Jammu, Feb 9: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Wednesday asked the administration to gear up at all levels to conduct Panchayat polls in the State. He said cabinet has approved the holding of elections to Panchayats on non-party basis and administration should be fully prepared to accomplish the stupendous duty of holding free and fear elections.
Chairing a review meeting of District Development Board Doda, the Chief Minister said by holding elections to the basic democratic institutions of Panchayats, the people will get empowered at grassroots and economic development would get a considerable fillip.
 The Chief Minister said that the determination of his Government to ensure holistic development in far-flung and rural areas would get necessary impetus by the Panchayat system. He underscored the importance of large scale participation by the people in the elections not only as voters but as the candidates. He said 3-tier Panchayat system will emerge in the State to involve public representatives at grassroots as participatory in the governance.
 On the faster development of hilly and backward areas, the Chief Minister said that Government has focused priority attention on this aspect and various measures have been initiated for the purpose. He said attention is being paid to upgrade the communication network in these areas for expanding economic activities and generating employment for the people in general and young persons in particular.
 Omar said that Government has flagged construction of tunnels an important concern to link the inaccessible and difficult areas with main highways and shorten the inter-district and inter-provincial distance to make travel comfortable, smooth and safe besides helping in the development of backward pockets.
  “The Executing Agencies of various projects in the power and other sectors have been given categorical directions for engaging locals and also providing contracts and sub-contracts to the contractors of the area so that wide-ranging activities of economic importance are initiated in these areas”, he added.
 The Chief Minister said that his Government concentrated on the consolidation of health and education sectors during last two years to equip the schools and health centres with necessary manpower and equipment. “During the current year attention will also be paid to the extension part in these sectors for reaching out the people in difficult areas in education and healthcare fields by providing more schools and health centres”, he said adding that certain areas are in dire need of additional facilities in these sectors.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Feb 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 10 Feb 2011 00:00:00 IST