Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday announced to delegate financial powers to Municipal Council and Panchayat chairman.
Chief Minister also announced to provide additional funds to the tune of Rs 5 to Rs 10 crore for each Municipal Corporation, Rs 1 crore each for 44 Municipal Councils and Rs 50 lakh each for 111 Nagar Panchayats based on their requirements and population within their jurisdiction.
He also announced to hike the honorarium of ‘Swachchta didis'’ during a workshop held on the need for water harvesting in a private hotel here.
The hike in remuneration from Rs 5000 to Rs 6000 will benefit around 10, 000 Swachchta Didis working in 166 civic bodies. Chhattisgarh had received an award from the President of India Ram Nath Kovind in the month of March for the efforts of these Didis.
Citing example of water harvesting system at his residence, Chief Minister said rain water harvesting is not a new concept as “our ancestors in Gujarat and Rajasthan had been conserving water.”
One of the best examples of water conservation, he said, was available at the residence of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi at Porbandar.
In rain water harvesting, roof water is collected in a well in the premises of a house.
The streets, roads and courtyards and lawns of houses have been concretised in both cities and villages, due to which water does not sip into the soil. Roof water can be collected in wells and even in unsuccessful bores, he said.
Urban administration and development minister Shiv Dahariya, who presided over the event, also addressed the workshop. Environment minister Mohammed Akbar spoke on changes occurred due to global warming.