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Civic body chiefs seek more power, fund

By Our Staff Correspondent

DEHRA DUN, FEB.11. The Zila and Kshetra Panchayat presidents of Uttaranchal are up in arms seeking more powers as enshrined in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments and special funds for development works on the lines of the Local Area Development Fund (LADF) for MLAs and MPs.

Although the Chief Minister, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, had last week announced establishment of a revolving fund of Rs 25 lakhs for the Kshetra Panchayat presidents, the demand for introducing a special development fund like the LADF seems a bit too much for the "bureaucrats" to concede.

"The LADF provisions if extended to the Zila and Kshetra Panchayat chiefs would lead to a revolutionary step as these elected representatives could then execute need-based schemes for the area without red tape from the bureaucracy.

The idea is being opposed by the bureaucrats who seems to be more than scared in devolving powers to the elected panchayats," several Kshetra and Zila Panchayat members said.

The Uttaranchal Zila Panchayat presidents Association chief, Chaman Singh, said that since the Government had granted them the status of a Minister of State it would make more sense if they were also given powers and the funds to improve the conditions of the panchayats.

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