Lot needs to be done to empower Panchayats in real terms: PM

New Delhi, April 24: Ruing that the bureaucracy is still unwilling to share its powers with elected local bodies, PM Manmohan Singh made a strong pitch for an "immediate change in this mindset" to strengthen and empower Panchayati Raj institutions.

There is "still a lot to be done" to give the Panchayats responsibilities and powers in real terms, he said, addressing a gathering of Panchayat heads from across the country on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Diwas in New Delhi.

"The purpose of Panchayati Raj is decentralisation under which people get the right to run administration themselves. We have to make efforts so that this does not remain mere a slogan but turns out to be a reality in our life time. For this we will have to give responsibilities and powers to the elected representatives in real terms," he said.

The Prime Minister said, "I frequently receive complaints that the bureaucracy of the Centre and the states still do not like to see their powers being curtailed or share their powers fully with the local bodies. There is a need to immediately change this mindset."

Singh said that local governments can play a key role in development but their success depends on various factors including the capacity of the elected representatives and the decentralisation of power.

The Centre, he said, has allotted around ten times more money in the 12th plan to help the states in their initiatives towards strengthening Panchayats.

The "Centre will implement Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Empowerment Campaign under the 12th plan to strengthen Panchayats. We have allotted more money this time to help the states in their initiatives to strengthen Panchayats and the budgetary support for this purpose has been increased by around 10 times at Rs 6437 crore from Rs 660 crores in the 11th plan. "I hope that state governments will use this fund thoroughly in strengthening institutions of local self- governance. It is our promise that the central government will provide all possible help to states so that our development process becomes more inclusive and sustainable," he said.

Lauding late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for his initiatives to bring Panchyati Raj, Singh said that the 73rd amendment brought in April 1993 included the institutions of local self-governance in the processes of the democratic system and nation-building.

"Decentralisation is essential to get inclusive growth in a large and diverse country like India....Researchers world over have found that the actions taken to include the socially and economically backward people in the development process have brought good results. "People's participation in Panchayat works have increased, expenditure-related decisions have been taken as per the expectations of people and people have become more aware politically," the Prime Minister said.

Singh also hailed the reservation laws enacted in some states to give participation to backward and other women in local bodies as a "major step" in the direction of social and economic empowerment of women. "15 states have made laws to give 50 per cent reservation to women," he noted.

The Prime Minister delivered his speech in Hindi, which was hailed by a woman Panchayat representative from Lucknow Kiran Yadav.

As soon as Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo finished his speech in English and the Prime Minister began his address in Hindi, Yadav rose from her seat and lauded Singh for speaking in Hindi. She said that most of the Panchayat representatives won't be able to follow speeches in English and "when they don't understand what will they follow".

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Deo highlighted the roles of state governments in implementation of schemes to strengthen Panchayats.

"We expect the state governments to take necessary steps and implement the schemes in right earnest. A state government's role is very important in this," Deo said.

He also focussed on the importance of Gram Sabhas for development of local self-governance."Gram Sabhas are important for development of local self- governance till the village levels and implementation of government programmes in health, education and every sector," he said.

He told the gathering about the schemes being run by the central government such as Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Shashaktikaran Abhiyan and e-governance in Panchayats.

"Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) is also being run to ensure development in these areas and we have achieved encouraging results," he said.

Deo also presented awards to the best performing Panchayats in the country.

Former Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar also attacked the bureaucracy for poor implementation of the schemes. The "government has introduced various schemes but we need to free them from the bureaucratic process. We have not been able to achieve the desired results only because of this," he said.