Srinagar, Nov 19: National Conference chief patron and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah today asked party workers to actively participate in elections to local bodies as Panchayati Raj could help in transforming Jammu and Kashmir.
 “You should actively participate in the Panchayat polls as these bodies have vast powers to transform the developmental scenario of the state,” Dr Farooq Abdullah said.
 The former Chief Minister said honest and hardworking youth should come to the forefront and take the responsibility of running the Panchayats and implement the decisions of these bodies on the ground.
 He said by establishing the Panchayats, the state would be able to spend Rs 300 crore to Rs 400 crore annually on development works at the grassroots level.
 Panchayat elections were held in a truncated manner in 2001 and since then the new bodies could not be elected due to security problems.
 The state is losing over Rs 300 crore annually in centrally-sponsored schemes in the absence of Panchayati Raj system.
 Dr Farooq said although Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had succeeded in getting a massive annual plan of Rs 6500 crore from the Centre, the developmental activities in the Valley were severely hit due to the unrest over the past five months.
 “The shutdown badly affected the development process ... it has also crippled the economy while affecting education of the children,” he added.
 Abdullah said the unrest in Kashmir was a conspiracy to snatch the livelihood of the daily wagers and footpath vendors.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 19 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:00:00 IST