New Delhi: Panchayati Raj Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo on Tuesday said the Rural Development Ministry has agreed to share one of percent of its Rs one lakh crore budget with his Ministry for strengthening the institution of Panchayati Raj in the country.
"The Ministry of Rural Development has a budget of nearly one lakh crore and out of that one percent is being given to the Panchayati Raj Ministry which means approximately Rs 990 crore they will be giving to us," Deo told reporters at the sidelines of a function organised to celebrate the National Panchayati Raj Day here.
"The Ministry of Rural Development has a budget of nearly Rs one lakh crore and out of that on percent is being given to the Panchayati Raj ministry which means approximately Rs 990 crore they will be giving to us," he said.
"It was for the first time that the Rural Development Ministry would be sharing some of its allotted funds with the Panchayati Raj Ministry," Deo said.
Deo said that there is a need to strengthen the infrastructure of panchayats in the country and the money shared by the Rural Development Ministry will also contribute to it.
"We will further strengthen the infrastructure of Panchayati institutions and there are 60,000 panchayats today who don`t even have their own buildings," Deo said.
"We have to create basic infrastructure for them, and concentrate of capacity building, training, monitoring and providing guidelines for panchayats to functions.
But the feedback of what has been done till now has been very good," he added.
In reply to a question as to whether the participation of women was satisfactory in Panchayati institutions, Deo said that while there were no problems in some states, there was scope for improvement in others.
"In my home state of Andhra Pradesh, there are no such
complaints but in other states there may be a need to give encouragement to women to participate," he said.
Deo said that the panchayats functioning in areas affected by Naxal violence needed greater support as there were problems related to law and order in these areas.
"For such areas we have the PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act which was passed in 1996 and in such affected areas, more attention and support should be given to Panchayats," Deo said.
"There are problems related to law and order and disturbed areas in panchayats should be given stronger support," he added.
PTI
