Empowerment of Panchayat has been a theme song for Jharkhandi politicians,cutting across party lines,for long.Now,when the year is about to end bringing 2014 Assembly polls nearer,the top functionaries of the state have made a series of promises to empower the panchayat in Jharkhand.

Sample the announcements made by them on November 23.

• Chief Minister Arjun Munda:”Prepare a road map for empowerment of the panchayat in such a way that no body is left with the need to have an Indira Awas after five years.Every village should have a data base to turn it into a model village.The people’s representaives should link the people with micro planning.”
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• Deputy CM Sudesh Mahto:”The rural roads are the top priority of the government.The system of administration is being simplified.The appointment of engineer and panchayat development officer has to be made in the current financial year so that development plans are made and executed at the ground zero.The e-governance is going to be strengthend at the panchayat level.”
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• Jharkhand Health Minister Hemlal Murmu:”All works of the public health sub centres will fall under the purview of the panchayat.The rules of executive business is being made ready for this.Under the new scheme,the transfer and posting,purchase and maintenance of the health sub centres will be vested in the panchayat.’

Though the elections to the three tier village administration system was held for the first time in Jharkhand in 2010,the elected panchayats lacked these powers with the result that the bureaucracy-Block Development Officer- continued to exercise control over them.

“To transfer the power from the BDO to elected Sarpanch and Mukhiya we have initiated a number of measures.We are committed to make it possible very soon”,said the CM Munda.