Srinagar, Oct 13 (KNO): Showing its concern over the minuscule presence of major sectors in the Gram Panchayat Development Plans(GPDPs), the Jammu & Kashmir Government on Thursday directed all the administrative secretaries to sensitize their respective heads of the departments about the importance of participatory planning process for the overall development of villages and ensure the presence of the concerned officers/officials in the Gram Sabha meetings along with the detail of the resources available with them.
In a circular, a copy of which is in possession of the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the General Administration Department has stated that while analyzing the GPDPs prepared during the preceding years, it has been observed that only those works which fall within the scope of various schemes run by the Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj are reflected in the GPDPs, which is not in consonance with the constitutional mandate and the guidelines for the preparation of GPDPs issued by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.
According to the circular, the GPDPs have to cover all the 29 subjects/functions listed in the 11th Schedule of the Constitution of India, which stand devolved to the Panchayats.
”During a recent meeting, the Chief Secretary, J&K, has observed with concern that there has been minuscule presence of major sectors e.g. Agriculture, Women & Child Development, Health & Nutrition, Education, Animal Husbandry, Skill Development, etc. in the GPDPs that are being implemented in the Panchayats,” the circular reads.
The GAD circular states that the Panchayats have to act as a platform to integrate and converge all these activities for addressing developmental issues effectively.
“The focus of the GPDPs has to be on analyzing the developmental gaps in the socio-economic sectors, public service delivery and capturing the needs and aspirations of all, especially the vulnerable and marginalized groups,” it states
