Multiple agencies set up for the implementation of the UPA government's flagship and anti-poverty programmes such as sarva shiksha abhiyan, national rural health mission and national horticulture mission are undermining the role of panchayats in the country, minister for panchayati raj Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Wednesday. Aiyar called for the abolition of all the development programs or their merger so that they could be brought under the supervision of panchayats for better implementation and impact. "Panchayats should have full control over technical and non-technical manpower working in there schemes as constitutionally sanctioned. Such agencies must be invariably headed by the chairperson of the panchayat at the appropriate level,' the minister said in the Lok Sabha during discussions on the 5th anniversary charter of panchayati raj. Even in the case of other centrally sponsored schemes, Aiyar called for the centrality of panchayats from formulation and implementation various anti-poverty measures. He said since the passage of 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act back in 1993, panchayats at the district, intermediate and village levels have been functioning as constitutionally sanctioned bodies. For ensuring smooth flow of funds under the various anti-poverty programs, Aiyar said a panchayat sector window should be opened in the budgets of all line departments. "State and central government must ensure that there is regularity and clarity in the flow of funds of panchayats,' he said. On the provision of providing staff to Panchayats, Aiyar suggested a separate cadre management system. "Functionaries (staff) relating to health, drinking water supply, education, public distribution system and livelihoods should be transferred immediately to the gram panchayats,' he said. Stressing the need for formation of district planning committees as mandated by the constitution for consolidating the plans prepared by the panchayats and municipalities, Aiyar said only 18 states have constituted DPCs. Besides Jharkhand, all the state governments have enacted respective state acts for empowering panchayats and 29 functions listed in the eleventh schedule of the constitution. However, most states are yet to initiate activity mapping for assigning each level of panchayat activities relating to the particular functions devolved, thus rendering panchayats powerless.