'Good panchayats can help fight Naxals'

He said: “If Panchayati Raj institutions function properly in the remote and backward areas, particularly in the tribal regions, it will help in tackling problems like Maoism.” He inaugurated the conference organised on the eve of National Panchayat Raj Day on Saturday in Delhi.

He said the panchayats not only ensure direct participation of deprived people in administration but also play an important role in ensuring the accountability and transparency of government agencies. 

He said the effect of 73rd amendment has changed the power equations in rural India.The amendment has contributed in empowering common people, and weaker and backward sections of society.

Working with various panchayat institutions, about 28 lakh people have formally been included in our democracy and 10 lakh women are working on different panchayat posts, which are well beyond the reservation they had been given, Manmohan Singh said.  
He emphasised capacity building of these institutions and reiterated the government’s commitment to provide funds, functions and functionaries to Panchayati Raj institutions.
The prime minister released “The State of Panchayats Report 2008-09” on this occasion.  He also gave away performance awards to Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Sikkim under the Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS). Kerala and Karnataka received Rs 2.50 crore each as first prize.

Karnataka bags Panchayat Raj award
Karnataka government has bagged the first prize instituted by Ministry of Panchayat Raj for taking several steps to empower the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRI) in the State, DHNS reports from New Delhi. 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday handed over the award to Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jagadish Shettar at a function held here to mark the Panchayat Raj Day.

The award, for better implementation of the ‘Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme, has been instituted to encourage states to take efforts to empower the PRIs and evolve mechanism for transparency and accountability of these organisations. As Karnataka shares the first prize with neighbouring Kerala for the year 2009-10, each state will receive Rs 2.5 crore cash incentive.