India needs more decentralisation, some states resistant to devolving power: EAC-PM chairman
_vb_35.jpeg)
New Delhi (PTI): India needs greater decentralisation but in many states, there is resistance to devolving powers to local councils, according to Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
At a ceremony to award the fourth Rohini Nayyar Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Development, Dev said the level of decentralisation in China and the US is much higher.
"India needs greater decentralisation, which should involve giving more powers to panchayats and local bodies, along with increased use of technology in the agricultural sector to improve rural wages,... There is resistance in many states to devolving powers to local councils," he said.
Recalling the contribution of former economist and bureaucrat Rohini Nayyar, Dev said the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) through panchayats not only helped improve wages but also helped build trust in grassroots democracy.
He presented the prize to Pune's social entrepreneur Vidhya Parshuramkar for her contribution to making nutrition more accessible, sustainable and community-driven.
Parshuramkar leads Agrozee Organics and its flagship initiative, Millets Now.
An MTech in Food Technology from IIT Kharagpur, she discovered early in her journey how scientific innovation can transform traditional foods into modern nutritional solutions.
The award, instituted in 2022 in memory of Nayyar, comes with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a citation and a trophy.
The Rohini Nayyar Prize was instituted by the family of Nayyar, an eminent scholar-administrator who spent much of her professional life working on issues related to rural development in India.
The prize is given out annually by the Nayyar Foundation for Social and Economic Purpose.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka electoral roll SIR exercise to begin from June 20
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka will begin SIR of electoral rolls from June 20 as part of a nationwide exercise covering 16 states and three Union territories, CEO Anbu Kumar said on Friday.
The drive will cover more than 5.55 crore electors in the state, he said.
As per the schedule notified by the Election Commission (EC), preparation, training and printing activities will be carried out from June 20 to June 29 and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct house-to-house visits from June 30 to July 29.
The rationalisation of polling stations is scheduled to be completed by July 29. The draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, following which claims and objections can be filed between August 5 and September 4.
The notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will continue from August 5 to October 3, and the final electoral roll will be published on October 7, it said.
ALSO READ: Sindhu out of Thailand Open, loses to Yamaguchi in quarterfinals
Addressing a press conference here, CEO Kumar said that in Karnataka, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer is fully prepared to proceed with the SIR of electoral rolls.
As part of this exercise, we have successfully mapped 86.46 per cent of our voters, he said.
"The primary objective of this entire exercise is to ensure that every eligible voter is enrolled, while simultaneously ensuring that no ineligible individuals are included in the voter list. Therefore, I seek the support and cooperation of all the voters of Karnataka, all political parties, and our friends from the media," he added.
According to the statement issued by the CEO's office, 59,050 BLOs will be involved in the SIR of the electoral roll in the state. The exercise will cover approximately 5,55,74,064 electors in the state as of May 12.
The SIR is a participative and transparent exercise involving electors, political parties and the election machinery. During the revision process, BLOs will undertake house-to-house visits for the distribution and collection of enumeration forms, the statement said.
Stating that there are currently 25,284 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by recognised political parties, the CEO urged all recognised political parties to appoint BLAs for every polling station to ensure active participation and transparency in the revision process.
Electors have been requested to cooperate with BLOs during the house-to-house distribution and collection of enumeration forms.
Further details regarding the revision process, forms and schedule will be made available on the official websites of the District Election Officers, the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, and the Election Commission of India, the statement said.
