Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday led the nation in paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 140th birth anniversary at his memorial Raj Ghat in New Delhi.

Besides the prime minister, a host of political and social leaders including new United States ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer offered floral tributes at Gandhi's memorial.

A special function will take place at Gandhi Smriti today afternoon, which will include a recital of some of Gandhi's favourite devotional songs. The Union government has planned a series of other programmes for the occasion.

Dr Singh will also inaugurate the National Convention on Panchayati Raj today.

State Panchayati Raj ministers and elected representatives of Panchayats will participate in the convention, which will also be addressed by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi to mark 50 years of Panchayati Raj in the country.

The Gram Nayalaya Act also comes into force from today. The act paves the way for setting up of over 5,000 Gram Nayalayas at the grassroots level for the purpose of providing justice to citizens at their door step.

The Gram Nayalaya will be of the level of a first class judicial magistrate court and will exercise the powers of both criminal and civil courts. The court will be mobile and move from village to village to dispose off cases.

Image: Schoolchildren dressed as Mahatma Gandhi participate in a cultural programme in Bhopal | Photograph: Raj Patidar/Reuters