Tumakuru (Karnataka), July 8 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said on Wednesday that the state has emerged as a model for the entire country in the Panchayat Raj system.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 2026–27 workshop for Gram Panchayat Administrators and Gram Panchayat Development Officers at the Tumakuru Zilla Panchayat auditorium.

Parameshwara said Gram Panchayats must focus not only on drinking water, road development and financial management, but also on building an atmosphere of equality and peace, free from caste and religious discrimination.

He instructed officials to ensure transparency in the use of public funds and to take up development works without discriminating against any community.

He also stressed the importance of proper auditing of expenditure.

He said the concept of Panchayat Raj was shaped by Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of Gram Swaraj.

Through the 1993 Constitutional Amendment and the 1994 Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, a three-tier Panchayat system was introduced in Karnataka and has been functioning successfully.

Parameshwara recalled that 1.44 crore pages of Revenue Department records have been scanned and securely stored in e-Khajane.

He said the systems introduced by former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna continue to serve the state.

He also noted that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had recently spoken in Kalaburagi about holding Panchayat elections soon.

Speaking about the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, Parameshwara said the World Bank has appreciated the initiative, which was implemented in Karnataka to empower women.

He added that opposition leaders had criticised the scheme when it was first introduced in the state, but today, similar schemes have been implemented in 14 states across the country.

He appreciated the government officials and staff for their cooperation in successfully organising government programmes in Tumakuru.

He said the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had visited the district four times and, with the collective effort of everyone involved, the programmes were conducted in a manner that became a model for the entire state.

State government’s Special Representative in Delhi T.B. Jayachandra, Deputy Commissioner Shubha Kalyan, Zilla Panchayat CEO Ashwija B.V., Superintendent of Police Ashok K.V. and others were present at the programme.

–IANS

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