Even as the state of Jammu and Kashmir is experiencing a new breeze of democracy after successful conduction of District Development Councils (DDC) elections, the panchayat representatives of the strife torn state are getting lessons of grass- root democracy and its functioning in the state of Uttarakhand. The Panchayati Raj department of Uttarakhand is playing host to the village level Panchayat representatives of J & K and training them on different aspects of the Panchayati Raj system. The department has entered into an understanding with the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj department of Jammu and Kashmir for the training tours of Panchayat representatives. A total of four batches would visit the state and out of them second batch of Panchayat representatives are at present in the state. The current batch has 14 representatives each from Jammu and Kashmir division.
The batch has panchayat representatives from all parts of Jammu and Kashmir including from militancy affected Baramulla, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts.
As per the schedule these representatives are taken to field visits to the villages in Uttarakhand for four days and on two days classroom training is imparted to them on various aspects of the three tier Panchayati Raj system. Samrin Khan of Balakot village Balalot of Rajouri district who was part of the first group said that she along with other Sarpanchs learned a lot about the powers of the Panchayats, the Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) and the ways by which various projects of government can be used for the progress and prosperity of villages.
Nazir Ahmed of Kulgam said that he got acquainted with the powers, functioning and resource mobilisation in the local self governance in the last four days of his visit in Uttarakhand.
The state IEC consultant of Jammu and Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmed told The Pioneer that a total of four batches of Panchayat representatives would visit the state. He was all praise for the panchayat representatives, people and officials of Uttarakhand for the care and love they bestowed on the panchayat representatives of J & K.
“I was of the opinion that people of J & K are best in hospitality but this visit of ours has forced me to change my belief,’’ he quipped.
The Secretary Panchayati Raj Uttarakhand, H C Semwal told The Pioneer that every possible care for providing a best learning environment to the panchayat representatives is being taken and a very good training is being imparted to them.