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Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Thursday, May 15, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Tamil Nadu
For good governance: G.Palanithurai, Coordinator, Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Panchayat Raj Studies, addresses local body representatives in Perundurai Union on Wednesday. — PERUNDURAI: Panchayat Raj system has yet to make a mark because of representatives who are not aware of the powers they have, G. Palanithurai, coordinator, Rajiv Gandhi Chair for Panchayat Raj Studies, Gandhigram Rural University, Dindigul, has said. Participating at a meeting organised for panchayat, panchayat union and district council representatives here on Wednesday, he said, “Though Panchayat Raj system is theoretically strong, it has not made an impact in practice because of elected representatives who are ignorant of the powers they have, rules, procedures, etc.” He added, “As far as local body administration goes, India has set an example with the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments, but in practice it has nothing to be proud of.” He cited the example of a panchayat in Kerala, which stood up against a multi-national company setting up plant in the panchayat area, to drive home the point that panchayats were as powerful as any other elected body. Mr. Palanithurai, who is also the professor and head of the Department of Political Science of the University, said he could not understand why panchayat representatives asked for more powers to local bodies when they had not understood and exercised the existing powers. He said compared to the past two decades, panchayats, unions and district panchayats received more funds and yet people’s needs had not been met. He attributed the failure to meet people’s expectations to absence of planning. “Panchayat president along with members has to form five committees, which in many areas function in a perfunctory manner. If only the committees turn pro-active, it will make a world of difference to the panchayat concerned,” he said and cited examples of panchayats in Tutucorin, Nagapattinam and a few other southern districts where such committees had made a mark. He felt that if the committees planned what schemes needed to be taken up and how villages could be developed, migration of people to urban areas in search of employment could be stopped. Earlier, M. A. Thirunavukkarasu, researcher at the Panchayat Raj Studies Centre, asked elected representatives to get rid of the notion that panchayats were only for fulfilling village’s basic needs on water, road and street lights. It was also about economic and social development of panchayats, he added. Perundurai Panchayat Union Chairman R. Thirunavukkarasu urged the participants to make best use of the opportunity.
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