The National Conference today stressed on the importance of peace and communal harmony for overall growth and said people's involvement was imperative for successful development process.
"Development will remain a distant dream as long as the aspirations of people are not solicited in formulation of developmental projects and welfare schemes," the party's Provincial President Devender Singh Rana said.
He said this while interacting with the opinion leaders of nine Panchayat Halqas of Mathwar Block of Nagrota Assembly Constituency at a day-long Development Awareness Grievances Camp (DAGC) here.
Rana, who represents the Constituency in the Legislative Assembly, said people's participation in the development effort and decision making was imperative.
He said they assume key role in prioritising the schemes in their areas, as also monitoring the pace of work to have these completed within the stipulated time frame.
"Decisions with regard to development and public welfare cannot be taken in isolation of popular wishes," he said, adding, these are required to flow from the ground itself through public representatives.
He said this vital necessity cannot be ignored by not keeping the elected representatives at the grass-roots level, especially in the rural areas in loop.
Rana hoped the administration will appreciate the necessity of involving people in this task, which in turn will help in creating conducive atmosphere in accomplishing various schemes.
He said participatory democracy, which remained a focal point with the introduction of single line administration had helped to create opportunities for different segments of society in making meaningful contribution in decision making.
This concept should be a guiding force for the policy planners, he added.
As representative of the people, he said he will strive to seek schemes and developmental projects to be tailored as per mass aspirations.
He accordingly sought suggestions from the village elders about the schemes which needed to be taken up first. He said the pace of development on the ongoing schemes is needed to be stepped up to have these completed in a time-bound manner.
