India, Nov. 2 -- India needs greater decentralisation but, in many states, there is resistance to devolving powers to local councils, according to Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).

At a ceremony to award the fourth Rohini Nayyar Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Development, Dev said the level of decentralisation in China and the US is much higher.

"India needs greater decentralisation, which should involve giving more powers to panchayats and local bodies, along with increased use of technology in the agricultural sector to improve rural wages. There is resistance in many states to devolving powers to local councils," he said.

Recalling the contribution of former economis...