The Hindu : Karnataka News : Centre to strengthen Panchayat Raj system: Oscar

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Karnataka

Centre to strengthen Panchayat Raj system: Oscar

Staff Correspondent

New facility: Home Minister V.S. Acharya inaugurating the zilla panchayat building in Udupi on Thursday. Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes (second from right) is seen.

Udupi: Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes said on Thursday that the Union Government was committed to strengthening the Panchayati Raj system in the country. He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of the new zilla panchayat building here.

Mr. Fernandes said that both the Union and the State Governments were completely dependent upon zilla panchayats and the gram panchayats to carry out various welfare measures. It is these institutions which were close to the people and could easily respond to their needs. “It was Mahatma Gandhi who had stressed the importance of the panchayats. The former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had given more powers and funds to the Panchayati Raj institutions,” he said.

He said that the importance of Panchayat Raj Act passed during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi could not be exaggerated. It was this Act which had also led to the empowerment of women. “There is reservation for women in the panchayat raj bodies. Women elected to these bodies have become presidents and vice-presidents. They have shown that they too are able administrators,” he said. The Minister said that the zilla panchayats had the important role in identifying poor families for various welfare programmes of the Union and State Governments.

They played a vital role in the implementation of health delivery schemes and the midday meal scheme. The Udupi Zilla Panchayat should take all steps prevent the outbreak of chikungunya in the district. The Centre was ready to give any assistance to the State in this regard. “We should give a fillip to the Panchayati Raj system”, Mr. Fernandes said.

District offices complex

Home Minister V.S. Acharya, who inaugurated the new zilla panchayat building, said that the construction of the District Offices Complex in Manipal would be completed in one-and-a-half years, at a cost of Rs. 22 crore. The zilla panchayat would then be shifted to the new complex, he said.

President of the zilla panchayat Raju Poojary presided over the function. MLAs Gopal Bhandary, Lalaji Mendan and K. Laxminaryana, Administrative Reforms Secretary Ramesh Zalki, Deputy Commissioner P. Hemalatha and CEO of Zilla Panchayat Prasanna Kumar, were present.

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