Govt to give more powers to Panchayati Raj institutions

The government said it is trying to give more powers to Panchayati Raj institutions even as it admitted that there is widespread corruption in the grassroot system.

New Delhi: The government on Thursday said it is trying to give more powers to Panchayati Raj institutions even as it admitted that there is widespread corruption in the grassroot system.

"We are trying to give more and more powers to panchayati raj institutions," Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Upendra Kushwaha said in the Lok Sabha.
"But there is still a lot to be done. We are trying to work on this," he said during Question Hour.

Kushwaha also said: "There is corruption (in Panchayati Raj) and money is being looted.”
"We are trying to monitor the situation," he added.

The minister said the list of backward districts of the country is decided by the Planning Commission and based on that the central government is giving grants to them.