Policy needed for issues arising due to urbanisation of villages: Sharad Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday stressed the need for a policy to tackle issues arising due to the urbanization of villages.

He was addressing a program to celebrate 60 years of the Pune Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra and highlighted various issues faced by local bodies.

The 81-year-old former state chief minister also said though he never contested the Zilla Parishad election, he had been to a local body meeting just five days after birth, as his mother, who was then a local body member, had taken him along with her.

"There is a need for a policy to handle issues (arising) due to urbanization of villages. The urbanization is increasing pressure on local administrations which also face fund-related issues. The state government and the Centre should pay attention to this," said Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra.

The former Union minister also noted that the requirements of local bodies have increased.

Earlier, there was a limited need for water, but now local bodies are trying to provide water to every household, which is putting pressure on the system, he said.

The demand for electricity is also increasing, and a crisis in this sector is going on in Maharashtra.

"When we had a meeting over this, some officials told us about gram panchayats not paying their electricity bills. When I checked, I found it was a fact," he said.

Pawar also highlighted the people's demand for CBSE schools in villages.

Sharing an anecdote, Pawar said he recently got to know that 28 former ZP members from the state became MLAs, five became ministers and one also became a parliamentarian.

"I never worked in the ZP and never contested its election, but went to a local body meeting. My mother got elected to a local body in 1938 and she was its member till 1952. I was born on December 12, 1940, and five days after my birth, my mother took me to the local body meeting. Whether I was elected or not, I have been to a local body meeting," Pawar said.