Panchayat Raj and IT Minister K Taraka Ramarao today declared all gram panchayats in the State would be strengthened to ensure rapid development of rural areas.
Releasing a booklet titled “A Year of Progress and Prosperity” of Panchayat Raj department at the Secretariat along with the officials concerned, the Minister asserted that all small villages and Lambada thandas would be upgraded into gram panchayats before elections of sarpanches’ elections. He said these villages would get better road connectivity in the near future at an estimated cost of Rs 5,470 crore and 35 lakh saplings will be planted on both sides of the roads.
Stating that “Palle Pragathi” program to develop the villages will begin soon, he the officials collected 67 per cent of taxes in most of the villages and 100 per cent in some 2,000 villages successfully. The money so collected would be spent back on the development of the villages in the name of “People’s taxes and people’s works”, KTR added. He exhorted the officials to have accountability and shoulder more responsibilities to deliver the welfare schemes effectively. Now that they were given ample teeth, the officials should discharge their duties sincerely for people’s welfare in the villages. Unlike anywhere in India, the TRS government has increased salaries of peoples’ representatives. He called upon the people to involve themselves in the schemes to make Telangana the best welfare State in the country. The Government is releasing adequate funds for rural development and basic amenities like roads and infrastructure, he added. (NSS)
