"As per the Constitution of India, Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and even as per the J-K Panchayati Raj Act 1989, there is no role of any MLA or minister in the functioning of any Panchayat and as per law, Panchayats are independent and autonomous bodies and not subordinate to any MLA or Minister," AJKPC general secretary Anil Sharma told reporters here.
He claimed that the state government had recently announced that Rs 10 lakh Panchayat development fund would be routed throughout the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) of MLAs.
The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference leader said the state government should clear its stand on the issue within a month, failing which after November 14, AJKPC will launch a full-fledged agitation.
"We warn the state government not to destabilise constitutional institutions like Panchayats which are the roots of democracy in the country and in the state," he said.
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The AJKPC leader said these funds are provided by the Union government exclusively for the development of Panchayats and must be spent only after the assent of the Gram Sabhas.
AJKPC would soon launch door-to-door awareness programmes to make citizens aware about the benefits of the 73rd amendment which gives Constitutional status to PRIs, he said.