Punjab Government on Monday made a strong case for the up-gradation, strengthening and computerization of Panchayats besides equipping Panchayat headquarters with ultra modern techniques.
Urging Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and Panchayati Raj V Kishore Chandra Deo to put functioning of Panchayats online, Punjab Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra said that there should be hi-tech ‘resource
centers’ at district level for facilitation of rural population.
Deo was in the city to preside over a workshop organised by Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Department at Vikas Bhawan in which elected panchayati representatives from Punjab and Haryana participated.
Rakhra informed the Minister that Punjab Government was taking revolutionary steps for the holistic development of more than 12000 villages in the State at par with the urban
development. In coming years, Punjab villages would witness same facilities, which are being provided in urban areas including 100 per cent potable water, sewerage and street lights and road network, he added.
The Minister said that Punjab has also initiated the implementation of project to bring all panchayats under the ambit of e-panchayats. “20 per cent villages in Punjab have state-of-the-art Panchayat headquarters while Tarn Taran district have its well-maintained Resource Center whereas the work for such centers have been started at Mansa and Fazilka district. After hearing the state’s requisite demands, the Union Minister assured that the Centre would soon initiate steps in this regard, which would be a boon for Panchayats.