Sonia, PM to address Panchayat rally in Delhi
New
Delhi,
Nov
30:
A
national
convention
and
a
rally
of
Chairpersons
of
District
and
Intermediate
Panchayats
will
be
held
here
on
December
22
and
23
to
commemorate
the
15th
year
of
passing
of
the
73rd
Constitutional
Amendment
by
Parliament
and
create
awareness
among
the
elected
representatives
of
such
bodies
of
their
rights
and
duties
to
function
as
Local
Self
Government.
The convention will be held on December 22 and the rally the next day.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will address the rally at Burari, North Delhi.
All State Panchayati Raj ministers are being invited to both sets of events, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters today.
A Cabinet meeting, chaired by Dr Singh last evening, sanctioned a special assistance of Rs 71.83 crore for holding the convention and the rally. The assistance would be hiked by 15 per cent, if necessary.
The assistance would be extended through the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The re-appropriated fund from BRGF would be recouped through the Third Supplementary Grant or the Revised Estimates (RE) for 2007-08.
The convention and the rally are being held at the instance of Ms Gandhi. It would be organised by the Panchayati Raj Ministry, in association with the Urban Development Ministry.
The convention would adopt a Charter on Panchayati Raj which would be presented to the Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson at the rally.
UNI