By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 14 Dec: In pursuit of strengthening the trilateral Panchayati Raj system as per the amendment in Article 73 of the Constitution by the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Department, a comprehensive seminar under the chairmanship of Panchayati Raj Minister Satpal Maharaj continued its deliberations on the second day, today, regarding the transfer of administrative, executive, and financial powers related to 29 subjects to Panchayats.
Minister Maharaj emphasised the need to transfer 29 subjects to Panchayats as outlined in the amendment to Article 73 to empower the trilateral Panchayati Raj system. He stressed the importance of avoiding duplication in responsibilities and called for a division of tasks to ensure efficient development work at various levels of governance.
Maharaj mentioned that mapping guidelines have been provided to all departments for the transfer of 29 subjects to Panchayats. The meticulous examination of development activities at the Panchayat level will involve considering Funds, Functions, and Functionaries – to carry out development work.
The seminar, held at a hotel on Subhash Road, witnessed the participation of senior officials from NIRDPR Hyderabad, including Dr Anjan Kumar Bhanja and Mohammad Takuddin, who shed light on the governance’s third dimension through the 73rd Amendment, aiming to establish self-governance in rural areas, utilising power along with functions, rights, and financial resources in a systematic manner.
Minister Satpal Maharaj urged all departmental officials present to expedite the implementation of this crucial constitutional system with collective efforts, ensuring the swift establishment of the 29 subjects’ transfer process to Panchayats, aligning with the decentralisation of power envisioned in the 73rd Amendment.
The meeting discussed the allocation of 29 subjects to trilateral Panchayats in the 11th schedule, covering agriculture, land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil conservation, minor irrigation, water management, watershed development, animal husbandry, dairy, poultry farming, fishery, social forestry, and agro-industries. Various recommendations were made by senior departmental officials and NIRDPA representatives for the effective implementation of the programme in the future.
