The residents of Shukrawadi village in Aland taluk of Gulbarga district, who gave up the practice of open defecation by volunteering to construct individual toilets to make the village open defecation-free were in for a surprise on Monday when Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil announced a bonanza for the village.
Mr. Patil, who spoke to former gram panchayat president Baburao K. Patil — who was instrumental in motivating the residents to take up construction of individual toilets — over phone from Bangalore, said the State government, as a special case, has decided to sanction Rs. 60 lakh to Shukrawadi for taking up other developmental activities in the village.
The Minister was all praise for the village people for adopting healthy practices and becoming a role model for others in the district and the State.
He said of the sanctioned amount, Rs. 50 lakh should be utilised for the construction of cement-concrete roads with drains, and Rs. 10 lakh for providing solar power to houses in the village.
He said the government would convert Shukrawadi as a model village, with all amenities, and urged the people to be ambassadors for the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) scheme. “The people should visit neighbouring villages and persuade them to follow their example of adopting the healthy way,” he said.
‘Redouble efforts’Mr. Patil also praised the Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat for the achievement and said officials should not rest with this achievement, but redouble their efforts to make all villages in the district open-defecation free.
Aland MLA B.R. Patil said he would provide funds for the construction of a marriage hall in the village and provide funds for the desilting of the tank from the MLA’s fund.
Chief Executive Officer T.H.M. Kumar praised Mr. Baburao Patil for his involvement in the activities.
Zilla panchayat president Nitin Guttedar said the government had already taken up the issue of increasing assistance for the construction of individual toilets from Rs. 4,700 to Rs. 15,000, with the Union government along with the labour component from MNREGA funds.
If this is conceded, the construction of individual toilets would pick up momentum.
Mr. Kumar and Mr. B.R. Patil honoured Mr. Baburao Patil and Panchayat Development Officer Hanumanth Rao Patil on behalf of the State government.
