File Photo: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said on Saturday that the State administration can march towards progress only when there is partnership of people in governance.
Greeting the people of the State on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, the Chief Minister said soon after independence, Surender Kumar Dey, widely known as the social engineer who launched the Panchayati Raj system, did it with the lofty ideal of making people partners in administration. Chandrashekhar Rao recalled that the Panchayati Raj system in the country took a decisive shape during the self-rule non-cooperation movement.
The Chief Minister said the aspiration of SK Dey that village development should be above politics was now being implemented in Telangana State. “Telangana has emerged as a role model for others in the country with the implementation of the New Panchayati Raj Act. The State government has strengthened the administrative set up in villages by involving everyone in the development of their respective villages based on their needs and objectives,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that for the development of villages, the State government was releasing Rs 339 crore every month and Rs 148 crore for urban areas. Programmes like Palle Pragathi and Pattana Pragathi have made rural and urban areas clean and green and they are marching forward towards progress, he said.
The Panchayati Raj department, the Chief Minister said, had won a lot of appreciation from the Centre and other institutions for its good performance and won several awards.
“Construction of irrigation projects, farmers’ welfare, agricultural development and strengthening of the rural economy helped the deprived classes to become part of the development process and progress,” he said, adding: “The dreams of SK Dey have been realised in Telangana and the Panchayati Raj department has successfully achieved all its targets and goals.”