Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday expressed firm resolve to make Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) more powerful, efficient and effective in the Union Territory.
Sinha was addressing a function organised to celebrate National Panchayati Raj Day at Palli, a nondescript hamlet in border district of Samba which on April 24 last year became the country’s first carbon-neutral panchayat’ with Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicating to the nation a 500-kilowatt solar plant.
The Lt Governor also conferred UT-level Panchayat awards to the awardees, launched ‘Mera Samba’ Swachhta app for community participation and inaugurated 18 smartpurs’ for Samba and six for Anantnag on the occasion.
“Collective efforts of the common man and panchayats are playing an important role in realising big dreams of small villages of the Union Territory. By establishing and strengthening three-tier grassroots democracy in J-K, PM Modi has ensured rapid and inclusive development,” Sinha said.
“It is our firm resolve to make PRIs more powerful, efficient and effective,” the Lt Governor said.
He urged all public representatives to give priority to the underprivileged to realise Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of Poorna Swaraj’ through Gram Swaraj.
“Our efforts should also focus on removing developmental imbalances,” he added.
Sinha said, “Rural growth is the main pillar of the country’s development and to achieve our objectives, gram panchayats will have to play a major role in economic empowerment of all citizens, ensuring that benefits reach the last mile and active participation in grassroots planning and execution.”
As powerful agents of socio-economic change and engines of rural development, he said, the panchayats are making a significant contribution to nation-building and empowering people to meet the challenge of sustainable development.
The Lt Governor urged all the public representatives to give priority to the underprivileged to realise the Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of Poorna Swaraj through Gram Swaraj. Our efforts should also focus on removing developmental imbalances, he added.
“Devolution of Funds, Functions & Functionaries and seamless coordination at each of the levels of three-tier system of Panchayati Raj has given tremendous boost to aspirations of rural society. It is our firm resolve to make PRIs more powerful, efficient and effective,” the Lt Governor added.
The Lt Governor also spoke on progressive policies and schemes aimed at increasing farmers’ income, enhance their skills and directly connect them with various Centrally Sponsored and UT’s schemes.
The Lt Governor called upon the elected representatives to complement government’s efforts in implementation of the groundbreaking 29 projects worth Rs. 5013 crore for the holistic development of agriculture & allied sectors.
I am confident that the success of this Holistic Agriculture development plan will guide the prosperous future of Jammu Kashmir and help in doubling the contribution of agriculture sector in J&K’s GDP in the next 5 years, he said.
The Lt Governor also inaugurated Smriti Kaksh and flagged off ‘SwachhtaKarwan’ to mark the occasion. A compendium on Amrit Sarovars & Coffee Table Book on the capacity building & training of Elected Representatives of J&K was also released.
Sh. Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member Parliament; Sh Keshav Dutt Sharma, DDC Chairperson Samba; DDC Chairpersons; Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Administrative Secretaries; PRI members, senior officials and a large number of people were present.

KR Desk