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India needs strong Centre, states and panchayats: Sonia

Shahid K Abbas in Mount Abu

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday said India needs a strong Centre, states, and Panchayati Raj system for the speedy development of the country.

Inaugurating the two-day conclave of party chief ministers in the Cama Rajputana Club Resort at Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Gandhi said, "The National Democratic Alliance government has comprehensively failed to address the problems of people and they are looking towards the Congress Party to take them out from stagnation to progress and darkness to light."

She said, "It is because of the Congress ideology, hard work and commitment that the people are looking at the party to provide a government, which should be fundamentally different from the non-Congress political parties."

Gandhi, who convened the fourth conclave in Mount Abu to review the performance of the Congress ruled states in the light of 'Guwahati resolve', asked party chief ministers to review and introspect their performance and shortcomings in fulfilling the party's manifesto related to programmes meant for the welfare of the common people.

Gandhi said the chief ministers should speak of their achievements in the light of 10-point action plan of the Guwahati resolve, which called for empowerment of women, strengthening of the Panchayati Raj system, gender justice, law and order, and speedy implementation of welfare programmes.

"They should be critical and introspective, not to exaggerate their achievements, but highlight their shortcomings and weaknesses," she said.

She also said there should be a comprehensive debate on the decentralisation of the power system so that the third tier of democracy -- nagarpalika and Panchayati Raj -- emerge stronger.

Emphasizing the need to have a specific session on law and order and security, Gandhi said it was basic to democratic governance and should be reviewed and studied properly to help people.

On the session of administrative reforms, she said this is one area where state governments can do a lot to help people in the day-to-day governance and could provide opportunity to implement the party programmes.

Gandhi said that the next Lok Sabha elections were due only after two years and the chief ministers need to concentrate on providing good governance so that they were fundamentally different from the states ruled by non-Congress parties.

All Congress ruled states, except Uttaranchal Chief Minister N D Tiwari and Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir, participated in the conclave.

During the two-day conclave eminent experts would interact with chief ministers and leaders on a variety of subjects, including agriculture, rural development, education, health, administrative reforms, infrastructure, law and order, and security.

Later in the day, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said after the Kharif crop perised in the drought in the state, the prospects of the Rabi crop were also bleak as the ground water table everywhere was low.

"We shall be able to sow Rabi crop in only 30.15 lakh hectares this year against the normal average of 75 lakh hectares," Gehlot said and, adding the Kharif crop in 48.06 lakh hectares had been damaged.

Expressing fears of more problems if the Centre failed to extend adequate assistance, he said his government was doing its best to help mitigate the people's sufferings.

The first two conclaves were held in Delhi in 2001, while the third one was held in Guwahati in March this year.

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