The Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act is the single most important instrument in our armoury for dealing with the economic and emotional alienation of tribals which lies at the root of the growing menace of Naxalism, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Speaking at a Mid Term Review and Appraisal of Panchayati Raj he said effective implementation of PESA would generate a deep sense of effective participation among our tribal people in the conduct of their own affairs.
He said in many states the political and social empowerment which has been achieved through Panchayati Raj has to be transformed into effective administrative and economic empowerment. It is only when functions, finances and functionaries come together that Panchayats will be truly empowered to fulfill their mandated role, he added.
The key to effective devolution of functions is the activity map, he said. Every state must prepare a detailed activity map that clearly spells out the activity in respect of each devolved function that must be carried out at each of the levels of our three-tier system of Panchayati Raj.
For effective devolution of finances, budgets of line departments must open a Panchayat sector window, he added.
Referring to the 22 lakh elected representatives in Panchayats and share of women exceeding the reserved quota with around 50,000 women elected from general unreserved quota, he said, "There are more women in India in positions of elective authority than in rest of the world put together. I trust this will encourage the Parliament to follow suit."
