FURTHER AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION TO GIVE FILLIP TO EMPOWER PANCHAYAT
RAJ : KASHIRAM RANA
NEXT ROUND OF DISCUSSION TO BE HELD
ON JULY 19, 2003
EMPOWERED SUB COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL
AND ADMINISTRATIVE EMPOWERMENT OF PRIs
The Union Minister
of Rural Development Shri Kashiram Rana has underlined the need
to further amend the Constitution to give fillip to the task of
empowering the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). As a result
the Ministry has drafted amendments in consultation with the Ministry
of Legal Affairs which now have to go through the process of All
Party Consultation. While chairing the first meeting of Empowered
Sub Committee on Financial and Administrative Empowerment of Panchayati
Raj Institutions here today, Shri Rana highlighted that recognizing
the crucial role of the PRIs in implementation of Rural Development
and Poverty Alleviation Schemes, the National Development Council
in its meeting held in December 2002 has set up an Empowered Sub
Committee on Financial and Administrative Empowerment of PRIs.
This is first meeting of this Committee.
Shri Rana further
highlighted that Panchayat elections have been held in all the
states except Jharkhand and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
There are around 2.50 lakh Panchayats of which about 2.25 lakh
are Gram Panchayats. Approximately 30 lakh persons have been elected
to these Panchayats of whom more than 10 lakh are women, while
the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe members number more than
6.4 lakh, it is for the first time that such a large number of
women in the country are sharing the decision making powers with
their male counter parts.
Union Minister of
Social Justice and Empowerment, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs,
Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, Rural Development
Ministers of Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and Rajasthan,
Secretary Planning Commission, Member Planning Commission and
Secretary, Rural Development, Advisor Planning Commission and
Additional Secretary Rural Development participated in the discussion.
Shri Annasaheb, M.K.
Patil, Minister of State for Rural Development informed that it
has been decided to hold next round of discussion on Empowerment
of Panchayati Raj Institutions on July 19, 2003 in New Delhi by
the Empowered Sub Committee.
Shri Rana emphasised
upon that accountability of Panchayats has to be enforced through
Social Audit. Many State Legislatures have legally empowered the
Gram Sabha to conduct social audit. The power of Social Audit
can enable the Gram Sabha to monitor misutilisation or misappropriation
of funds. In order to strengthen the Gram Sabhas, it is necessary
for the States to lay down detailed procedures for the conduct
of Gram Sabha and Social Audit.
Shri Rana told that
the Ministry of Rural Development has accordingly made strengthening
of Panchayats and Community participation as a key plank in its
development strategy, the others being creation of Self Employment
and Infrastructure Development including construction of rural
houses, rural roads, drinking water facilities, land, soil and
water conservation measures etc.
Listing out initiatives
taken by the Rural Development Ministry, Shri Rana informed that
recently launched programmes such as Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar
Yojana (SGRY), Swajaldhara and Hariyali under which Panchayats
have been given a key role in identification of beneficiaries,
project selection, monitoring supervision and project formulation
reflect the earnestness of the Ministry in strengthening Panchayats.
Shri Rana said that release of funds with almost funds/foodgrains
to the tune of Rs. 10,000-12,000 crores are being disbursed by
PRIs and enabling them to effectively participate in local level
planning to respond to peoples’ needs.
