National conference on panchayati raj in B'lore from April one

Bangalore, Mar 29 (UNI) Karnataka Panchayati Raj Minister C M Udasi today said a two-day national conference on 'Two Decades of New Panchayati Raj in Karnataka', with a focus on decentralisation of power, would be held here from April one.

Talking to reporters here, he said the conference would be inaugurated by Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar. It was being organised to mark the 20th year of the functioning of new panchayati raj in the State, the most revolutionary in concept and wide in coverage.

The 20 long years journey of Panchyati Raj in the State provided for an opportunity to evaluate the State model of local governance and identify the lessons learnt from its experience, Mr Udasi said.

Sessions on political deficit of democratisation in the State in the last 20 years, decentralised planning and fiscal decentralisation would be held.

Rural Development and Panchayat Ministers from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, besides scholars from other parts of the country would take part in the conference, he said.

UNI