By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 2 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a review of the Panchayati Raj Department at the Secretariat, here, today. During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed that for planned development, 5 villages in each development block should be developed as model villages. He also insisted that the development of these model villages should be such that names of at least 10 villages of Uttarakhand can get included in the category of top 100 model villages of the country.
Dhami asserted that, for this, work should be done in a planned manner for the overall development of the villages. He directed that senior officials of the government and District Magistrates in the districts should essentially participate in the organisation of Gram Chaupal and work should be done on the development plans of the villages by sitting with the senior people of the Gram Panchayats. The CM also emphasised that the foundation day of Gram Sabhas should be celebrated as a festival, in which the migrant people of those villages should be specially invited and urged to participate.
The Chief Minister directed the officials in the meeting that Panchayat buildings should be constructed strictly by sticking to the standard norms and that there should be no compromise in the quality of construction. He also insisted that the Panchayat Bhawans being constructed in the Gram Panchayats should be built in the hill style architecture, which should reflect the heritage of Uttarakhand. Appropriate sites should be selected for the Panchayat Bhawans, so that they can be fully utilised in the Gram Panchayats.
Dhami also issued instructions to the department to double the existing amount of Rs 10 lakhs being sanctioned by the State Government for the construction of Panchayat Bhawans to Rs 20 lakhs. He added that drains should also be mades while constructing roads in the villages, so that there is no problem of water drainage. Arrangements for open gyms and parks should be ensured in the Gram Panchayats. The Chief Minister directed that gates, schools and Panchayat Bhawans in the villages should be named after the martyrs of the Army and paramilitary forces of the area and arrangements made to inscribe the names of the martyrs on the plaques in the villages.
The CM directed the officials that the funds received by the state from the 15th Finance Commission should be used in a planned manner for the development of the villages. Special attention be given to cleanliness and garbage disposal. He said that it should be ensured that whatever plans are made for the development of villages, are evaluated on the ground first. Computers and high speed internet connectivity also be arranged in all the Gram Panchayats, he directed.
Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj said that along with the development of villages, employment should be promoted in rural areas. He called upon senior officers to regularly monitor the work being done in the Gram Panchayats. He directed them to ensure GIS mapping of the assets of all the Panchayats. He said that before the construction of multi-level parking, it should be ensured that they can be optimally used and properly maintained. He said that with regards to the funds received from the 15th Finance Commission, work should be done speedily according to the standards set for the development of villages.
Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretary, Panchayati, Raj Chandresh Yadav, Additional Secretary Alok Kumar Pandey, Director, Panchayati Raj, Nidhi Yadav, Director SETU Dr Manoj Pant were among those present in the meeting.
