Tamil Nadu   

More powers for local bodies mooted

CHENNAI: The Government is considering transfer of more powers to local bodies, Revenue Minister I. Periasami said here on Friday.

Addressing the valedictory session of a two-day workshop organised by the Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Panchayati Raj Studies of Gandhigram Rural University, Mr. Periasami said the proposal was under the consideration of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

To illustrate the Government’s commitment to increasingly empower Panchayati Raj institutions, the Minister pointed to a previous instance when the Chief Minister had unhesitatingly handed over the administrative functions of no less than 124 subjects to the local bodies.

On the tsunami rehabilitation programme, the Minister said 50,000 permanent houses were ready to be handed over to beneficiaries.

E. M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, MP and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, said though the Government of India had promulgated the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, a singular failing was the omission of panchayats.

While the Act gave shape to a national-level authority headed by the Prime Minister, a State-level body chaired by the respective Chief Ministers and district-level panels led by Collectors, Panchayati Raj institutions did not figure in the framework.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to include local bodies subsequently in the ambit of the Act had also passed on December 23, the deadline for making addenda to the rules, he said.

C. V. Shankar, Officer on Special Duty, Relief and Rehabilitation, Department of Revenue Administration, would soon put in place a State-level Disaster Management Authority.

Though such a mechanism existed as an executive body, the State would soon have a legally-constituted Authority.

On the recommendation of the workshop to formulate a disaster management policy and relief code, Mr. Shankar said all relief work undertaken in Tamil Nadu went by the guidelines set out by the Calamity Relief Fund Norms of the Centre.

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