New Delhi, October 02 2009: Panchayati Raj in India today completed its Golden Jubilee today.

50 years ago on 2nd October, 1959, Pt.

Jawahar Lal Nehru, the 1st Prime Minister of India laid the foundations of Panchayati Raj at Naguar in Rajasthan.

To mark the occasion a National Convention was organized at Vigyan Bhawan here today.

The occasion was a witness to the two major announcements - the renaming of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) after the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and observing the year 2009-10 as the "Year of Gram Sabha" by the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh in presence of the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi , Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister ,Dr.C.P.Joshi and a large number of Gram Pradhans, Sarpanchs and village representatives from all over the country.

In his key note address , the Prime Minister said that Panchayati Raj Institutions need to play a pivotal role in the nation's development.

Highlighting the fact that peoples' participation is a must to implement the Government's programmes and schemes in a transparent and effective manner, he called upon the Panchayati Raj institutions to take the lead.

Dr.Singh stressed the need to strive continuously to make panchayati raj institutions an effective instrument of people's power.

On observing year 2009-10 as the "Year of Gram Sabha", the Prime Minister said that the Gram Sabha provides a forum for the villagers to discuss, deliberate, accept or reject the proposals of Gram Panchayat.

Dr.Singh said that the decision to rename National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) is a humble tribute to the Father of our Nation.

In his welcome address, the Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Dr.C.P.Joshi said it is the need of the hour for the Panchayati Raij institutions to play a pro-active role in the developmental process of our country.

Dr.Joshi called upon the people's representatives especially those from the rural areas to work as a catalysts of social change and add to the process of economic development and social justice.

Dr.Joshi also cited the Unique Identification Scheme and the Cabinet Decision of Article 243 D ensuring 50% reservation to women in Panchayats as major initiatives to change the face of rural India .

He expressed hope that with the empowerment the panchayats can play a more effective role.

Addressing the gathering the UPA Chairperson Smt.

Sonia Gandhi said that we should tread the path suggested by the father of the nation and should strive to reach out to the rural masses.

She underlined the need to have a bottoms up approach of inclusive growth for the socio economic development.

Smt.

Gandhi highlighted the role of PRIs in the implementation of NREGA and said it should have to be made more effective as well as transparent.

She said the real tribute to Mahatma Gandhi will be in the form of ensuring that the benefits of development reach out to the last mile.

Secretary Panchayati Raj Shri A.N.P.Sinha said Central as well as State Governments have to play a major role in making the role of panchayati raj institutions more effective.

He called upon the leadership to give a push to the panchayati raj institutions so that they can deliver the goods for the benefits of the needy and the poor in rural areas.

The day long convention organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is being attended by the Panchayati Raj Ministers, Zila Parishad Presidents and elected representatives who have served more than 25 years from all the States/UTs.

Later in the day presentations on 1) Activating Gram Sabhas 2) Gram Panchayat and Participatory Planning and 3) Panchayats and NREGA,NRHM, SSA and TSC will be made by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry Of Rural Development, Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare and Ministry Of Human Resource Development during the day long meeting.

Among other attractions of the convention include a film on Hiware Bazaar and .

Deliberations and interventions from elected representatives of States regarding their plans for strengthening Panchayati Raj and observing 2009-10 as the 'Year of Gram Sabha, will also feature during the course of proceedings.

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