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Sonia concerned over bureaucratic activism's affect on Panchayati Raj |
United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress President Sonia
Gandhi on Friday said that despite efforts there was a deterioration in the rural
administration system and villagers' voice was being quietened. She expressed
serious concern over increasing bureaucratic activism in the Panchayati Raj. Addressing
at a rally organised here to mark the Panchayati Raj system's golden jubilee,
Sonia Gandhi blamed State Governments of not holding local body or Panchayat elections
on time for political gains. "Several State governments did not conduct timely
elections for local bodies and Panchayats just for gaining political mileage,
which led to deterioration of Panchayati Raj system rendering them helpless. The
role of the administration became increasingly important and the people's voice
started getting muzzled," Sonia said here this afternoon marking the golden jubilee
of the launch of the Panchayti Raj programme. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot,
Union Minister C P Joshi and State cabinet Ministers also attended the function.
On this occasion, Sonia mentioned about former Prime Minister and her husband
Rajiv Gandhi's contribution to enact the Panchayati Raj Act. "When Rajiv Gandhi
was the Prime Minister, he was saddened to see the condition of the people and
took a pledge to bring a change in their living standards," Sonia revealed. Sonia
said it was due to the strengthening of the Panchayati Raj system, at least 1.2
million women in the country could freely express their voice on issues concerning
them today. She stressed that the Centre was committed to empower the Panchayats
to enable villagers to fulfil the dream of first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal
Nehru. Sonia on this occasion also appealed to the people to strengthen the National
Rural Employment Guarantee Yojana (NREGA) and Panchayati Raj. Mahatma Gandhi championed
the cause of Panchayati Raj, a decentralized form of Government where each village
is responsible for its own affairs. His term for such a vision was "Gram Swaraj". |
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