From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 27: Opposition BJP and JD(S) members in the Karnataka Assembly on Friday attacked the Siddaramaiah regime for weakening the Panchayat Raj system in Karnataka by depriving the three-tier bodies of sufficient funds and denying any powers to the taluk panchayat members for executing developmental works.
Participating in the discussion on the budgetary demands of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department in the Legislative Assembly, former minister C T Ravi, V Sunil Kumar (both BJP) and Y S V Datta and N Cheluvarayaswamy (both JD-S) said State and Central governments have been sanctioning a lot of funds zilla and gram panchayats for implementing several rural development programmes.
However, taluk panchayat members have neither powers nor funds for taking up development works, they said.
A majority of the decisions taken at the taluk level Karnataka Development Programme (KDP) meetings have not been implemented owing to shortage of staff and vacancies, Sunil Kumar said.
Ravi said vacancies of 816 posts of secretaries, 605 posts of junior engineers and 4780 posts of Group ‘C’ and ‘D’ employees existed at the GP level.
At the ZP level, a total of 1,443 posts of Group ‘C’ and ‘D’ employees and 4233 posts of second division clerks have remained vacant for several years. Local bodies have been burdened with too many schemes and services, he said.
There was no shortage of funds for ZPs and GPs and their members have been enjoying enormous powers under the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993.
Sandwiched between ZPs and GPs, they said TPs have lost relevance on account of paucity of funds.
Both JD(S) and BJP members urged the Government to set right shortcomings in the functioning of TPs by providing adequate funds and powers to TP members.
Cheluvarayaswamy urged the Government to revise guidelines issued for implementation of Chief Minister Gram Sadak Yojana for speedy execution of rural road works.
The performance of the local bodies in the implementation of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) has been dismal, particularly in Mandya district, he said.