The Asian Age

‘ Smartgram’ aims to reconstruc­t villages: Pranab

Project of ex- Prez’s NGO

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Gurgaon, Sept. 2: Former president Pranab Mukherjee said Sunday that the ‘ Smartgram’ initiative­s were aimed to transform villages into happy, harmonious and hi- tech places, by connecting the villagers with the initiative. These villages have been adopted by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation.

The foundation named after the former president that will initiate, support and execute projects aimed at improving the quality of life of people, was launched earlier this year in Delhi.

The ‘ Smartgram’ initiative was inaugurate­d for five villages of Haryana — Tajnagar, Dhaula, Alipur, Harchandpu­r and Rojka Meo by Mr Mukherjee, who was then the President, on July 2, 2016.

“They are aimed to transform villages into happy, harmonious and hi- tech villages, by connecting the villagers with the initiative,” Mr Mukherjee said while addressing people of Harchandpu­r, Alipur and Nayagaon villages in this district.

On May 1 last year, it was approved that the initiative be extended to 100 villages in the vicinity of the initially- selected five villages of Haryana.

Mr Mukherjee, along with Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday, inaugurate­d Harchandpu­r ‘ Smartgram Gramalaya’ building, Smartgram Partner Processing Centre at village Harchandpu­r, Training and Innovation Warehouse at village Alipur and ‘ Water ATM’ at village Nayagaon and laid the foundation stone of ‘ Nayagaon Happiness Square’ at Nayagaon village, in Gurgaon.

On the occasion, Mukherjee and Khattar also honoured the new entreprene­urs of these villages by giving them appreciati­on letter. Mr. Mukherjee also launched the “Selfie with Daughter” trophy at Alipur village and released booklet of “LaadoRight­s” at Nayagon village. The former President said that the aim of the ‘ Pranab Mukherjee Foundation’ is to give pace to the developmen­t of villages by connecting its people, and in this, the support of various government department­s, NGOs, etc.

They are aimed to transform villages into happy, harmonious and hi- tech villages, by connecting the villagers with the initiative — Pranab Mukherjee, Former Prez

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