Mamata govt mulling apolitical panchayat system

With too much politics at panchayat level affecting development activities, the West Bengal government is considering making the three-tier panchayat system in the state apolitical. "We need to expedite the pace of development at the panchayat level by making the entire system apolitical. Politics in development activities under panchayat is intolerable", state's Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Chandranath Sinha told PTI. Non-political rural bodies will help uproot petty politics that often stall rural development projects under panchayat, he said. "If the entire system could be made apolitical by making the panchayat election free from political symbols, we hope development will be faster and free from any political disturbance", Sinha said.