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• Steps to Strengthen Panchayat Raj System (Free Available)

• Neutrino Observatory Project (Only For Premium Members)

• Present Status of JNNURM (Only For Premium Members)

• Inclusion of Western Ghats in UNESCO List (Only For Premium Members)

• Steps for Regulating theWorking of Contract Farming (Only For Premium Members)

STEPS TO STRENGTHEN PANCHAYAT RAJ SYSTEM

As ‘Panchayats’ is a State subject, the Panchayati Raj system is primarily the responsibility of the States. The Ministry of Panchayat Raj supports strengthening of Panchayats through its various schemes. It operates the Backward Regions Grants Fund (BRGF) in some identified backward districts of the country. Under the Scheme, untied funds are given for meeting critical gaps in local infrastructure and other development requirements. BRGF also aims to strengthen Panchayats through its capacity building component. Under the Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Yojana (RGSY) financial assistance is provided to the non BRGF districts for capacity building and construction of Panchayat Ghars. The e-Panchayat scheme strengthens Panchayats by e-enabling. Panchayat Mahila Evam Yuva Shakti Abhiyan (PMEYSA) focuses especially on Elected Women Representatives. This information was given by the Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

INDIA’S RANK IN THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVE INDEX

As per the latest Global Competitiveness Report 2012-13, brought out by World Economic Forum, a Swiss non-profit foundation based in Geneva, India ranks 59thamongst 144 economies in the Global Competitiveness Index for 2012-13, as against 56th position out of 142 economies covered in 2011-12. The Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) measures the competitive performance of the economies around the world for doing business. It is a composite index that combines three component indices covering 12 different parameters (termed ‘pillars’). The details of the three components along with the weights assigned to them and the pillars are presented in table below:

Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, Shri Sachin Pilot, Minister of Corporate Affairs, said that computation of GCI for the year 2012- 13 is based on 113 indicators. As the indicators vary from year to year a comparison from previous years is not feasible. However, India’s performance with a GCI score of 4.32 (on a scale of 1-7) in the year 2012-13 is an improvement over last year score of 4.30. This country has also improved its performance in respect of each individual component of the index. In the meanwhile, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has constituted a Committee for Reforming the Regulatory Environment for Doing Business in India under the chairmanship of Shri M. Damodaran with the objective of making an in-depth study into the entire gamut of regulatory framework and come out with a detailed roadmap
for improving the business climate in the country that would help improve India’s competitiveness.

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