Modi to transfer Rs 44.7 cr to award winning Panchayats
Govt focussed on bringing wide-ranging reforms in J&K: PMO
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 23: The Central Government has been focussed on bringing wide ranging reforms to substantially improve governance and enhance ease of living for the people of Jammu and Kashmir at an unprecedented pace post-Constitutions reforms introduced in August 2019.
This was stated by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in an official statement issued on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, his first here after J&K became a Union Territory along with Ladakh following bifurcation of erstwhile State and abrogation of its special status.
During the visit to Palli Gram Panchayat in Samba district of Jammu region tomorrow, Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation of multiple development initiatives worth around Rs 20,000 crore.
Ahead of Modi’s visit, Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh and MoS in the same Ministry Kapil Moreshwar Patil reached Jammu. Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh is camping in Jammu, supervising and monitoring arrangements for the Prime Minister’s rally.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has been holding regular meetings for Modi’s historic visit to Palli Panchayat.
As per the PMO’s statement, Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore in Jammu and Kashmir, including the opening of the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel to establish all-weather connectivity between the two regions of the Union Territory.
Modi is travelling to Palli to participate in the celebration for the National Panchayati Raj Day and address ‘Gram Sabhas’ across the country.
Seeking to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in every district of the country, the Prime Minister will launch a new initiative named ‘Amrit Sarovar’, it said.
The PMO said the Government has been focussed on bringing about wide ranging reforms to substantially improve governance and enhance ease of living for the people of the region at an unprecedented pace following the “Constitutional reforms” of August 2019, a reference to the abrogation of Article 370 and making the erstwhile State a Union Territory.
The projects being inaugurated or whose foundation stones will be laid in this visit will go a long way in facilitating basic amenities, ensuring ease of mobility and development of infrastructure in the region, it said.
Modi will inaugurate the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel, built at a cost of over Rs 3,100 crore. The 8.45-km-long tunnel will reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km, and reduce journey time by around one and a half hours.
It is a twin tube tunnel, one for each direction of travel, and the tubes are interconnected by a cross passage every 500 m for maintenance and emergency evacuation. The tunnel will help establish all-weather connection between Jammu and Kashmir, and bring the two regions closer, the PMO said.
He will also lay the foundation stone of three road packages of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, being built at a cost of over Rs. 7,500 crore.
Among other projects, Modi will lay the foundation stone of Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects, a 850 MW facility to be constructed on Chenab river in Kishtwar at a cost of around Rs 5,300 crore, and 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric project to be build in on the same river at a cost of over Rs 4,500 crore.
In order to further expand the network of ‘Jan Aushadi Kendras’ in Jammu and Kashmir, and to make good quality generic medicines at affordable prices available, 100 centres will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. These centres are located in remote corners of the Union Territory.
Modi will also inaugurate a 500 KW solar power plant at Palli, which will make it the country’s first Panchayat to become carbon neutral, the PMO said.
During his visit, he will also hand over ‘SVAMITVA’ (survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas) cards to beneficiaries under the scheme. The cards will give villagers documentary proof of their ownership of properties so that they can use them for financial benefits if required.
He will also transfer award money to Panchayats which are winners of awards given across different categories.
The PMO noted that the ‘Amrit Sarovar’ project is part of the celebration of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
Modi will directly transfer an amount of Rs 44.70 crore as prize money ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh to the bank account of 322 awardee Panchayats across 31 States/UTs in the country digitally during the function at Palli Gram Panchayat.
“The e-Panchayat Puraskar is conferred upon those States which have ensured maximum use of Information Technology for monitoring the works of Panchayats.
The Central Government has requested all States/Union Territories to confer awards and plaques to concerned awardees of National Panchayat Awards 2022 on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day tomorrow by in-charge Ministers of the districts, Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), senior Administrative Officers, eminent personalities etc. who may also be requested to attend of Gram Sabha in any one Gram Panchayat.
“The awardees’ plaques have been dispatched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to concerned States/UTs. Further, it has also been requested that simultaneously, other activities such as cultural programmes, debates, presentations etc. may be organized during these events, keeping localization of Sustainable Development Goals in focus,” an official statement said.
National Panchayati Raj Day will serve as an important occasion as well as a significant step towards creating awareness and building momentum for India@2047 and also building institutional, individual, institutional, cross-organizational and operational capabilities for achieving the global SDGs agenda in local context by 2030.
“Seventeen SDGs are subsumed under nine broad themes, and one or more such themes will be adopted as Sankalp by Gram Panchayats in specially convened Gram Sabhas on 24th April. Ministry of Panchayati Raj has requested all Gram Panchayats to organize Special Gram Sabha meetings tomorrow across the country to mark the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day,” the statement said.
April 24 is observed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) every year to celebrate the Constitutional status accorded to Panchayati Ray system in the country. This occasion provides an opportunity for direct dialogue with Panchayat representatives from all over the country as well as recognizing their achievements to empower and motivate them.
“The objective of the celebrating the National Panchayati Raj Day is to increase awareness about Panchayats and Gram Sabhas, the institutions of the local self-Governments for the rural areas mandated by the Constitution, and also about their roles, responsibilities, achievements, concerns, resolutions etc. States and Union Territories are requested to celebrate National Panchayati Raj Day in a befitting manner and call upon Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Rural Local Bodies to celebrate National Panchayati Raj Day with a ‘whole of society’ approach ensuring maximum possible ‘Jan Bhagidari’. National Panchayat Awards are also conferred to well-performing Panchayats on this occasion,” the statement said.
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