Udupi: Addressing a conference on ‘Gram Swarajya-2011’ held at Rajangana on Sunday in the town, Panchayat Raj minister Jagdish Shettar stated that Gram panchayat bills on power consumption, for supplying drinking water to citizens, would be made at ‘domestic’ charges, and not an ‘commercial’ charges made to business dealers.

A proposal to waive old pending bills on electricity was sent to Government to reduce GPs burdens. He asked the GP members to execute Gram Sabha functions diligently. Even selection of beneficiaries under various schemes should be done carefully, he advised.

MLAs interference in GP issues would be curbed, he declared. The GP, Taluk panchayat and Zilla panchayats functions should be clearly defined to avoid overlapping and confusion. Taluk Panchayats are given Rs. 1 crore already for their projects. Gram Sabhas should be held compulsorily, shettar added.

Mani Shankar Aiyar, a former Union minister, delivered the keynote speech on Gram Swaraj.