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MP launches district govt system

The new district government system started functioning in Madhya Pradesh today, setting in motion the process of massive decentralisation of powers in the country's largest state.

Under the innovative scheme, powers vested with the state government have been delegated to the district planning committees. This would enable them to take up the responsibility of reviewing, supervising and monitoring the schemes, activities and programmes being implemented in the respective districts.

It also aims to speed up the decision-making process and bring the administration closer to the people and make it more responsive.

''This will be written in golden words in the democratic history of Madhya Pradesh,'' said Chief Minister Digvijay Singh while launching the innovative system by presiding over the first meeting of the Ujjain district planning committee.

In other districts, ministers in charge of the district concerned have presided over the district planning committee meetings.

In his message on the occasion, Digvijay Singh said panchayat raj and urban local bodies were being further empowered through the district planning committees.

Henceforth the district planning committees, comprising representatives of urban and panchayat bodies, MLAs and members of Parliament, would function as the district units of the government. The minister in charge of the district will be the chairman of the committee while the district collector will function as its secretary.

Guidelines have been laid down to ensure proper functioning of the committee and it is compulsory to hold at least one meeting every month.

The district collectors have been authorised to issue orders on the decisions taken by the committee on behalf of the state government.

According to the chief minister, the powers delegated to the committees were those which have not been given to panchayats and urban bodies. So far these powers were being exercised by the secretariat, directorates or divisional offices.

Despite the decentralisation effected earlier, the procedures remained complicated due to the powers vested with the government and heads of departments.

He said that the scheme has been appreciated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. ''The country is eagerly waiting to see the results of this experiment,'' he said.

UNI

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