Hopeful of justice after meeting LG: DDC Chairperson Budgam

Srinagar, March 12 (KNS): The District Development chairperson from Budgam, Nazir Ahmad Khan on Friday said that as they have been called for a meeting by the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha after holding protest in Jammu, they are hopeful of a proper solution and justice.

Talking to news agency "Kashmir News Service" (KNS) , Khan said that since LG is himself from a political background, they are hopeful that a proper solution will be found an justice will be done with them. 

While expressing anguish against the bureaucracy he said that the bureaucracy here has uprooted the democracy andy the are not letting LG to reach them at the grassroots level to make the relationship strong between people and the government. 

"The bureaucracy is trying to keep LG away from reality and destroying the public- government relationship."

He said that they are elected people and bureaucrats are trying to make them slaves. "Our status has been downgraded to class 4th employees."

He also said that the LG office has invited them for a meeting and they called off the protest. “Since LG comes from political background we are hopeful of a proper solution and justice," he said.

He also said that on March 9 and 10 they were invited yo Jammu for a training programme and they were not aware about the protocols given to them till evening. 

"After reaching Jammu, the members have been kept in private hotels and arrangement for food was at some other place which was very difficult, because we had with us many female members as well," he said.

He said that later in the evening they came to know that government has fixed protocols for elected DDC members, however, as per the re-organization act MoS status was promised to them. 

"Look at the hill council of Ladakh, they are enjoying the Mos status, similarly Mayors are enjoying the same power."

He said that according to the warrant of precedence, chairpersons of DDCs have been placed equal to  administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners/IGPs, joint secretaries to the Government of India and officers of equivalent rank, officers of the rank of Major-General or equivalent rank but the remuneration was very disappointing. 

He said that the other tragedy is that the district development board has been converted into district development council, planning board into planning committee and an MP will be its chairman.

"I don’t know what’s our role left there if an MP will be its chairperson. This new protocol is a complete joke with us,' he added. (KNS)

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