Union Rural Development And Panchayati Raj Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh has expressed has confidence that nationwide campaign of Gramoday se Bharat Uday which will culminate at Jamshedpur on National Panchayati Raj day function on April 24 will pave the way for rural economic growth. The event will witness address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Minister who was accompanied by Jharkhand rural Development Minister Neelkanth Munda and Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Sudarshan Bhagat during his visit to the city to inspected arrangements for the April 24 programme at the JRD Tata Sports Complex this evening said that Prime Minister was keen that the National Panchayati Raj day function should be held outside Delhi.
“Our Government wanted to spread message that rural development cannot be brought about from Delhi but by taking into confidence the gram sabhas. This made us change the venue from Vigyan Bhawan (the venue of all national panchayati raj day function) to Jamshedpur. The Prime Minister will address nearly 6000 Panchayati raj delegates from across the country and which will be beamed to each of the gram sabhas (barring four States and a Union Territories where elections are on — West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala),” said the Union Minister.
The Prime Minister who will be arriving in city at around 2.30 pm will also give awards to States have devolved maximum powers to panchayats in the last three years and awards to states that have made rapid progress in aligning their laws to Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act 1996. This apart there will be awards for States that have made maximum efforts to e-enable panchayats.
The PM will also release a new mandate of the ministry of Panchayati Raj along with the devolution index report.
The Union Minister expressed satisfaction over arrangements made by the district administration at the JRD Tata Sports Complex-the venue of the program-but gave suggestions for the visiting delegates in view of the scorching heat.
“In of heat prevailing in the city I have suggested for making more arrangements of fans and drinking water for the visiting delegates and the crowd. We expect a turnout of around 50,000 people for the function,” said the Union Minister.
He said that Rs70 thousand and 75 thousand were provisioned for the poor people in plain as well as mountainous areas respectively under Indira Awaas Yojana which the Central Government has doubled to Rs1.50 lac. Moreover, the BPl criteria for being a beneficiary of the scheme has been abolished. He said that if a beneficiary expenses on hishouse more than the amount given by the Government, the Government will get him loan of Rs75 thousands from the bank.
He said that under the PMGSY, 5.50 lac km road was targeted to be constructed out of which, 4.13 km has already been constructed. By 2019, the target will be completed.
The union minister further said the Centre has released Rs823 crore to drought hit States to mitigate potable water crisis and permission has been given to even arrange for transportation of water through rail networks and the entire expense will be borne by the Centre.
Meanwhile, a six-member SPG team also arrived in the city in the evening and did a study of the venue along with East Singhbhum SSP Anoop T Mathew and city SP Chandan Jha.
Principal Secretary to CM Sanjay Kumar and other senior officials of the State also took stock of the preparations for the mega event in Jamshedpur on Wednesday. Kumar expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and gave necessary instructions to the concerned officials during the visit.