Panchayat Raj Minister K Tarakarama Rao on Wednesday said that the Telangana Government was planning ot decentralise the power by granting more powers to Panchayats and Sarpanches.
Speaking after releasing a booklet titled “A Year of Progress and Prosperity” of Panchayat Raj Department at the Secretariat here, the Minister said that development in rural areas could be ensured only through the empowerment of Panchayat system. Therefore, he said that the Telangana Government proposes to upgrade all small village and Lambada Thandas into Gram Panchayats soon. He hoped that the upgradation process would be completed before next Panchayat elections.
KTR informed that the tax collection in nearly 2,000 panchayats was 100% while the over collection in the State was about 67%. He said that tax collected from the panchayats would be spent for their own development. He said that the State Government has already initiated the process to improve road connectivity in villages at a cost of Rs 5,470 crore. Further, about 35 lakh saplings are being planted on either sides of the village roads. Through innovative schemes, the Telangana Government was giving a new meaning to the development of villages and rural areas. (INN)