Karnataka Gram Panchayats that are not conducting children's meet to face action

Gram Panchayats which have failed to conduct Makkala Grama Sabha (children's meet) during November will now face the music. The Department of Rural and Panchayat Raj has issued directions to all authorities concerned to take action against panchayats which have failed to conduct the meetings.

In Karnataka, there are 6,024 Gram Panchayats. In November, RDPR had issued a circular to officials of respective panchayats directing them to conduct Gram Sabhas for children on any one day of the month to discuss children's issues. This includes child health, child labour, child rights and child trafficking among others. In gram sabhas, the members concerned were supposed to discuss these problems with the villagers, stakeholders and update the same in their software.

Some Gram Sabhas had held the meets where many issues related to child rights, including health and education, were discussed. Those GP's have been told to discuss and resolve the issues raised at the meetings within three months and submit the same to the RDPR head-office.

According to directions from the department, the authorities have noted that some GPs did not conduct Makkala Sabha which was mandatory. Also, some GPs did not bother to invite children but still conducted the meeting, which shows their negligence.

A senior RDPR official said in some places, a village festival or some other meeting was depicted as Makkala sabha which is also in violation of norms. "It is for the children and by the children. Children's problems should be taken seriously and solved," the official said.

RDPR Deputy Director Mubarak Ahmed has now directed to all the GPs, who did not conduct the children's meeting, to conduct it within the next five days, failing which action will be taken. This holds good for those who did not properly organise the meet as well.

Official sources said such GPs will be served notices. "We might even cut down their funds,'' sources said.