No FIR would be lodged against sarpanches in Haryana villages without proper investigation of the complaint, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar said on Monday.
Dhankar, who was addressing the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the concluding ceremony of three-day seminar in Bhiwani also announced that Rs 3 lakh would be given annually to all villages with Village Secretariats for recurring expenses.
He said that the illegal possessions on panchayati land would be got removed.
The Minister said that the process of issuing new BPl ration cards would soon be started. He is the chairman of the committee constituted for this purpose, which has sent its proposal, added Dhankar.
He further said that the villages in the State would be made smart and star ratings up to seven stars would be given to them on the basis of works and facilities. The ratings would be based on number of girls in the village, sanitation, no case of power theft, environment, literacy rate, and crime rate.
Dhankar said that the panchayati raj budget was not adequate according to the number of villages in the State. There is budget of only Rs 2,000 crore for development of about 6,000 villages which makes it difficult to cater to the needs of all villages.
The loan of Rs 5,000 crore had been taken from NABARD to undertake development works in villages.
Also, assistance has been sought from Finance Commission, said the Minister.