The Hindu : Ghorpade for activity mapping by local bodies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 24, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Ghorpade for activity mapping by local bodies

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE APRIL 23. The Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, M.Y. Ghorpade, has stressed the need for undertaking activity mapping at the zilla, taluk, and gram panchayat level as this will result in a clear assigning of functions and responsibilities of the local bodies.

Speaking to presspersons here today, the minister said the issue of activity mapping would be placed before the Cabinet after a discussion by the Cabinet subcommittee.

After the Cabinet approval, orders on it would be issued, he added.

Rationalisation of schemes was also essential to provide greater flexibility to determine local priorities and chalk out plans suited to local needs. Spelling out the role of each tier would help in the integration of gram and taluk panchayat plans into the district plan, he said.

The Government had prepared a note on the "road map to carry forward decentralisation in Karnataka" as per the directives of the Congress High Command, Mr. Ghorpade said. The Congress recently adopted resolutions and charters on the decentralisation of local bodies in accordance with the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution, he said.

The panchayat raj institutions (PRIs) must be able to bring about reforms such as enhanced people's participation, citizen's orientation, responsiveness, service delivery, and improved financial management and accountability, the minister said.

Pointing out that the State Budget had proposed to enhance the grant from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh for each gram panchayat, Mr. Ghorpade said the untied funds would help the GPs to execute works independently.

As many as 5,600 GPs in the State had executed development works worth Rs. 600 crore in the last financial year.

To a question on the functioning of `Jamabandhi' at the GP level, the minister said the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act would be amended to ensure that Jamabandhi was held in August and September every year.

Mr. Ghorpade said proper control of the local governments would be possible only through an independent audit system.

"The audit of the accounts of elected local bodies has generally been so tardy and haphazard as to have virtually ceased to have practical effect in ensuring the integrity of PRIs/municipalities. The Accountants-General, in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, may be advised to urgently identify and correct deficiencies in this regard," the `road map' of the State Government pointed out.

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