The
Hindu: Hyderabad: Friday, 25 September 2015.
Forum for
Good Governance (FGG) has asked the Government of Telangana to ensure that the
village Panchayats become institutions of self governance, by devolving all the
29 powers mentioned in the Article 243-G of the Indian Constitution to the
panchayats, along with funds and responsibilities thereof.
Replications
As
replications of ‘Janmabhoomi’ and ‘Rachabanda’ schemes of erstwhile
governments, programmes such as ‘Grama Jyothi’ and ‘Mana Ooru-Mana Pranalika’
are but old wine in new bottle , the office bearers of the Forum said at a
press conference here on Thursday.
As per the
information obtained through RTI by the Forum, only 10 subjects out of the 29
have been transferred to the panchayats. They include Agriculture and
Agriculture Extension, Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Poultry, Fisheries, Rural
Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Primary, Secondary and Adult
Education, Health, Sanitation, PHC, Dispensaries & Family Welfare, Social
Welfare, BC Welfare and Women and Child Development.
On paper
The programme
‘Mana Ooru-Mana Pranalika’ remained on paper as no budget was allocated,
despite the visits by mandal level officials and preparation of village
development plans.
‘Grama
Jyothi’ was launched as its sequel, as part of which the officials visited the
villages and constituted a few committees on various subjects leading to
preparation of another action plan. The programme now awaits funds for
execution, the Secretary of the Forum M. Padmanabha Reddy said.
The problem
with any such programme is that they do not involve people, and the power lay
with the legislators who would not want the Panchayats to become institutions
of self governance, as it would mean loss of their hold on villages.
Even
programmes such as ‘Mission Kakatiya’ should have been under the control of
village panchayats, but now remain in hands of legislators, ministers and
officials, Mr. Reddy said.
Vice-President
of the Forum Rao Chelikani noted that constituting parallel committees as part
of ‘Grama Jyothi’ would render Panchayats powerless.
He said local
bodies should be considered on par with government, with transfer of required
official machinery, fund, and responsibilities.
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