The Panchayat Raj Department of Andhra Pradesh has bagged the “Incremental Devolution Index” award of the Centre for the development of gram panchayats in the State with innovative plans.
Minister for Panchayat Raj Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu received the award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function at the JRD Tata Complex at Jamshedpur in Jharkhand on Sunday. He also received a cash award of Rs. 2 crore. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu said that though Andhra Pradesh was facing several difficulties post-bifurcation, Panchayat Raj institutions could achieve self-sufficiency due to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s constant efforts in taking the new State on the path to progress.
The Minister said that the annual income of Panchayat Raj was Rs. 220 crore, when the Telugu Desam government came to power. In the first year itself, the income had increased to Rs. 400 crore. Plans have been made to further increase it to Rs. 600 crore during the present financial year. All the panchayats had prepared plans for supply of drinking water, sanitation, street lighting, internal roads and drains to meet future needs.
The progress of the works was being monitored online. Comprehensive plans on health, education, agriculture, animal husbandry, women and child welfare and Neeru-Chettu programmes were also prepared this year.
Special Chief Secretary (Panchayat Raj) K. Jawahar Reddy and Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu were present at the function.
