Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation, and Tourism H.K. Patil said that through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, the rural areas of the country have been empowered, but former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi’s dreams towards rural India have not been fulfilled even after 75 years of Independence.
He said that it is regrettable that the slogan of Rajiv Gandhi ‘power to the people’ has not been completely transformed due to lack of devolution of 3 Fs - Functions, Functionaries and Finances, to the Panchayati Raj Institutions by majority of State governments.
For achieving sustainable development and progress in villages across the country, the State governments should implement all the provisions stipulated as per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, irrespective of party politics, said Mr. Patil.
He was speaking at the inauguration of a seminar on ‘Panchayati Raj in India: How to Activate them?’, on the eve of the 18th Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture and Rajiv Gandhi National Awards conferment programmes at Gandhi Bhavan Auditorium, Bengaluru, organised by Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India (AGRASRI).
Earlier, D. Sundar Ram, director of AGRASRI, welcomed the dignitaries and delegates and explained the objectives of the seminar.
