'5 Har villages to be linked directly with Rashtrapati Bhavan'

President Pranab Mukherjee wants to connect five village panchayats in Haryana directly with the Rashtrapati Bhavan to develop these as smart villages and ensure the works are carried out as per people's aspirations, according to a senior official.
On July 2, Mukherjee had inaugurated a smart model village pilot project under which five villages of Haryana adopted by him - Dhaula, Alipur, Harichandpur and Taj Nagar in Gurgaon district and Rojka-Meo in Mewat district will be developed as Adarsh Gram.
Addressing special Gram Sabhas in Dhaula and Harichandpur villages of Gurgaon district today, the President's Secretary Omita Paul said, "New techniques would be used for making the villages smart. We have come here to assist you and also make available the resources."

She said smart villages of Haryana would be developed on the pattern of development works done in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the last three to four years, a state government release said.
Top ranking institutes of the country have been included in the team for developing the smart villages, Paul said, adding people have to come forward if they want to make their villages "smart".
"Responsibility for upkeep of the area to be developed under this project would be on the villagers. Hence, it is important for the villagers to assist the team for making this project a success," she said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon, Viney Pratap Singh said this is the first time that panchayats will be directly linked with Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Paul asked the villagers to form a group of seven to eight people to assist the team of Rashtrapati Bhavan Secretariat in developing "smart villages" and prepare a list of four to five major projects so as to complete these in a phased manner.