The Hindu : Make panchayats financially sound, says Fernandes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 18, 2003

National

National

Make panchayats financially sound, says Fernandes

By Our Special Correspondent

The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, with the former Finance Minister of J&K, Abdul Rehim Rather, during a one-day training programme for Panchayat representatives in Srinagar on Staurday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

SRINAGAR MAY 17. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, today called for making the Panchayati Raj institutions financially sound in order to achieve the desired results of development at the ground level.

Speaking at a training programme for panchayat representatives in the Kashmir Valley here organised by the New Delhi-based Institute of Policy Studies, Mr. Fernandes said that "it is important to look at how the panchayats can deal with finances. Since they cannot impose tax as these are being collected by the States and the Centre, it is the responsibility of these Governments to take care of the financial aspect. You need not ask for something in charity but as a matter of right guaranteed by the Constitution," he told over 150 sarpanches who had turned up for the programme.

Panchayati Raj needed to be implemented in letter and spirit in order to achieve the dream of taking development to the ground level.

"It is impossible to see the development of rural areas without the panchayats,'' he said.

Referring to his recent visit to China, Mr. Fernandes said that decentralisation of powers was key to their success and that was what we need to follow here as well.

Lauding the role of Ram Manohar Lohia, Jai Prakash Narayan and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, he said they gave a new direction to the role of the masses in the overall development of the State.

"When there was an assault on democracy, J.P. Narayan led the fight against that and it has been continuing till this day,'' he said.He said if the development of Jammu and Kashmir had been taken care of, the unemployment problem would not have touched such an alarming level.

The former Rural Development Minister and National Conference leader, Abdur Raheem Rather, taking credit for holding panchayat elections after 30 years, said "nobody can supersede panchayats as they are guaranteed by the Constitution''.

He said elections to these institutions had to be held in six months.He asked the sarpanches to work fearlessly. He said the Government could give more powers to them but they still have enough as per the Act.

The ISS Director, George Mathew, outlined the importance of Panchayati Raj institutions and called for creating awareness about their concept. He said the ISS was playing an important role in strengthening these institutions with the help of State Governments.

The Secretary, Rural Development, Basharat Ahmed Dhar, the Director, Rural Development, Bashir Ahmed Runiyal, were also present. But, the Minister for Rural Development, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, who was scheduled to inaugurate the programme was absent.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National