GANGTOK, April 1

BHUBANESWAR: With restrictions on preparation of district plan for backward region grant fund (BRGF) in view of the model code of conduct in force, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has asked the State Government to submit a consolidated plan proposal for 2008-09 by first week of October.

He sits in Vigyan Bhavan in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. The secretary sits in Krishi Bhavan; the additional secretary in Sardar Patel Bhavan and the joint secretary in Samrat Hotel.

Against the Planning Commission's and the ministry of panchayati raj's views of abolition of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the ministry of rural development has initiated process for restructuring of DRDAs. Last month, the rural development ministry had asked the states and Union Territories to send suggestions on the restructuring of apex body supervising anti-poverty programmes at the district levels since 1980.

Multiple agencies set up for the implementation of the UPA government's flagship and anti-poverty programmes such as sarva shiksha abhiyan, national rural health mission and national horticulture mission are undermining the role of panchayats in the country, minister for panchayati raj Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Wednesday. Aiyar called for the abolition of all the development programs or their merger so that they could be brought under the supervision of panchayats for better implementation and impact.

advertisement

The Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Mani Shankar Aiyar, was recently in Nagpur to attend a conference. He volunteered to visit Koljhari, Bodhbadhan and Waiphad villages that witnessed many farmer suicides. At Waiphad, he met with a group of farmers and farm labourers who were eager to talk to him.

For mani shankar aiyar, Union minister of Panchayati Raj, the biggest obstacle with decentralisation is not a lack of political will but not getting the design right. Excerpts from an interview to

Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to constitute committees up to Panchayat level in the sphere of bio-diversity.

Pages