Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday emphasised need for “decentralisation of power” to the grassroots and asserted that officials and bureaucrats alone cannot be relied upon for ensuring development. People needed to be engaged in the process.
“Unless there is a transfer of power to the lowest levels the problem will remain. The objective with which the Constitution was amended — to decentralise power to usher in development — will not be possible,” he said at a convention organised by the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee on panchayati raj.
“Are we able to ensure that the functionaries and funds reach the grassroots,” he asked. Decentralisation of power did not mean sending funds from the corridors of power in Delhi to the Secretariats of the 28 States.
Left parties' charge
Mr. Mukherjee's remarks come at a time when the Left Front has been repeatedly claiming that the Trinamool Congress-led government was demolishing the panchayati system in the State.
Allegations that elected representatives are being forced to resign have been raised by Left parties on several occasions.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said panchayats were not being allowed to function. She announced that the Block Development Officers would be deputed to go ahead with development projects in the areas where the panchayats were not functional.
Mr. Mukherjee admitted that the transfer of funds to the panchayat-level was resulting in “many leakages.” He said this alone could not be the reason to stall the process of decentralisation of power.
“Allegations of leakage are being raised in MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). Yes, leakage is taking place,” he said adding that the scheme had raised the daily wages of labour in villages across the country.
Mr. Mukherjee did not comment on whether or not the Congress will come to a seat-sharing agreement with the Trinamool for the 2013 panchayat elections.
However, All India Congress Committee general secretary Shakeel Ahmed said the central leadership of the party would support the decision taken by the State leadership.
Mr. Ahmed cited the examples of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra where the Congress had partnered with its allies at the Central and State level, but not at the panchayat level.
However, any differences with the Trinamool “must not benefit the Communist Party of India (Marxist),” he said.
