Himachal Pradesh Government has taken various initiatives to strengthen the Panchayati Raj institutions and has set aside a budget of Rs414 crore for them this year.
A spokesperson of the State Government on Sunday said that in order to ensure smooth and effective execution of its day-to-day functioning besides bringing more transparency and responsiveness, all Panchayats in the Pradesh had been computerised.
The computerisation had been proved helpful in maintenance of accounts and records. Modern software applications under mission mode project of
Union Government have been introduced in Panchayati Raj System.
The PRI functionaries have been imparted training to make them efficient in using these applications. Under this project, 12 assistant programmers and 75 computer operators have been recruited, he said.
To provide internet connectivity in all panchayats of tribal district Kinnaur, each panchayat had been provided Rs 31.40 lakh for V-Set during the year 2014-15. The State Government has taken a decision to fill up 400 posts of Panchayat Sahayaks out of which 65 from the sports quota so as to provide various services to the people at grass root level, said the spokesperson.
He said that a sum of Rs 391.39 crore has been received for strengthening the PRIs under 13th finance commission during last two and half years which includes Rs 86.14 crore during 2012-13, Rs 153.47 during 2013-14 and Rs 151.78 during 2014-15. The State Government would release Rs 109 crore from state budget during 2015-16. Besides, Rs 195 crore would also be sanctioned for the panchayats as per the recommendations of 14th finance commission.
State Finance Commission had sanctioned Rs 215.48 crore for the panchayats since December, 2012 which were spent on honourarium to representatives, officials of PRIs and their travelling & daily allowance besides maintenance & construction of panchayat ghars.
Rs 3.75 crore were released for the construction of 50 new panchyat ghars during last fiscal whereas Rs 1.25 crore were sanctioned during 2013-14 for State Panchayat Resource Centre to be set up at Mashobra. Rs 4.50 crore had been spent on training to the PRIs during last two and half years.
The State government had also enhanced honorarium of representatives and officials of PRIs which comprises Rs 6500 and Rs 4500 per
month to Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of Zila Parishad, Rs 2100 and Rs 1800 to the Pradhan and Up Pradhan respectively. Members of gram
panchayat are being paid honorarium of Rs 200 every month for attending the gram sabha meetings.
The monthly honorarium of Panchayat Sahayaks have been increased to Rs 7000 from Rs 5910.
Apart from this, the posts of Junior Engineers and Junior Stenographers have been sanctioned to effectively and smoothly run of day to day working of PRIs.
The services of an Assistant Engineer, 15 Junior Engineers, 6 Junior Stenographers and a Junior Account working in PRIs had been regularized, added the spokesperson.