Full power to local bodies to utilise funds: Minister

Local bodies in the state will be taken into confidence by the UDF Government  and full powers will be given for the utilisation of allotted funds without creating bottlenecks, Rural Development Minister K C Joseph has said.

 All attempts will be made to avoid delays in the implementation of projects and the government will ensure that projects of local bodies are taken up in the beginning of the fiscal itself from next year, he said, while inaugurating a seminar on ‘Kerala development and 12th Plan Perspective’, held as part of  ‘Yuvadarshan 2012’, the ongoing state leadership camp of the Youth Congress.

 The minister claimed that the government led by Oommen Chandy had been able to give a fresh impetus to the Twelfth Five Year Plan. 

“Many of the projects of local bodies stalled during the tenure of the previous government have been given a fresh  lease of life now. The UDF Government will ensure that development will have a human face with emphasis on people’s involvement,’’ he said.

 ‘’The government had already taken a policy decision to do away with the Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) which were earlier having a big say in local bodies while framing projects. This had led to  the sidelining of people’s developmental aspirations,’’ he said.

 Planning Board member C P John, who dealt with the theme of the seminar, said that ideology should not act as an obstacle to move in tandem with the emerging realities in the contemporary world.‘’China was the first country which had successfully implemented private-public concept in development,’’ he said.

 He said that Kerala has still got many advantages when compared to the rest of  the country and developmental indicators are commendable. ‘’The per capita income in Kerala is Rs 56,000 whereas it is only Rs 35,000 in the country as a whole,’’ he said. KPCC vice-president Thalekkunnil Basheer, KPCC secretary Satheesan Pacheni and YC state president P C Vishnunath MLA also spoke. The camp will end on Sunday.

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