Sringar, May 8: The government has decided to hold the elections of Block Panchayat Councils by the middle of June. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today gave nod to a proposal to this effect presented by the Rural Development Department at a high level meeting here.
Reviewing the status of transfer of powers to Panchayats, the Chief Minister directed the Administrative Secretaries to ensure that the roadmap approved by the government for the establishment of empowered Panchayat Raj in the State should be implemented in letter and spirit. He said he would review the status of implementation of orders issued in this regard in the next meeting to be held after 15 days.
Omar Abdullah also directed for formulating memo for the approval of Cabinet for constitution of Finance and Election Commissions as provided under Panchayat Act. He said government is committed to an empowered Panchayat Raj system in the State and all necessary measures required to realize this goal need to be taken in a time bound manner.
The Chief Minister announced about Rs 11.60 crores from the Planning Department for Panchayat Fund. He said this amount should be utilized for making panchayat offices functional. The amount will also pave the way for obtaining accommodation on rent for panchayats which are without accommodation.
Speaking in the meeting, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Ali Muhammad Sagar said that presently MGNREGA is being implemented through panchayats. He said payments to the labours are made only after sarpanchs sign the master rolls and certify the attendance. He said plan formulation and identification of beneficiaries under total sanitation campaign and payments have been entrusted to panchayats. He said identification of beneficiaries under IAY has also been entrusted to panchayats.
The minister said that 75 percent panchayats have already held Dehi Majlis ratifying plan proposals of MGNREGA.
Present in the meeting were Minister of State for Rural Development Ajaz Ahmad Khan, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Principal Secretaries Muhammad Iqbal Khandey, B. B. Vyas, Sudhanshu Pandey, various Administrative Secretaries and senior officers.
In a PowerPoint presentation the Commissioner Secretary Rural Development Department, Farooq Ahmad Peer said that the funds to the tune of over Rs. 41 crores provided by the Planning Department under the directions of the Chief Minister to panchayats have been distributed to each Panchayat Halqa at the rate of Rs 1 lakh.
He gave resume of the measures underway to make panchayats more effective and viable units to deliver at grass root level successfully.
Matters relating to the remuneration to panchs and sarpanchs, e-governance for panchayats were also discussed in the meeting besides reviewing the action taken on the decisions of previous meeting. 

Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 May 2012 00:00:00 IST