National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana on Tuesday pitched for constitution of elected regional councils for three regions and sub-regions of Jammu and Kashmir, saying this will be a leap forward in realizing the larger objective of politico-economic empowerment of the people and ending the sense of deprivation and discrimination.
“National Conference has since provided a roadmap under the overall ambit of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir within the framework of Indian Constitution, which will take care of the distinct identities of the regions and sub-regions besides aspirations of the people “, Rana said while addressing provincial office bearers besides district presidents and secretaries of National Conference here.
The meeting discussed the strategy for ensuing Urban Local Bodies, Municipal and Panchayat elections across the Jammu Province.
Rana said the experiment of Autonomous Hill Council model in Leh and Kargil, saying this has worked well and could be adopted in the entire state with focus on equitable development and opportunities of progress for all. He congratulated the cadre for victory of National Conference in the just concluded elections for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council for Ladakh. He said peoples support was biggest strength of National Conference, presence of which is in every nook and corner of the state. “Peoples unflinching faith in the party, which stands for Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Buddhist Itehad and opportunities of progress to all, has been source of inspiration to carry forward the movement of people and channelize it for the betterment of all the three regions and their sub-regions.
The NC provincial president said devolution of powers at the regional and sub-regional levels will actually be accomplishment of the mission of late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, who all his life strived for empowering people by making them masters of their own destiny. He recalled the political philosophy of the late leader that people were the real fountain head of power and said this includes the empowerment at grass roots level, which can be well reflected in the constitution of the regional and sub-regional councils.