was shown over the failure to meet their genuine demands and demanded that entire package for their one time settlement be taken up with the Centre vigorously. .
The issue of inadequate relief to flood affected people was also discussed and the delegation observed that package worked out to the tune of Rs.44,000 was not considered and only inadequate relief package has been announced. The pattern adopted during UPA regime for Uttrakhand and the Ladakh Region, in such situations, was also discussed.
The delegation apprised the Governor about denial of relief and compensation to the flood and rain affected people of the State, having their houses on State and EP lands.
“The issue of farmers, who have suffered damages, due to rains, to their crops also needs to be taken up with the Centre for adequate relief and compensation”, the delegation added.
The delegation discussed various other issues including land acquisition in Akhnoor- Sunderbani belt, de-silting in Ramgarh area, recruitment of SC/ST in services, problems of unemployed youth and recruitment policy , better facilities for Vaishno Devi pilgrims besides security related issues of political leaders and workers, especially rank and file of the Congress party who are being discriminated in the matter and made vulnerable to the designs of inimical forces.
When Congress delegation asked Governor N N Vohra for early polls, he retorted back, “Are you asking about Assembly polls.”
“Its ULB polls,” clarified Congressmen, hurriedly adding, “we are ready for Assembly polls too.”
“We are ready for all type of polls but we have sought early ULB and Panchayat polls,” Sham Lal Sharma told STATE TIMES. The Governor gave a patient hearing to the delegation, which comprised Sham Lal Sharma-Senior Vice President, Rigzin Jora-CLP Leader, Dy. CLP Leader Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Jugal Kishore Sharma-CLP Leader Upper House, Vice Presidents PCC Mula Ram, G.M. Saroori, Raman Bhalla, Haji Abdul Rashid, Chief Spokesman PCC Ravinder Sharma, General Secretary PCC Manjit Singh.
