People's power

A MAJORITY of panchayats and municipalities throughout Kerala are soonexpected to approve draft projectsdrawn up by the people's plan campaign. The plan, which had commencedin August 1996, has reached its finalstage in the state. Authorities said inThiruvananthapurarn recently that thecampaign had an overwhelming response: over 30 lakh people haddirectly participated in deciding whatprojects and schemes they needed intheir respective localities during theNinth Plan period.

The draft plan drawn up by the panchayats and municipalities would be discussed at length by gram sabhas in rural:areas and ward committees in thdimunicipalities. The panchayats wouldplace before gram sabhas their draftplans clearly spelling out their developmental strategy and details of each andevery scheme as well as its cost.Discussions would take place in groupsdevoted to each sector of development.The group concerned would study thedetails of the schemes and would takedecision as to how well the schemescould be implemented with people'sparticipation and cooperation.