Pondy: Center must desolve powers to LB rep

Puducherry, Sep 10: The Confederation of Local Bodies (LB) organisations of the Union Territory of Puducherry, has sought the intervention of central leaders to mount pressure on the Puducherry administration to desolve powers to the elected local body representatives.

Confederation president G A Jaganathan told a press conference here today that a 20-member delegation led by PMK parliamentary party leader Prof M Ramadass had called on President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other leaders in this regard.

The delegation apprised them about the failure of the territorial administeration to devolve powers to the elected representatives even after 14 months of the local body elections, he said.

Mr Jaganathan said the delegation informed the leaders that due to reluctancy on the part of the administration to devolve powers, the concept of local self government or the third tier government in Puducherry had become lifeless and several central government schemes were not been implemented through the local body organizations.

The Central and State governments funds were not being utilized by the local bodies for carrying out developmental works, among other things, the delegation told the leaders, who agreed to look into the matter and pressurise the Puducherry administration, he added.

UNI