The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) has welcomed the state Cabinet's approval to extend provisions of the 73rd constitutional amendment to the state for empowering panchayati raj institutions.
"We welcome the decision. This is a historic decision and we, 33,000 panchayat members, appreciate the gesture of the central and state governments," AJKPC president Anil Sharma told reporters here today.
The AJKPC, an organisation of panches and sarpanches which has been spearheading the struggle for empowerment of panchayats, said the decision would certainly strengthen the grassroots level democracy in the state and further empower the people through democratic process.
"The credit for this goes to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi who personally showed keen interest in empowerment of panchayati raj institutions in the state," Sharma said, adding that senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Saif-uddin Soz also helped in their struggle.
The AJKPC president thanked all state Cabinet ministers for their role in giving nod to the constitutional amendments, and requested members of both Houses of the state legislature "to formulate and pass a strong legislation to empower the masses at the grassroots level".
Sharma described the cabinet decision as a landmark achievement and a victory of 33,000 panches and sarpanches of the state.
