Akhilesh Yadav empowers ministers to select villages for development scheme

The Akhilesh Yadav government has authorised the ministers in charge of districts to select the villages for development under its newly-introduced Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Samagra Gram Vikas Yojna. Originally, the villages were to be selected by the district administrations according to a composite index of backdarness and population.

The decision is likely to increase the influence of local Samajwadi Party leaders in selection of villages, as the ministers in-charge of districts are from other parts of the state and could, therefore, not be familiar with local conditions, official sources said.

Under the scheme, which was launched in place of the previous BSP government's Ambedkar Gram scheme, infrastructural facilities will be provided on priority in selected villages. The SP government has decided to cover 9,998 villages in the next five years. In the current year, 1,598 villages will be developed, to be followed by 2,100 villages annually over the next four years.

Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani recently issued an order, changing the process for selection of villages. Now the district magistrates will select villages in their districts equal to three times the target number of villages set by the government and provide the list to ministers in-charge of the districts, it is learnt. The DMs will then collect the list finalised by the ministers and send these to the Samagra Gram Vikas Vibhag and other departments concerned with the different works to be done in the selected villages. A district-level committee headed by DMs will plan, execute and monitor the development works.

The scheme aims to saturate the selected villages with approach roads, electrification, internal roads and drains, toilets, houses for poor, clean drinking water, schools, health sub-centres, street lights, and various pension schemes. Distribution of tablets and laptops to school children and unemployment allowance would be taken up in these villages on priority basis.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Former BSP leader rejoins Congress

Akhilesh gets New York Consulate reception cancelled

1 lakh laptops lie idle as Samajwadi Party eyes poll dividends

CBI gets custody of 7 Accused