Mysuru: Maintaining that Karnataka tops the list in devolution of power through Panchayat Raj system, Chamarajanagar MP R. Dhruvanarayan has said that the State has been bagging the award for the same for the past three years.

He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day National Seminar on ‘The role of Panchayat Raj institutions in small development’ organised by the Public Administration Department, University of Mysore (UoM), at Rani Bahadur auditorium in Manasagangothri here on Friday.

Reiterating that Karnataka has topped the National list because of effective implementation of the Panchayat Raj system, he said that works on drinking water projects in Mysuru and Chamrajanagar districts was in full swing and would he completed shortly.

Pointing out that the State has set Oct.2, 2019 deadline for itself for becoming the first open-defecation free State is the country, the MP said that there were plans to set up a Rural Development University as announced in the State Budget.

Dhruvanarayan released a book titled ‘Panchayat Raj Institutions of India: Problems and Practices’ on the occasion.

UoM acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dayananda Mane, Registrar D. Bharathi, Registrar Somasekahar, Prof. K.V. Ayyanna and others were present.