"This amount is 56 per cent more compared to the amount spent for the same purpose in the current financial year," state Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar said here today.
He said that apart from this Rs 5,000 crore would be spent on development of the state during next three years with the assistance of National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development (NABARD), of which Rs 1,200 crore would be spent on development of 600 villages.
The minister in an official release said that the limit of funds to be spent by panchayats on development works had been doubled from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.
The government not only increased the honorarium of these representatives, but also put in place provisions to enhance their powers, he said.
He said that apart from this, arrangements have been made for separate funds for Zila Parishads and Block Samitis, and Gram Sachivalayas are being established in all villages to provide all services under a single roof.