Congress laid foundation for Panchayat Raj: Vasan

It was the Congress which laid the foundation for the Panchayat Raj movement and grassroots democracy when it was in power under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi, Union Minister of Shipping G.K. Vasan said here on Saturday. Canvassing support for S. Devi, Congress candidate for the post of Mayor of the Vellore Corporation, Mr. Vasan said that it was Rajiv Gandhi who established the system of devolution of funds from the Centre directly to local bodies. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government was functioning without any bias in the matter of allotment of special funds to local bodies. The UPA government had paved the way for the development of rural Tamil Nadu. Several crores of rupees had been allotted by the Centre for the infrastructure development of the State. It was the Congress government, which brought reservation of 33 per cent of the posts in local bodies for women, he said. Local body representatives who held various posts previously did not meet the aspirations of people and failed to respond to their needs. “This situation has to change”, he said, adding that the Congress candidates, if elected to the local body posts, would obtain Central funds for the State. If Ms. Devi was elected Mayor, she would take steps to extend the under ground drainage scheme (UGS) now being executed in Vellore, to the newly annexed municipalities of Sathuvachari and Tharapadavedu and the newly added town panchayats of Shenbakkam, Katpadi, Gandhinagar, Kazhinjur, Allapuram and Thorappadi. The Congress would take steps to expand the New Bus Stand, relieve traffic congestion and construct a foot overbridge opposite the CMC Hospital if its candidate is elected Mayor, he said.