Rajiv Gandhi's Reforms to Strengthen the Panchayati Raj are Unforgettable: Minister H K Patil

Bengaluru: The State Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and Tourism, H K Patil Inaugurated the Seminar on 'Panchayati Raj in India: How to Activate them?, on the eve of the 18th Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture and Rajiv Gandhi National Awards conferment programmes at Gandhi Bhavan Auditorium, Bengaluru, organised by Academy of Grassroots Studies and Research of India (AGRASRI). Minister Patil said that through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, the rural areas of the country have been empowered, but Rajiv Gandhi's dreams towards rural India are not fulfilled even after 75 years of Independence.

Highlighting the various phases of Panchayati Raj system in India with special reference to Karnataka State, he explained that it is regrettable that the slogan of Rajiv Gandhi 'power to the people' has not been completely transformed, due to lack of devolution of 3 Fs - Functions, Functionaries and Finances to the Panchayati Raj Institutions by majority of State Governments.

For achieving sustainable development and progress in Villages across the country, the State Governments should implement all the provisions stipulated as per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, irrespective of party politics, said H K Patil. If the State Governments acted in this direction, then only, the dream of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Gram Swaraj' and Rajiv Gandhi's vision ' Power to the People', will be fructified.

Prof. B K Chandrashekhar, Former Chairman, Karnataka State Legislative Council, presided over the Inaugural Session of the Seminar.

Prof. D Rajasekhar and Dr. R Manjula of ISEC, Bengaluru; D R Patil, Former MLA, Karnataka; Prof. M Gopinath Reddy of CESS, Hyderabad; Prof. N Sivanna and Prof. M Devendra Babu of Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj University, Gadak participated as Panel of Speakers and Panel of Discussants.

In the Discussion Session, a large number of elected representatives of PRIs from Southern States of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana participated in the deliberations with concrete suggestions.

Earlier, Dr. D. Sundar Ram, Director of AGRASRI, welcomed the dignitaries and delegates and explained the objectives of the Seminar. At the end of the Seminar, Special Session organised by AGRASRI on '18th Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture and Rajiv Gandhi National Awards' and Prof. B K Chandrashekhar, Former Minister for Education and IT and Former Chairman, Karnataka State Legislative Council, has delivered the 18th Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture on 'Emergence of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act: Status, Implementation and Challenges'.

Delivering the 18th Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture, Prof. Chandrashekhar opines that all the State Governments must give the top priority and concerned to the Panchayati Raj sector, which is alone the hallmark of the sustainable development in villages.

Chief Guest presented the Rajiv Gandhi National Awards in 6 categories on the following distinguished person with Mementos and Citations: Prof. B. K. Chandrashekhar, Former Chairman, Karnataka State Legislative Council (Rajiv Gandhi Outstanding Leadership National Award); Prof. Priya Abraham, Former Director, ICMR -National Institute of Virology, Pune (Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Sakthi National Award); Prof. M Gopinath Reddy, Senior Research Consultant, Centre for Economic and Social Studies, Hyderabad (Rajiv Gandhi Gram Swaraj National Award); Ullas Thomas, President, Ernakulam District Panchayat, Kerala (Rajiv Gandhi Best District Panchayat National Award); R Sridhar, Chairman, Mannachanallur Panchayat Union Council, Tiruchirapalli District, Tamil Nadu (Rajiv Gandhi Best Taluk Panchayat National Award); and B Srinivas, Sarpanch, Vissakoderu Gram Panchayat, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh (Rajiv Gandhi Best Gram Panchayat National Award). Venkatrao Y Ghorpade, Vice-Chairman, Karnataka State Panchayati Raj Parishad, Bengaluru, presided over the function.

Dr. D. Sundar Ram, Director of AGRASRI and Convener of the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture and National Awards programmes outlined the aims and objectives.

To mark the occasion, the Chief Guest released the Special Souvenir, published by AGRASRI in Honour of the Recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi National Awards. At the end of the programme, AGRASRI has formulated a few recommendations for submission to the State Governments as well as the Union Government for taking appropriate measures in strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions in India.