Now, MLAs to adopt one panchayat each

JAIPUR: Chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday announced the ‘Chief Minister Adarsh Gram Panchayat Yojana’ (AGPY), on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). Under the AGPY, each legislator has been directed to develop one gram panchayat in the respective assembly constituency.
“The gram panchayat would be selected through a lottery and the legislator would be expected to ensure its overall development,’’ said Raje, while announcing the project at Jhalawar on Tuesday.Raje mentioned about the proposed scheme during her public addresses at Baran and Jhalawar on Tuesday. She said that the selection of villages will be initiated from the coming financial year and separate funds will be allocated for the scheme.
As there was a major issue while selection of villages under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna, Raje has asked for selection through draw of lots. “We experienced major problem during SAGY as villagers mounted pressure for selection of their own village. Lottery will nullify the selection issue,” said a CMO official.
Presently touring her constituency, Jhalawar, Raje on Tuesday inaugurated a drinking water project and laid the foundation for a one-kilometre long concrete road to be constructed as part of the ‘Gramin Gaurav Path Yojna’.
In October this year, the Raje government had approved a Rs 1,115 crore `Gramin Gaurav Path’ project, which aimed at a major road network and construction of 2,048 km of roads across the 33 districts. On Tuesday, Raje laid the foundation stone for a one-km long cement concrete road at Sarmai in Jhalawar, which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 68.46 lakh.
Speaking on the occasion, Raje said that the state government is trying its best to ensure the construction of a similar Gaurav Path at each gram panchayat in the state. “This is only a beginning. Similar roads will be constructed in the state. In Jhalarapatan, such roads would be constructed at 30 villages in the the district. Overall, 77 villages will have these roads, which will last for years,’’ she said, addressing the large gathering there.
She also inaugurated the Reva drinking water project at Kalyakhedi, which has been set up at a cost of Rs 66.29 crore. As part of the project, clean drinking water would be provided to 49 villages and 12 hamlets in the district. Raje in her trips has also been addressing large gatherings and in her speech here, the chief minister said that Rajasthan would stand out as a developed state in all parameters in the next five years. She listed out the achievements of her government.
Raje also inaugurated the fourth unit at the Chhabra thermal power plant, where she announced the setting up of a call centre to address complaints and grievances related to power. “From January 15 onwards, a 24-hour call center would be set up in the cities across the state and in the next phase, call centers would be set up for the villages. Mobile teams would be formed to ensure the matters are resolved immediately,’’ she announced.
The inaugurations on Tuesday were part of the series that Raje participated in different parts of the state, just ahead of the panchayat election next month. The spree of foundation-stone laying ceremonies and inaugurals were planned after the state government was caught on the backfoot over poor visibility of its development projects on ground. On Wednesday, Raje will address a large public gathering at Bharatpur.