Nasir Azam
Srinagar, Mar 21: The department-related parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) has pushed for giving due representation to minority communities and small groups in the district development councils and block development councils in Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory for redressal of their grievances.
In its report, which was tabled in the parliament during the ongoing budget session, the MP panel headed by BJP’s Brij Lal has recommended that the administration of Union Territory may give due representation to the minority communities and smaller groups at these levels of Panchayati Raj system. “The committee takes note of the delegation of powers to the District Development Councils (DDCs)/ Block Development Councils (BDCs) for development in J&K.The committee recommends that due representation may be given to the minority communities and smaller groups in the District Development Councils and Block Development Councils, to facilitate proper addressal of their issues,” reads the report.
In its meeting held on February 16, 2023, the parliamentary panel discussed the steps taken by the UT administration to delegate financial powers and adequate representation to the minority community in district development councils/ block development councils in J&K.
The DDCs and BDCs are respectively second and third tiers of Panchayati Raj system in Jammu & Kashmir. The elections for them were held in 2019 and 2020.
In October 2020, the Government of India amended J&K’s Panchayati Raj law for holding direct elections for district development councils in the UT.
The Sarpanchs and Panchs constitute the electoral college for BDCs. (KNO)
