Union Home Minister met 22 sarpanchs, assures Rs 2 lakh insurance for panchayat members
Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah met three different groups of representatives from Jammu and Kashmir and discussed issues pertaining to law and order situation in the valley. This was the first meeting with the representatives of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
He met representatives of sarpanches from various districts, representatives of fruit growers, agricultural markets and some members of local horticulture associations and the representatives of the community of people displaced in the partition.
"All three delegations congratulated the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister for the courageous step of abolishing article 370 and 35A," the ministry said.
Shah informed the delegation of sarpanches that henceforth the provisions of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts would be applicable to Jammu and Kashmir and this would serve to empower local governance and Panchayati Raj institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the issue of mobile connectivity and restoration of communications, the Union Home Minister said that the government is committed to restore communication services soon.
"We have requested the Home Minister to provide us security and he has assured us that the administration will provide us security," said Mir Junaid, a sarpanch from Kupwara. Another sarpanch, Zuber Nishad Bhat, who is from Harvan in Srinagar district, said the Union Home Minister also assured them that insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to each panch and sarpanch.
Greeting the sarpanches, Shah hailed them as the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir and said that it would be their responsibility to ensure that the benefits of various government schemes would reach the correct beneficiaries and that an atmosphere of peace and prosperity is maintained.
He promised to begin recruitment for various government jobs at the earliest and said that the government would ensure merit-based recruitment of at least five aspirants from each village.
The representatives of fruit growers expressed their concern regarding the possibility of unsold and wasted produce. Shah reassured them by saying that the government is in touch with concerned agencies to resolve the issue.
He noted that with the abrogation of Article 370, the benefits of various government schemes like Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana would reach all farmers of Jammu and Kashmir now.
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