New Delhi, June 29: Manmohan Singh today made a pitch for a course correction in effectively using funds for poverty alleviation and rural development so that plans on paper are implemented on the ground.

The Prime Minister was delivering the inaugural address at the first conference of chief ministers convened by the United Progressive Alliance government.

In keeping with the coalition’s commitment to rural India, the theme of the meeting at Vigyan Bhavan this morning was poverty alleviation and rural prosperity through panchayati raj.

Singh sat through the morning session, taking notes as the chief ministers talked about problems in their states. Since taking office, the Prime Minister has been constantly stressing on better utilisation of the nation’s resources and more effective government delivery systems.

He wants to ensure that money is not frittered away through delays in funding or red tape that involves taking time-consuming permissions from several ministries. “Does the compartmentalisation of our effort in multiple schemes in a ministry or ministries — both at the Centre and in the states — without a core vision make this investment (Rs 17,000 crore yearly) sub-optimal?” Singh asked the chief ministers, setting a point to ponder during the two-day meet.

Calling for a fresh look at existing projects, he asked: “Do we have too many schemes which are fragmented in concept, are rigidly designed and impose national parameters on highly differentiated local realities in terms of resource endowments or felt need?”

When the Andhra Pradesh chief minister was speaking about farmer suicides, Singh intervened to say he would be visiting the state on Thursday to talk to some of the bereaved families. The Prime Minister is scheduled to tour two villages in Kurnool and Mehboobnagar.

He later called for a “uniform vision for rural development that can respond differentially and purposefully to development situations in different states and different regions”.

Local self-government, Singh said, was the best means of empowering people at the grassroots. He asked the chief ministers to ensure that funds for panchayats are not diverted and are transferred in time.

Panchayats across the country have complained of the financial strain caused by states diverting funds meant for them or releasing money at the last moment. Singh said studies have shown that effective decentralisation requires chief ministers to support panchayats. “I appeal to (the) chief ministers to play this visionary role to become champions of decentralisation in their respective states.”