TN not to send reps to panchayat chiefs Delhi meet

Chennai, Apr 20 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government has decided not to send representatives to the Panchayat Union Presidents' Conference to be held at New Delhi from April 22 as it has objections to some of the recommendations made in the draft charter prepared by the Panchayat Raj Ministry.

An official release here today clarified the State would not send the 68 members selected to represent Tamil Nadu at the conference.

One of the recommendations the draft charter wanted the term 'local bodies to be removed' from the State Government's list and bring it under the ambit of the Centre.

''This is against the federal aspects mentioned in the Constitution and is aimed at reducing the responsibilities of the State pertaining to the local bodies,'' the release said.

The statement also recalled a letter by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on March 29, requesting for a review of the charter.

Mr Karunanidhi made it very clear in the letter that Tamil Nadu's participation in the conference would be based on the removal of certain recommendations from the charter, it added.

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