`Proposal to empower panchyats to prepare development plans'

`Proposal to empower panchyats to prepare development plans'
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NAGPUR, JUN 8: A proposal to allow gram panchayats to prepare development plans is under consideration of the State Government, announced Rural Development Minister R R Patil.

Patil was addressing the inaugural session of the `sarpanch meet', organised by Nagpur Zilla Parishad at Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall which was presided over by former legislator Yadavrao Bhoyar. The Minister also discussed the Government plans to decentralise power and to strengthen the panchayati raj system. He said it has become imperative to empower panchayat bodies so that they can chalk out plans for development of villages and also ensure that the plans are properly implemented. Unless panchayats are empowered to implement development plans, it is difficult to stop migration of rural youth to urban centres, he said.

Patil regretted that attention of Government agencies remained focussed on urban areas in all these years. Even the media highlighted the problems of urban population. In the process, the real issues confronting the rural society remained neglected. As a corrective measure, the State Government has now decided to grant more powers to panchayat bodies, he added.

Union Minister Sunderlal Patwa, former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde and Leader of Opposition in State Legislative Council, Nitin Gadkari addressed the concluding session. Patwa called for sincere efforts to utilise funds released by the Central Government for rural development.

Munde called for giving more financial powers to panchayat bodies. Referring to the four-decade old Panchayats ystem in Maharashtra, he said the system has failed to fulfil the aspirations of people from rural areas. It was so mainly because of the fact that the panchayat bodies and sarpachas lack the necessary power to chalk out development plans and ensure their proper implementation.

In his speech, Gadkari levelled a serious allegation that the state government was misusing funds meant for rural development and demanded a high-level probe into these allegations. Zilla Parishad (ZP) president Sumantai Bawankule welcomed the guests. ZP CEO Ashwini Kulkarni made introductory remarks. Those present on the occasion included Ramtek MP Subodh Mohite, legislators Balwantrao Dhoble, Deorao Asole and Ashish Jaiswal, Mayor Wasundhara Masurkar, Deputy Mayor Himmatrao Saraikar, ZP vice-president Ramesh Mankar and ex-president Ashok Dhote.