State gives a go-by to ‘Year of Gram Sabha’

The State Government has ignored the Government of India directive that it observe the year beginning October 1, 2009 as the Year of Grama Sabha.

Disclosing this here today, Lok Satta Party leaders Bandaru Rammohan Rao, Dr. K. Pattabhiramaiah and N. Saroja Devi said the emasculation of the grama sabha did not portend well for democracy. It is high time the Government of India amended the Constitution making implementation of grama sabha decisions mandatory.

The Government of India guidelines stipulated that panchayats which excelled in conducting and implementing decisions be honored at the end of the year.

According to the guidelines, a panchayats has to convene the gram sabha four times in a year, publicize the meeting, draw up an action plan for development, and review implementation of Government programs and policies at the village level.

The Lok Satta leaders said that panchayats conducted grama sabhas mostly on paper and that too to select Government scheme beneficiaries at the behest of politicians.

They demanded that panchayat boards which failed to convene grama sabhas be abolished. The Government should ensure that grama sabha meetings take place at least this year.