Bhubaneswar: In order to empower the local governance, the Odisha Government has decided to merge the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) with Zilla Parishads in districts.
Informing about the Cabinet Decision, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said that the State Government has decided to merge the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) with Zilla Parishads in districts and to abolish the present structure of the DRDAs.
“As a further step to empower the Local Governance that is Panchayati Raj Institutions and in pursuance of the recommendations of 4th SFC as per mandate of 73rd Amendment of Constitution, the State Government of Odisha has decided to merge the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) with Zilla Parishads in districts and to abolish the present structure of the DRDAs,” read a cabinet press note.
The Government of Odisha has always laid emphasis on empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and have taken several steps in the past in this direction.
The Zilla Parishad, which is the top most tier of the Panchayati Raj system was introduced in the State in the year 1991 with an aim to adopt, implement, monitor various socio-economic Schemes and Programmes for welfare of public.