ibn sultan
Baramulla, July 4:The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep concern and dismay over the functioning of the National Conference (NC)-led government, particularly with regard to the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and other public welfare schemes.
In a statement issued to the press, District President PDP Baramulla Mohd Rafique Rather said it is unfortunate that MGNREGAโmeant to uplift the poorest of the poor and reach the most remote corners of the Union Territoryโis being brazenly politicized and manipulated to serve partisan interests. โOfficers on the ground have reportedly been asking people to procure recommendation letters from local NC MLAs before their works are sanctioned. This is a blatant violation of the spirit of the scheme, which was envisioned as a public-centric and demand-driven programme,โ Rather said.
Rafique Rather further stated that MGNREGA, once a hope for the underprivileged and a catalyst for rural development, has effectively become an NC-specific scheme under the current administration. โThis trend is not only discriminatory but also deeply damaging to the principles of democratic governance and social justice,โ he added.
Raising alarm over the sharp cut in funds allocated to Panchayats under the Annual Development Plan (ADP), Rather noted that last year, an amount of โน23.3 lakh was allotted to each Panchayat, whereas this year, it has been drastically reduced to โน17.65 lakh. โA dangerous perception is being created that the curtailed amount has been diverted and put at the disposal of local MLAs. If true, this amounts to gross misuse of authority and undermines the very purpose of decentralized planning,โ he warned.
The PDP leader urged Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to immediately clarify the status of these funds and dispel the confusion that has gripped the public. โPeople deserve transparency. We appeal to the LG administration to ensure that development funds are used judiciously and not hijacked by political interests.โ
Rafique Rather also condemned the growing arrogance and highhanded behavior of certain NC MLAs, who have reportedly been humiliating officers and officials in public forums. โSuch conduct not only demoralizes the administrative machinery but also hampers the delivery of services to the common masses. Officers must be allowed to work independently and fearlessly in the interest of the public,โ he said.
There are also verified reports, the PDP leader added, that plans formulated during Gram Sabha meetings have been manipulated, with unauthorized insertions made by certain NC MLAs to accommodate their own party workers in the final plans. โThis is a serious breach of public trust and democratic process. Even MGNREGA works are now reportedly being allotted exclusively to NC workers or on their dictation.โ
โLet these schemes remain tools of empowerment, not instruments of exploitation,โ Rafique Rather concluded.
