PM Narendra Modi systematically demolished panchayati raj, tweets Kamal Nath

BHOPAL: State Congress president Kamal Nath on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "purposely and in a planned-manner demolishing the panchayati raj system." "Modiji’s policies have bankrupted panchayati raj and development of backward districts," Kamal Nath tweeted as the tenth of his "40-days, 40 questions" series.
"Why is the chief minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) silent now? During the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he would sit on hunger protests.And where is his demand for patenting basmati rice of the state now?" he asked.
The former Union minister argued that Congress government set-up a Panchayati Raj Ministry to empower villages. "Whereas, the Modi government in a planned manner finished panchayati raj. In 2014-15, the panchayati raj ministry had a budget allocation of Rs 7000 crore which came down to Rs 94 crore in 2015-16," Kamal Nath tweeted.
"This ministry had two main schemes – the backward regions grant fund (BRGF) for development of backward districts of the country and the Rajiv Gandhi panchayati sashaktikaran abhiyan (RGPSA) to empower panchayats. Modi government closed both schemes after 2015-16," he claimed.
Kamal Nath said that the Congress started BRGF scheme from 2006-07 to develop and uplift 30 backward districts of Madhya Pradesh. "Under this scheme Madhya Pradesh received Rs 2995.59 crore in 2013-14. The grant for development is now closed for districts including Alirajpur, Anuppur, Ashokenagar, Balaghat, Badwani, Betul, Burhanpur, Jhabua, Mandla, Tikamgarh, Dindori and Sheopur," Kamal Nath said.
He claimed that after Narendra Modi NDA government came to power, it stopped BRGF to MP from 2015-16. “2014-15 was the final year of the scheme and Modi government allocated Rs 647.20 crore but issued just 221.22 crore. Mama (chief minister Chouhan) spent only 197.52 crore,” he said. “Similarly, for RGPSA which, was a scheme for empowerment of panchayats, was stalled. Modi government in 2015-16 allocated Rs 41.63 crore but sent only 10.8 crore to the state.”
Nath recalled that in February 2014, Shivraj Singh Chouhan sat in protest demanding GI (geographical indication) for basmati rice grown in Madhya Pradesh. He said it was injustice to farmers in the state. “What happened now Mamaji, when the Modi government in 2016 refused to give GI to basmati of Madhya Pradesh? He asked.