Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

`Centre mulls statute change to empower PR bodies'

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD April 8. The Union Minister for Rural Development, M. Venkaiah Naidu, today mooted a proposal for creating a third list of subjects for administration by panchayat raj institutions in addition to the Central and State lists.

The basis for his proposal is the 15-point National Declaration on Local Self-Governance adopted at the recent two-day conference of Heads of Panchayats at New Delh where the need for second generation reforms was felt after a comprehensive review of the panchayat raj system.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Naidu said it was acutely realised by everyone that empowerment of panchayats could not be complete without devolution of adequate financial and administrative powers. Mere economic reforms were not enough and the time had come to create a third list specifying the subjects unambiguously.

The Union Minister said another amendment to the Constitution was necessary to arm the panchayat bodies with functions, functionaries and funds without which there could not be meaningful self-governance. He felt that a consensus on the amendment was possible since the BJP, the Congress and the Left parties were favourably inclined towards the reforms.

Mr. Naidu said the Centre would convene an all-party meeting to sound political parties about its views and consult the States before placing the draft Bill for approval before the Cabinet and Parliament.

He was hopeful that this process would be completed before the current year-end.

Expressing satisfaction over the consensual approach of the 1,600 delegates from 28 States during their participation in the conference, he said it was clear from their views that that second generation reforms were the need of the hour because a decade had elapsed since the passage of the 73rd Constitution Amendment.

He sought to allay fears expressed in some quarters over the Centre's move to monitor the implementation of the National Declaration.

Assuring that the Centre had no intention to bypass the States, he said all funds would be channelled through them though none would have the power to divert moneys or delay their release.

Funds allotted by the Centre or the Tenth Finance Commission would be earmarked for specific purpose along with clear-cut guidelines.

Mr. Venkaiah Naidu refused to be drawn into the raging controversy between the TDP and Congress over Sonia Gandhi's remark that the Andhra Pradesh Government was running a parallel PR system in the name of the Janmabhoomi programme.

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