Forming Janmabhoomi panels is in contravention of the spirit of Gram Swaraj envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi and the 73rd and the74th Constitutional amendments for devolution of powers to local bodies, speakers said at a convention on 'Empowerment of local bodies and Janmabhoomi committees, organised by Jana Chaitnya Vedika.'
The panels were against the Constitution and weakened village administration, former Union Energy Secretary E. A. S. Sarma said. Local self-governance was defeated by not holding elections to GVMC and also merging villages near Bhimunipatnam in it, he said. Even pension to an old woman was in the hands of the committees and not even top district level officials could do anything.
APCRDA was constituted with officials though Article 243 of the Constitution stipulated that urban development could not be done without land acquisition was not valid without elected body. But lands were being freely given away.
PESA Act
Non-implementation of Panchyat Raj Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act was questioned by the Supreme Court in the Niyamgiri mining case, he recalled.
Even the promotion of tourism at Dallapalli was questioned by tribals seeking implementation of PESA, he said.
President of Centre for Policy Studies A. Prasanna Kumar said routing devolution of powers through States was not resulting in real empowerment of local bodies.
Quoting studies he pointed out panchayats were weakened by the hindrance caused by MPs and MLAs and chief ministers not bothering about them.
MLC P V N Madhav said irrespective of which party was in government, remaining in power was the sole objective for forming such extra constitutional panels.
Mr. Madhav said sarpanches were empowered through the 14th Finance Commission with direct transfer of funds to panchayats.
JCV president V. Lakshmana Reddy spoke.
