Sinha assures to strengthen panchayat bodies in Arunachal

Itanagar, May 19 (UNI) Additional Secretary to Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj B K Sinha has assured to convince his ministry to allocate more funds to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Arunachal Pradesh and do away with the present system of fund allocation under population criteria.

Mr. Sinha, along with advisor of the ministry Anish Gandhi, was on a three-day tour of the state from May 17. He toured the adjoining areas of the capital besides holding important meetings at different official and public forums on various issues of PRI and rural development.

Accompanied by the state's Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Dr B S Banerjee, Sinha and Gandhi held a meeting with Chief Secretary Tabom Bam, Commissioners, Secretaries and Directors of various departments on issues relating to PRI in the state such as a time-bound programme for devolution of programme, activity mapping, capacity building and training of members of Panchayati Raj, promotion of guidelines for District Planning Committee, e-governance and linking villages with internet and infrastructure development besides Rural Business Hubs and champion products.

Addressing a meeting at Doimukh yesterday Mr. Sinha assured the panchayat members to convince respective authorities for facilitating devolution of powers to PRIs, informed official sources here today.

Appreciating the demand of the panchayat members for placing the entire state under backward area category so that poverty alleviation schemes such as National Rural Employment Scheme (NREGS) could be introduced in all districts as against only three presently (Upper Subansiri, Lohit and Changlang), he asked Dr Banerjee to take necessary steps for placing the proposal before state cabinet.

He also expressed his satisfaction over the implementation of various schemes under PRI, particularly in Doimukh Block.

The central dignitaries also visited Naharlagun and Karsingsa during the day, sources added.

UNI