Big blunder in Panchayati Raj Dept!
- The office concerned BDO and AC Panchayat Jammu utterly failed to check the genuineness of the 30 Panches and Sarpanches.
- The government money spent on these three must be recovered from the concerned BDO; AC Pyt Jammu; and Director Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K.
jj correspondent
Jammu, Mar 31: Is there a provision in our constitution that husband or son of Sarpnaches and Panches can attend the official tour of Panchayat members for exposure visit outside UT of J&K on government expenses? Is not the failure of the Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K that the persons who are not sarpanches and panches have managed to part of the government exposure visit outside the J&K? Who is responsible for such a big failure in the Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K – concerned Block Development Officer; Assistant Commissioner Pyts Jammu; or Director Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K or trio? Why are the officers of Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K so callous that they not bother to check the genuineness of elected representatives? Why these officers are dependent on Lt Governor for every kind of work and doing nothing on their own behalf, whereas they are going worthless with each passing day? These are some piercing questions irritating in the mind of people and it is responsibility of Director, Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K to come and clear its position.
The Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K has decided to organise a visit for the elected Panchayat members Sarpanches and Panches outside the J&K for their exposure in respect of Jammu district. The tour was aimed to give exposure and upgrade the knowledge and vision of Sarpanches and Panches. The order in this concern was issued by Assistant Commissioner Pyts Jammu Preeti Sharma JKAS vide her office No ACPJ/2022-23/6989-95 dated 26-03-2023, in which Sarpanches and Panches of six blocks were nominated by name.
It is astounding to hear but it is true that Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K has organised exposure visit for Sarpanches and Panches but in this visit three persons who are neither Sarpanches or Panches had managed their nomination by the Assistant Commissioner Pyts, Jammu and enjoying the visit in Himachal Pardesh on the government expenses. They belong to Samwan Block, and for this the concerned BDO is the first officers to be declared responsible and all the expenses should be taken from him.
The three clever persons are Suresh Sharma, Anil Kumar and Puran Chand of Block Samwan as per the order and exist on serial No 14, 17 and 19. The trio is not the member of any panchayt but they are enjoying and they are instrumental to defeat the purpose of the government. The officers of the concerned department must be held responsible for this blunder. Let me explain how they manage, the mother of Suresh Sharma is Panch, whereas the wives of Anil Kumar and Puran Chand are the panches. There is no provision in the constitution of Panchayati Raj that other than the elected members of panchayat can go for visit organized by the department. The proxy system should be stopped and the membership of these three panches be cancelled, besides such families be banned to participate in coming panchayat elections.
In the said order it is mentioned as – ‘In reference to subject cited above, in this regard, the following Sarpanches/Panches from district Jammu has been proposed for exposure visit outside UT of J&K in respect of District Jammu, w.e.f. 29-03-2023 to 04-04-2023.’ Here I would like to mention that in the said order it has wrongly written as 04-03-2023 instead of 04-04-2023. The order has been signed by three officials including Assistant Commissioner, Pyts Jammu but they did not bother to check and countercheck the order, which clearly speaks about the efficiency of these officials.
The letter was addressed to Director Panchayati Raj, Department of RDD & PR, J&K and copies were sent to Director Rural Development Department, Jammu and all the concerned BDOs.
The department has nominated the 30 elected members of Panchayates including one Naib Sarpanch and 29 panches of six blocks. The blocks are Marh, Samwan, Mandal Phallian, Kharah Balli, Arnia and Mandal Phallian.
