Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh has been adjudged first in entire country for excellent works in scheduled areas in accordance with spirit of Panchayat Raj and compliance of Constitutional provisions during year 2015-16. The state has 5211 villages in 20 district in scheduled area. On Panchayat Raj Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give away first prize for excellent implementation of PESA Act in Madhya Pradesh to Panchayats and Rural Development Minister Gopal Bhargava at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand on April 24. In Madhya Pradesh, constant excellent works have been undertaken through special efforts of different dimensions including treasury, action plan and personnel management. These 3 dimensions are key to success of Panchayats.
Strategy for rural development has been chalked out in Madhya Pradesh by focusing on these dimensions, which drew encomiums at national level. Experts committee constituted by the Central government also lauded these works. The committee found Madhya Pradesh excellent in all three norms.
Madhya Pradesh will get Rs13,555 crore for Five Year Plan as per recommendations of 14th Finance Commission. These funds will be utilized for basic development works in villages. ‘One Panchayat One Bank Account’ policy has been implemented in the state. All panchayats’ accounts have been made totally transparent and expenditures are visible as clear as mirror. Cheque payments have been totally abolished. It has brought transparency in payments and increased credibility among people. Accounts involving even a single paisa remain updated in panchayats. This type of treasury or fund management has carved Madhya Pradesh’s distinct identity in the state.
Functioning is the second pillar of panchayats. A large number of works of land reforms and expansion of area under agriculture have been undertaken in the state with focus on Forest Land Rights Act and Employment Guarantee Act. Besides, works have also been undertaken under MNREGA for land and water management, minor irrigation, watershed management.
Low-income people have been associated with employments that can give them adequate income to run their households. These include animal husbandry, sericulture, social forestry, collection of minor forest produce, food processing etc as per local requirements. Madhya Pradesh has also lived upto Central government’s norms in construction of toilets, all-weather roads, drinking water arrangements etc.
