Onus of making Arunachal 'Atma Nirbhar' lies on Panchayats: CM

We cannot undo the done, butit is our duty to ensure that polygamy is not practised by ourfuture generations, he said.Panchayati Raj Minister Bamang Felix said, the stategovernment was serious in empowering the panchayats and hadtherefore organised the workshop to equip the members with theknowledge to effectively discharge their duties.

Arunachal Pradesh ChiefMinister Pema Khandu Thursday said the process of devolutionof powers ''in right earnest'' to panchayat raj institutionswill begin from the forthcoming budget session of the assemblyand the onus of making the state 'Atma Nirbhar' (self-reliant)now lies on the local bodies.

He was speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day workshop on Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj-Vision 2026here.

Mentioning the states potential in hydropower,tourism, agriculture, horticulture, mines and minerals, thechief minister said, ''You name it, we have it. With so muchpotential it is high time that we stop depending solely on theCentre and stand on our own feet.'' This can be achieved only if the citizens contributepositively by sincerely doing their jobs, he said.

''As grass-root leaders, your job is to think and workfor your zila and gram. If you are sincere, honest anddetermined, each gram zila and our state will develop alongwith our country,'' Khandu said.

He also called upon the panchayat leaders to leavebehind ''party politics'' and work together for their zilasand grams.

The chief minister admitted that despite consciousefforts, the state government has so far failed in devolvingpowers and functions in ''right earnest'' to the panchayatbodies.

An empowered committee headed by the chief secretarywould be formed to extensively study the success stories ofpanchayat raj institutions in other states and recommend tothe government about devolution of powers and functions to thelocal bodies, Khandu said.

''The recent decision to go for a two-tier panchayatraj system in place of the existing three-tier structure wastaken in compliance with Part 9 of the Constitution thatallows states with population of less than 20 lakh to have atwo-tier system without the intermediate level, that is theAnchal Samiti,'' he said.

Arunachal Pradesh has a population of about 14 lakh asper the 2011 census.

Hailing the large presence of women members in thepanchayats, Khandu urged them to tackle problems like drugaddiction and domestic violence, and create mass awarenessagainst polygamy.

''Let us forget the past. We cannot undo the done, butit is our duty to ensure that polygamy is not practised by ourfuture generations,'' he said.

Panchayati Raj Minister Bamang Felix said, the stategovernment was serious in empowering the panchayats and hadtherefore organised the workshop to equip the members with theknowledge to effectively discharge their duties.