Power for panchayats in Rajasthan

• Rajasthan Chief Minister announced a series of steps to empower the panchayats and strengthen the Gandhian concept of "Gram Swaraj" (Village self rule) on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
•  The announcements include transfer of five departments to the panchayats, setting up of a Finance Commission for facilitating funds to these bodies and formation of a Rural Livelihood Development Council.
• Devolution of at least 10 per cent of the State's Annual Plan for the year 2011-2012 to the panchayats through the recommendations of the Fourth Finance Commission and creation of three more posts at panchayat level besides filling of all existing vacancies in the panchayats and the related departments for the smooth implementation of the new regimen.
  
• The departments which are being transferred to the panchayats are: Primary education, Agriculture, Women and Child Development, Social Justice and Empowerment and Medicine and Health.
• The devolution involves "funds, functions and functionaries". The transferred departments will have their staff in districts under the panchayats. The panchayats will have additional man power in the form of a panchayat development officer and two personnel from "capable employee" category. More staff, including computer personnel, would be provided at panchayat samiti and zila parishad levels.
• CEOs posted at Divisional headquarters would be an IAS officer while in the districts it will be a super-time scale officer of the Rajasthan Administrative Service. Similarly the Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) will be given additional charge of programme coordinator of the MGNREGA.