he West Bengal Government has decided to amend the present Panchayat Act for better functioning of three tier local bodies. Replying to the Budget discussions in the state Assembly today the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Mr. Subrata Mukherjee said that the present Act will be amended comprehensively after the coming Panchayat Elections in the state.

Mr. Mukherjee appealed all political parties to work above the party lines for effective implementation of Panchayai Raj system so that the rural people can be benefited. The Minister informed the House that the Government will soon release fresh BPL list after ongoing survey works on it.


He said the Government has floated tender for introducing Biometric cards for daily payments of wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Earlier, initiating the discussions on the Budget proposals the CPI(M) member Mr. Susanta Ghosh alleged that the powers of the elected members of the Panchayat bodies are now being shifted to bureaucrats in the regime of the present Government.