The State Government has decided to create 500 more gram panchayats in addition to the existing 6,234 ahead of the panchayat elections due in February next year.
“Gram panchayats will be delimited and, in the process, 500 more panchayats will be created. Now there are as many as 6,234 panchayats,” said Panchayati Raj Minister Sahu.
The Chief Minister reviewed the performance of the Panchayati Raj Department.
Earlier on May 6, the State Cabinet had approved amendment of Odisha Gram Panchayat Act, 1964, to create more panchayats.
The Minister said Kalyan Mandaps and theaters would be established at 385 panchyats in the first phase and high mass light would be fixed at every panchayat headquarters by 2019.
Sahu informed that renovation of large ponds with changing room for women would be set up in every village.
It was decided in the meeting that the incentive amount for timely completion of rural housing scheme would be hiked.
Those beneficiaries who would complete their houses under rural housing schemes in four months get `20,000 instead of `10,000 and `10,000 for completing house in six months instead of `5,000.