Bhubaneswar, Jan 27: Before the upcoming panchayat polls in Odisha, today the Congress released the party’s poll manifesto that focused on the improvement of the rural economy of the State. The other sectors featured in the list for improvement are social security, development of villages, empowerment of Panchayati Raj institutions, agriculture and development of SC/ST. The leader, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chief Prasad Harichandan said that as his party was not in power for the last 16 years, so huge changes in the current system at one go would not be possible. Odisha also would not grow unless the villages are developed and rural youths are financially secured. He further added that similar to the women self help groups (SHGs), there should also be youth self help groups to economically uplift them. The Congress would help them financially, revolving fund and subsidized loan and help improve the rural economy. He pointed out the fact that though the Panchayati Raj system was introduced by late Prime Minister, Rajeev Gandhi to empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the power is still with the ruling government.
