The cash-starved Jammu and Kashmir has lost over Rs 169 crore under the 13th Finance Commission allocation due to the non-conduct of urban local bodies elections which have been pending in the state for the last six years.
Apart from this, the Union Government has refused to release grants to the state against the allocation of Rs 125.30 crore during the current fiscal year in the absence of duly constituted municipalities.
The information about the allocations was put out yesterday when Governor N N Vohra asked Chief Secretary BR Sharma to review all pending issues to enable timely elections to the urban local bodies and panchayats in the state.
“For non-conduct of urban local bodies elections, the state lost Rs 169.29 crore which was provided under the 13th Finance Commission award. Further, no grants have been released to the state against the allocation of Rs 125.30 crore during 2015-16 in the absence of duly constituted municipalities,” the Raj Bhawan spokesperson had said.
“The 14th Finance Commission award provides Rs 3,463.73 crore and Rs 1,305.64 crore for rural and urban local bodies, respectively, and Rs 346.73 crore and Rs 261.13 crore as Performance Grants for rural and urban local bodies,” the spokesperson added.
The last urban local bodies elections were held in the state in January 2005 and all urban local bodies, including two municipal corporations – Jammu and Srinagar, had completed their term in March 2010 while the panchayat elections were held from April 2011 to June 2011. The constitution of panchayats after the elections was notified on July 14, 2011, and the new panchayats would have to be elected on or before July 14, 2016.
The Governor’s directive to Chief Secretary for evolving an action plan on holding urban local bodies polls has been welcomed by the Congress and the BJP while the PDP chose to remain silent on the issue.
“The conduct of these elections is a good step towards decentralisation of powers at grass-roots level. This is actually what self-rule and autonomy is all as it enables people at grass-roots level to have power in their hands. Justice Sagheer Committee report had also recommended the same,” Sham Lal Sharma, said senior vice-president of the state Congress.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, felt that the decision on the civic elections should be taken after having clarity on government formation. “At this point when there is no clarity about a midterm poll in the state, talking about urban local bodies and panchayat elections is premature. Any decision on those lines should be taken after we have clarity about government formation,” Omar Abdullah texted to The Tribune when asked about the elections.
The PDP, largest party in the state Assembly, preferred to maintain silence on the issue. “We will have to discuss the issue within the party,” said PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhter.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, president of the Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN) welcomed the Governor’s decision and said that it was vital for strengthening the democratic institutions.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, while welcoming the decision said the Governor’s pursuance of reviewing the pending issues to enable timely elections, was a follow-up action of what the BJP in the coalition had started.
“We were due to hold elections for urban local bodies in March-April followed by panchayats elections in May-June. Besides, we had ensured complete empowerment to both the bodies for effective discharge of work at all levels,” said Singh.
Rakesh Gupta, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), Jammu, remarked: “This is a welcome step since the majority funding of the Government of India comes to these heads only for the overall development of the state and the Governor’s pursuance of this is appreciable.”
Apart from this, the Union Government has refused to release grants to the state against the allocation of Rs 125.30 crore during the current fiscal year in the absence of duly constituted municipalities.
The information about the allocations was put out yesterday when Governor N N Vohra asked Chief Secretary BR Sharma to review all pending issues to enable timely elections to the urban local bodies and panchayats in the state.
“For non-conduct of urban local bodies elections, the state lost Rs 169.29 crore which was provided under the 13th Finance Commission award. Further, no grants have been released to the state against the allocation of Rs 125.30 crore during 2015-16 in the absence of duly constituted municipalities,” the Raj Bhawan spokesperson had said.
“The 14th Finance Commission award provides Rs 3,463.73 crore and Rs 1,305.64 crore for rural and urban local bodies, respectively, and Rs 346.73 crore and Rs 261.13 crore as Performance Grants for rural and urban local bodies,” the spokesperson added.
The last urban local bodies elections were held in the state in January 2005 and all urban local bodies, including two municipal corporations – Jammu and Srinagar, had completed their term in March 2010 while the panchayat elections were held from April 2011 to June 2011. The constitution of panchayats after the elections was notified on July 14, 2011, and the new panchayats would have to be elected on or before July 14, 2016.
The Governor’s directive to Chief Secretary for evolving an action plan on holding urban local bodies polls has been welcomed by the Congress and the BJP while the PDP chose to remain silent on the issue.
“The conduct of these elections is a good step towards decentralisation of powers at grass-roots level. This is actually what self-rule and autonomy is all as it enables people at grass-roots level to have power in their hands. Justice Sagheer Committee report had also recommended the same,” Sham Lal Sharma, said senior vice-president of the state Congress.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, felt that the decision on the civic elections should be taken after having clarity on government formation. “At this point when there is no clarity about a midterm poll in the state, talking about urban local bodies and panchayat elections is premature. Any decision on those lines should be taken after we have clarity about government formation,” Omar Abdullah texted to The Tribune when asked about the elections.
The PDP, largest party in the state Assembly, preferred to maintain silence on the issue. “We will have to discuss the issue within the party,” said PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhter.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, president of the Democratic Party Nationalist (DPN) welcomed the Governor’s decision and said that it was vital for strengthening the democratic institutions.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, while welcoming the decision said the Governor’s pursuance of reviewing the pending issues to enable timely elections, was a follow-up action of what the BJP in the coalition had started.
“We were due to hold elections for urban local bodies in March-April followed by panchayats elections in May-June. Besides, we had ensured complete empowerment to both the bodies for effective discharge of work at all levels,” said Singh.
Rakesh Gupta, president, Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), Jammu, remarked: “This is a welcome step since the majority funding of the Government of India comes to these heads only for the overall development of the state and the Governor’s pursuance of this is appreciable.”
