'Restore two-tier panchayat system'

By K. Ramachandran

CHENNAI, SEPT. 5. Tamil Nadu has addressed the Centre seeking a constitutional amendment to restore the original two-tier panchayat raj system in the State.

The Local Administration Minister, Mr. C. Durairaj, told the Assembly today that prior to the 73rd Constitution Amendment Act, Tamil Nadu had a strong and efficient two-tier system of elected local bodies - village panchayats and panchayat unions.

The Government, he said, was seized of the problem arising out of the introduction of the 3-tier structure of panchayats in rural areas, which ``totally prevented an organic linkage among different levels'' and was not conducive to implementation of various schemes.

Therefore, the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, asked the Union Government that a suitable amendment to Article 243-C be made to restore the two-tier system, Mr. Durairaj said replying to the debate on demands for Rural Development and Municipal Administration and Water Supply departments.

Outlining the budget schemes for the year, Mr. Durairaj said Tamil Nadu had 23,156 minor irrigation tanks maintained by panchayat unions but many disappeared after years of siltation, encroachment and urbanisation, leading to a severe depletion of ground water.

The importance of rehabilitating the minor tanks was recognised and under a ``one-time catch-up exercise'', it was proposed to take up a major project costing Rs. 1157.80 crores for desilting and deepening of tank beds, eviction of encroachments, strengthening of tank bunds, desilting of feeder channels and repairs to sluices and surplus weirs.

To meet the sanitation needs of rural women, complexes with power and water facilities for toilets, for bathing and washing would be constructed at all village panchayats, at a cost of Rs. 2 lakhs a unit.

This year 6,309 complexes would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 126.18 crores. The beneficiary groups would maintain the facilities.

In another major scheme, office buildings were to be constructed for village administrative officers. In the current year, 4,000 office buildings would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 24 crores and within three years, all VAO offices completed.

Most village shandies lacked adequate infrastructure. To improve their condition and to make them active centres for marketing rural products, 385 shandies would be provided with proper connectivity, water, lighting, public convenience, improved stalls, etc, at a cost of Rs. 38.19 crores.

All shandies would be covered in a five-year period. This would ensure outlets to market rural products and increase the income of local bodies.

Women self-help groups, making various products through small industries, could not compete with other manufacturers in marketing for lack of technological facilities.

Recognising this aspect, the Government decided to set up a resource centre in the SIRC complex at Maraimalainagar in Kancheepuram district, to provide technological assistance for manufacturing good products.

The marketing infrastructure for sale of rural products would be strengthened. Under the Rs. 2.5-crore programme, 16 complexes would be built in different municipal and rural areas to provide marketing facility and also market intelligence support to self- help groups.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Govt. approach to governance hailed
Next     : DMK members stage black cloth protest