Kamal Haasan proposes reforms to strengthen Tamil Nadu Gram Sabhas

Kamal Haasan, founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam and Rajya Sabha MP, has submitted an eight-point roadmap to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to strengthen Gram Sabhas. The proposal aims to enhance grassroots democracy ahead of the scheduled Gram Sabha meetings on October 2.

Haasan’s recommendations include increasing the honorarium for Village Panchayat representatives and granting Gram Sabhas decisive authority regarding the operation of local TASMAC liquor outlets. He also called for improved public participation, particularly among women and youth, and the implementation of time-bound actions on resolutions passed during meetings.

Other suggestions involve allowing citizens to influence the Gram Sabha agenda, investing in research and capacity-building for local governance, and ensuring village development planning is genuinely participatory. Haasan emphasized that these reforms would honor Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj by making Tamil Nadu a model state for empowered village governance.