The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : “Special funds must be provided to districts”

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 10, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

“Special funds must be provided to districts”

Staff Reporter

To improve social and economic conditions: Minister

— PHOTO: G. KARTHIKEYAN.

COMPLETION: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram giving away degree certificate to a student at Gandhigram Rural University near Dindigul on Monday.

DINDIGUL: An elected administration at the district-level is a feasible one for the development of villages, according to P. Chidambaram, Union Finance Minister.

He was delivering the convocation address at Gandhgiram Rural University near here on Monday.

On the principle of ‘one person one vote,’ adults of the district should elect a body of 10 persons to run the district administration. The district administration – through elected panchayats – should have full powers to deal with roads, drinking water, sanitation, distribution of electricity, school education, health care and law and order, he said.

Both Central and State Governments should provide district administration with adequate funds. Special funds must be provided to districts where social and economic indicators are below average, opined the Finance Minister.

“Such a model does not require major constitutional change but a willingness on the part of Central and State Governments to voluntarily abdicate powers in favour of the district administration.”

“We must undo structure of governance that lies heavily upon our villages. From Central Government to village panchayats, the poor villagers carried on his shoulder the huge burden of layers of authority. The village is too small and the State Government is too large. Viable unit of administration will be district with a population of over 10 lakhs.”

Industrial development

Insisting on industrial development, he noted that growth and prosperity could not be achieved through village-based model of development.

“If India’s problems were poverty and unemployment, the frontal attack on twin problems would require large amount of capital, best technology, global scales of production and access to world markets.”

“Both Central and State Governments must focus on promoting rapid growth of industry and service sectors and integrate them with global economy and create a condition for high growth. That alone will throw up more jobs and income and eventually eliminate poverty.”

The Minister said that village had little capital, low technology and limited market access and opportunities for growth were scarce.

Despite provision Rs.1,20,000 crore in four years, there was no visible improvement in infrastructure and quality of services, he pointed out.

“We face other problems also. We provide money, but when it is misspent or misappropriated, we do not punish those who were accountable. Our biggest failure is that we tolerated and condoned incompetence, mal-administration and corruption” he said.

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