Haryana govt mulling higher grants for PRIs

A PROPOSAL SEEKS TO GIVE ZILA PARISHADS ₹8 TO ₹10 CRORE, PANCHAYAT SAMITIS ₹2 CR, PANCHAYATS UP TO ₹30 LAKH

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said the state government was actively considering a proposal to hike development budget of all panchayati raj institutions (PRIs).

Presiding over a review meeting with officers of the district administration in Sirsa, the chief minister said the proposal seeks to give zila parishads Rs 8 to Rs 10 crore, panchayat samitis Rs 2 crore, gram panchayats up to Rs 30 lakh for developmental activities. Stating that the government had decided to give more financial powers to PRIs and accelerate the development in the villages, Khattar said for the first time the government appointed independent chief executive officers (CEOs) in zila parishads, replacing additional deputy commissioners who used to exercise the powers of CEO.

The government has planned to introduce e-tendering for big projects of panchayats to maintain transparency in development works.

The chief minister cautioned the officers that laxity will not be tolerated and said the officers should send developmental works proposals to the government and focus on the completion of ongoing projects.

He said if officers in the districts faced any problem at headquarters, they should immediately inform the chief minister’s office. He said public welfare works should not be delayed unnecessarily. The chief minister congratulated the officers for the improvement in the sex ratio throughout the state under the ‘Beti BachaoBeti Padhao’ programme.