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            With this appreciation, let me take up the issue of my own State. I think the hon. Minister as well as the UPA Government should not take it otherwise. It is my duty to bring it to the notice of the Government at a time when we are discussing the status of Panchayats in India. The UT of Puducherry is a component of this country, and this UT did not have Panchayat elections for 38 years. It was only after 2004 -- when the matter was raised in this House by me as a Member of Parliament -- that the Minister of Panchayati Raj took it up seriously with the Government of Puducherry, and the elections were conducted there. Now, elections were conducted, and 1,338 local representatives are in place. Today, it is 141 days after the elections, but there is no devolution of functions, functionaries or funds that everybody talks about.

Then,  the financial accountability must be insisted.  Monitoring vigilance must also be taken care of.  Most of the Panchayats just as they do not have money, they do not have staff; they do not have functionaries.  Their functions are transferred but the functionaries are not transferred.   Therefore, if these measures are taken care of, I would feel that the status of Panchayats would increase further. 

Before I end, I would only like to quote what Jawaharlal Nehru, the architect of modern India and first Prime Minister of India had said at the time of Independence.  After hoisting the flag at the Red fort, he came down.  Someone asked him:  What is the objective of Independence and why many of you sacrificed? He replied that the ambition is to wipe out every tear from every Indian eye. That may be beyond us but as long as there are tears, our work will not be over.  I think, Panchayati Raj will be the surest solution for wiping out the tears of Indian in this country. 

SHRI A.V. BELLARMIN (NAGERCOIL): First of all, I thank the hon. Minister of Panchayati Raj for submitting the report on Mid-Term Review and Appraisal and initiating a healthy discussion on this.
            The objective is to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions to enable them to emerge as institutions of self-governance for planning and implementation of programmes for economic development and social justice, as envisioned in the Constitution.
            Several rounds of Round Table Conferences and appraisals held on the subject to review the activities to assess the level of achievements of the targets reveal certain facts which are not up to the expectations. It is also varying from State to State. The States should be urged to ensure speedy devolution of funds, functions and functionaries to empower the Gram Sabhas. The report of actual implementation of programmes and projects envisaged under various rural development schemes tells us a sad tale. Therefore, strict monitoring and vigilance at Central, State and District levels, and if possible at the block levels too, with the involvement of people’s representatives alone can help salvage the situation.