Kerala to re-launch people's plan campaign

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 10 (UNI) The Kerala government will re-launch People's Plan campaign to make the five year plan funds reach the grass-roots level, Local Self government Minister Paloli Muhammedkutty and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister M Vijayakumar informed today.

Addressing a press conference here today, they said Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Sankar Iyer would inaugurate the state-level inauguration of the campaign, introduced by the previous Communist government in 1996 here again on August 17.

According to the schemes, substantial changes had been made in utilising the Plan Fund, Mr Muhammedkutty said and added that priority would be given to production sectors, economic development of the area and upliftment of the poor.

Stating that agriculture would be given adequate thrust in the production sector as 40 per cent of the plan fund would be utilised for it, he said priority would be given to projects like providing land or house to those who did not have it.

The Centre had decided to hold a conference of Panchayat Raj Ministers in the state considering its achievement in the decentralisation programme. More than 100 panchayat presidents from various states would attend it, he said.

A committee with Dr M A Ummer had been constituted to study the experiences of the decentralisation programmes during the last ten years, he said adding necessary changes, if needed, would be incorporated after receiving the report.

The Local Self Government Minister said the government was also planning to strengthen the grama and ward sabhas to ensure more participation in the sabhas. Besides this, steps would be taken to ensure that government servants also participated in the sabhas.

UNI