Devolution of powers to PRIs: Govt constitutes GoM

Hyderabad, Jan 10 (UNI) To devolute more powers to the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), as provided in the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM), an official release here said.

A Task Force was also constituted under the Chairmanship of Special Chief Secretary (Rev) and Chief Commissioner for Land Acquisition (CCLA).

Nine subjects-Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Welfare of the Weaker Sections and in particular of the SCs and STs, Agriculture including Agriculture Extension, Primary Education, Secondary and Adult Education, Drinking Water, Poverty Alleviation Programme, Women and Child Development, Health, Sanitation PHCs Dispensaries, Family Welfare, Social Welfare including Welfare of the Handicapped and mentally retarded- were prioritised to devolve in the first phase, the release said.

The departments like Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Social Welfare, School Education, Agriculture and Cooperation, Women and Child Welfare, Rural Water Supply, Rural Development - area based as well as SHG, BC welfare and Medical and Health (GO issued) have finalised their proposals.

The main features are while development functions are being devolved, regulatory functions will be retained with the department.

PRIs would be given authority to inspect the institutions or other functions which have not been devolved and action to be taken by the concerned department on the inspection report of the PRIs and action taken report to be sent to the PRIs.

A common format had been developed by the PR department giving the purpose behind the process of devolution and other common features.

The format will be circulated to the concerned department to incorporate their proposal in the common format. It has been decided to place the proposal before the Cabinet on January 18, 2007.

The state government had already issued orders transferring the school education schemes to the control of gram panchayats for the purpose of planning, implementation and monitoring. A separate GO detailing the devolution of functions to the PRIs in the education department are being issued separately.

Minister for Panchayat Raj J C Diwakar Reddy, Minister for Rural Development D Srinivas, Minister for Social Welfare Reddya Naik and other officers concerned attended the meeting, the release added.

UNI