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Village amenities to be upgraded

By Our Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH SEPT. 30. The Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh, O.P. Verma, today ordered a comprehensive survey of all the villages to provide urban amenities to the rural areas and to bring the villages of Chandigarh at par with the urban areas.

Justice Verma was reviewing the progress of the various projects at a meeting with senior officers here today. He highlighted that civic amenities and infrastructure in rural areas of Chandigarh must be brought at par with urban areas so that the overflow of urban population is lured to settle in rural areas. Moreover, urban population, especially of Chandigarh, is hardly paying any taxes but major budgetary component is spent in upgrading and maintaining the infrastructure in urban areas. He said that focus of the Administration must shift to rural areas to reverse the trend of migration.

He asked the Deputy Commissioner to conduct an extensive survey of all the villages to understand the macro as well as micro requirements of every village. After the survey, three or four villages should be selected in the first phase which could be included for upgradation of infrastructure in successive years. He said the infrastructure of all the villages should be upgraded within three years in a phased manner.

Emphasizing the need for decentralization and giving more powers to the Panchayats and rural elected bodies, he said that time had come to empower the Panchayats, especially in the areas of sanitation and local governance, so that they could become responsible as well as accountable for maintenance of their villages.

He asked the officiating Adviser to identify the rural schools which could be upgraded and said that efficient and dedicated teachers should be posted in such schools. Rural schools showing good results must be rewarded and recognized, he added.

The Deputy Commissioner, Arun Kumar, gave a presentation regarding progress in various projects in Model Village, Kaimbwala. He said that work on storm water drainage system had already started. Link road to Saketri was being completed on war footing which would enable villagers of Kaimbwala to go for shopping in Saketri as well as in Manimajra.

The Administrator instructed the Deputy Commissioner to personally monitor the progress of every project.

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