Stressing on making changes in the thinking of people and improving work culture in the State, Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Friday felicitated 31 unopposed Mukhiyas and 54 Panchayats declared open defecation free in the State. The CM, while addressing a gathering of panchayat representatives during ‘Mukhyamantri Protsahan Puraskar Samaroh’ at Project Building in Ranchi on Friday also added that every Panchayat in the state will be connected through Internet by the year 2017-18 and all panchayat will have its own Panchayat building by 2016-17.
The government had earlier announced that the Panchayats, where unopposed Mukhias were elected, will be felicitated. The CM also promised a reward amount of Rs 2 lakh for women Mukhiayas and Rs 1 lakh for male Mukhiyas.
“I am happy that out of 31 unopposed Mukhiyas, there are 26 women Mukhiyas. Please invest this amount for park and library for the village kids. If you do a good job, the government will further will further provide financial assistance,” said the CM. Clean Panchayats are also being felicitated, 54 open defecation free Panchayats have been chosen for the purpose so that others could also follow the suit, added the CM.
The CM further added that Mukhiyas and other public representatives involved in financial irregularities are a blot for the society…. Jail is the right place for them.
“Development of any state or Country is possible only with the development of the villages. In such circumstances, panchayats have to play an important role so that they do not have to look here and there for help,” the CM said.
The Central governed has been giving direct financial assistance to the villages so that they do not have to look here and there for money, said the CM. Now it is the responsibility of the panchayat representatives to develop their villages as model village, which can be recognized worldwide; do such work which could be acknowledged by the coming generation, added the CM. “Always keep yourself away from corruption,” he said.
Das also added that the newly appointed Panchayat Representatives will be given training and told how to make programmes, how to spend money on them and how to establish coordination with the officials in order to make things easier for them.
“It is an honour for the state that the Prime Minister will address Panchayat representatives sitting across the Country on April 24,” said the CM.
The CM also stressed on making things work in Garhwa and Simdega where none of the panchayats have been made open defecation free. ATI Director General Sudhir Prasad, Principal Secretary of Rural Development Department NN Sinha, Panchayati Raj Director Praveen Shakar along with the other dignitaries were also present during the programme.