PCC hails Govt decision to devolve powers on PR bodies

Hyderabad, Apr 22 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee today hailed the decision of the Congress Government headed by Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to hand over ten of the 29 subjects mentioned in the XI Schedule of the Constitution to the Panchayat Raj Institutions as envisaged in the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.

In a statement here, Party Official Spokesperson N Tulasi Reddy said the Congress Government in the state was ushering in the 'Gram Swaraj,' the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, by devolving powers to the Panchayat Raj Institutions.

Mr Tulasi Reddy alleged that the functioning of the Panchayat Raj Institutions was subverted during the nine-year rule of the TDP government.

He claimed the TDP had introduced schemes like Janma Bhoomi to turn the PR institutions into mere spectators without any real powers or functions.

He alleged the TDP violated the Constitution by not constituting district level planning committees as stipulated in Article 243-Z(D).

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