‘Rural development essential for country’s growth’
Karimnagar: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Secretary, Sandeep Kumar Sultania opined that development of the state as well as the country was possible when only villages were developed in all fronts. Sandeep Kumar Sultania participated in the fifth phase of Palle Pragathi programme held in Gattubuthpur of Gangadhara mandal on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that considering that development of the country was possible only with the growth of villages, the Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao brought new Panchayat Raj Act to strengthen the development of villages. According to the new Act, sarpanches were provided rights and responsibilities. There was a provision to remove sarpanches if they failed to work for the development of villages.
Besides upgrading thandas as gram panchayats, a village secretary was also given to each panchayat. Collectors were given power to appoint village secretaries if the post was vacated due to any reason. Earlier, funds used to be released to gram panchayats for every six to ten months. Now, the state government is giving Rs 250 crore to 12,000 gram panchayats every month. Rs 2.50 crore would be allocated to lay roads in every village. As part of rural development, Rs 1,000 crore worth roads were sanctioned to rural areas under palle pragathi programme during the last three months. Besides supplying safe drinking water under Mission Bhagiratha programme, free current was being supplied to farmers.
Earlier, rural people, who used to be infected by dengue, malaria and diarrhea due to unhygienic conditions used to prevail in villages, had to spend huge money for treatment. However, the situation has been changed with the launch of palle pragathi. People were staying away from diseases with the increase of cleanliness and greenery in rural areas.
In order to create better facilities in all government schools, the state government has taken up the Mana Vooru Mana Badi progrmme by allocating Rs 7,000 crores. Informing to introduce English medium in government schools, he asked the people to join their children in government schools to provide them a better future. It was possible to get good results when both officials and the public worked in coordination.
