Panchayat election necessary for J'khand: Razi

Ranchi, Jan 6 (UNI) Regretting Jharkhand being ranked 22nd in the country in terms of carrying out the 20-point implementation programme, Governor Syed Sibtey Razi today attributed the 'menace' to delay in holding panchayat elections in the state.

Mr Razi said power was not decentralised in absence of panchayat bodies. Therefore development funds allocated for rural areas remained unspent.

After inaugurating journals--Jharkhand Development Report, 2007 and Jharkhand's citizens handbook--here Mr Razi said the rural infrastructure would become better if panchayat bodies were empowered.

Mr Razi said both the journals reflect the picture of development in the state adding advice would be given to the state government to look into the datas compiled in journals and work accordingly.

Expressing concern over the present scenario in the state Union Minister of State for Food Processing Subodhkant Sahay said politicians along with bureaucrats were responsible for the slow progress in developmental projects.

State's Human Resources Development minister Bandhu Tirkey, Health Minister Lal Hemendra Pratap Dehati and JD(U) leader Inder Singh Namdhari were also among the dignitaries present.

UNI