The government is planning a campaign to "empower and educate" panchayati raj institutions.
To be called 'Gramodayay Se Bharatodaya' (From rural development to India's development), it will involve the ministries of rural development, agriculture and social justice & empowerment. The formal launch is on Tuesday and the programme will begin on April 9, to culminate with 'National Panchayati Raj Day' on April 24. The final event will be in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
The Centre would spread word on various pro-poor initiatives it had taken in recent years among panchayats. There will also be attempts to link various rural and social development programmes.
Officials said the campaign will be spread across the 285,000 gram panchayats.
In the 2016-17 Union Budget, the finance minister said Rs 2.87 lakh crore was given as grants to gram panchayats and municipalities, in line with the 14th Finance Commission report. "This is a quantum jump of 228 per cent compared to the previous five-year period. The funds now allocated translate to an average assistance of over Rs 80 lakh per panchayat and Rs 21 crore per urban local body," he said.
He said the enhanced allocations were capable of transforming villages and small towns. "Ministry of panchayati raj will work with the states and evolve guidelines to actualise this."
The Budget also announced a new 'Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan', with an allocation of Rs 650 crore, to improve governance in PR institutions.
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