Raipur, Apr 20: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi has called for an amendment in the current Panchayati Raj system for its better implementation. The block level panchayat representatives during discussions yesterday had expressed unhappiness which reflected that their posts be put in such a way that they work in a more coordinated manner with the zilla and gram panchayats, Jogi said while addressing a Congress function of panchayat representatives here today.

The Chief Minister said he had more confidence in elected representatives of the panchayat than the bureaucracy and in last two droughts his government got good success in conducting relief works because of the help from panchayats.
Speaking on the occasion AICC political wing chief Mani Shankar Aiyar said Congress was responsible for making a working plan for the panchayats during the rule of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, but despite the system made mandatory the panchayat representatives still feel weak and helpless, which needs to be changed.
He said reservation of seats for women in panchayat should not be rotated in every five years since that is hampering the empowerment of women at the grass root level. The reservation of seats for the SC, ST is also not implemented properly in many places, including Chhattisgarh, which should be done in proportion to their population in gram panchayats, he added.

Bureau Report