Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has instructed Rural Development and Housing and Urban Development Departments to take steps necessary for holding elections to Block Development Councils and Urban Local Bodies by December this year.
Omar issued the instructions to the two nodal departments yesterday, an official spokesman said.
Block Development Council elections will lead to formation of the second tier of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in the state. The Panchayat elections were held in the state last year after a gap of over three decades.
The urban local bodies' elections were due in 2010 but had to be postponed due to the summer agitation in the Valley.
The government had planned to hold these elections early this year but put off the polls in view of heavy tourism rush to the Valley.
The delay in holding the elections has translated into loss of hundreds of crores to the state in central assistance under various schemes meant for development of urban areas.
PTI
First Published: Friday, August 31, 2012, 13:08