PMK plea to pondy Govt on devolution of powers

Puducherry, Aug 1 (UNI) Pattalai Makkal Katchi(PMK) state secretary and parliamentary party leader M Ramadass today urged the administration to take immediate steps to devolve powers to the elected local body representatives before August 15.

In a statement here, Prof Ramadass called on the elected local body representatives to refrain from staging a boycott of the 'Grama Sabha' on Independence Day.

The Puducherry administration alone should shoulder the responsibility of the representatives who boycott the 'Grama Sabha' meeting on August 15 to protest the failure of the government to devolve powers to them.

The local body elections were held after a gap of 38 years and even after two years, powers were not devolved by the government despite several agitations and representations, he added.

He said the Ramanathan Committee, constituted to go into the devolution of powers to the elected local body representatives had submitted it's report much earlier.

But no action was taken on it since the cabinet meeting could not be convened, he said, adding Puducherry may be the only state ignoring the provisions of the Constitution citing the failure to convene the cabinet meeting.

UNI PAB GM SP GC1456