DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
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Subject: Polity
Context: The Centre amended the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, to facilitate the setting up of District Development Councils (DDC).
Concept:
- The District Development Councils (DDCs) are set to become a new unit of governance in Jammu and Kashmir.This structure will include a DDC and a District Planning Committee (DPC).
- This system effectively replaces the District Planning and Development Boards in all districts, and will prepare and approve district plans and capital expenditure.
- Their key feature, however, is that the DDCs will have elected representatives from each district.
- The term of the DDC will be five years, and the electoral process will allow for reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women. The council will hold minimum four meetings a year.
- J&K administration in a statement said that the move to have an elected third tier of the Panchayati Raj institution marks the implementation of the entire 73rd Amendment Act in J&K.
- DDCs is expected to become representative bodies for development at the grassroots in the 20 districts of the UT.