Panchayat an instrument to counter Maoist menace: Prime Minister
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, April 24, 2010
Maoist menace can be countered by empowering Panchayats: PM
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that challenges posed by Maoists could be countered by empowering rural poor and marginalized sections of the rural population through Panchayati Raj institutions.
"We should pay special attention to ensure that PRIs function effectively in remote and backward areas, which include tribal areas. This will help us in tackling the challenges such as the Maoist menace," Dr. Singh said in New Delhi at a function to mark the National Panchayati Raj Day.
Dr. Manmohan Singh said participation of Panchayats in various development programmes was essential as "they understand the local needs."
He said that Panchayats not only make direct participation possible for the marginalised section of society in governance, but also play an important role in ensuring transparency and accountability in the functioning of government institutions and officials.
Government of India implemented 73rd constitutional amendment in 1993 to enable the three tier panchayat system to participate in the governance.
"This has made decentralisation (of power) possible up to the grassroots level. The impact of the 73rd amendment is now very clearly visible. It has empowered the common man and poor, and has brought about changes in the power equations in rural India," he said.
PM released the States Panchayats Report 2008-09
He expressed satisfaction for successfully conducting regular elections for 600 district panchayats, 6,000 intermediary panchayats and 2.3 lakh gram panchayats.
He also expressed happiness over implementation 33 per cent reservation for women in PRIs. Dr. Singh said that about 10 lakh women work in rural India as elected representatives that is more than quota allocated to them.
"With the implementation of the proposed 50 per cent quota for women in PRIs, their number is expected to increase to 14 lakh in these institutions," said the Prime Minister.
