In an unusual display of frankness at a public function here, a senior government official today told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the 11th Five-Year Plan was not Panchayat-friendly.
Giving a vote of thanks during the national Panchyat Diwas function here, Panchayati Raj Secretary A N P Sinha requested the Prime Minister to give central focus to Panchayati Raj in the 12th Plan as the 11th Plan was not Panchayat-friendly.
Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi were present on the dais when Sinha made the remark.
He also requested Congress President Sonia Gandhi to list the issue of Panchayati Raj as next on the agenda for the National Advisory Council, chaired by her.
Both the leaders were silent when Sinha made the requests in presence of the Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Vilasrao Deshmukh. Former Panchayati Raj minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was sitting among the audience, agreed with the contention that the 11th Five Year Plan was not Panchayat friendly and advocated a new committee should be set up to suggest how the 12th Plan can focus on Panchayati Raj.
He also acknowledged the 11th Plan could prove no different from other plans in terms of the participation of locals in the governance issues.