Billawar (Kathua), July 1: Asserting that power necessarily brings responsibilities with it, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday asked the newly elected Panchayat members to make public service the standard of their functioning.
Addressing sarpanchs and panchs of Billawar and Basholi Assembly constituencies here this morning, the Chief Minister told them to live up to the expectations of people and deliver efficiently.
“It is your prime responsibility to devote yourselves to the public cause. Voters have reposed highest faith and trust in you. Your success is in your befitting performance”, he maintained and said that the success of Panchayat Raj lies in the sincere, honest and efficient functioning of the elected Panchayat members.
The Chief Minister said that holding of Panchayats elections was a challenge for the Government.
“We successfully met it and completed the poll process in a free and fair manner,” Omar said. 
He said transfer of powers to Panchayats was the exact goal of his Government. “We want to make you powerful enough to perform your role beyond the rural development area,” he said adding that in the sectors of social welfare, CAPD, health, road communication and rural water supply Panchayats would also have an important function to perform.
Omar said that about Rs 400 to Rs 500 crores would be available to Panchayats annually to spend on development schemes. He said that Government was determined to empower people at grass roots to strengthen the democratic set up in the state.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 1 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 1 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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