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Govt. move to boost income of panchayats

Special Correspondent

"An increase in income will enable panchayats to spend money''

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Finance Commission has formulated recommendations to evolve infrastructure facilities for Panchayati Raj institutions in accordance with the Constitutional norms and will shortly submit them to the State Government. The Commission's Chairperson, Manikchand Surana, said in Udaipur on Tuesday that the suggestions dealing mainly with village panchayats would highlight the significance of augmenting the income of PRIs by promoting the works relating to agriculture. "An increase in income will enable village panchayats to spend money on their own,'' he said.

Mr. Surana, addressing a meeting of Collectors, Pradhans and Development Officers of Udaipur and Rajsamand districts, said the village panchayats would need to take up such works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme that ensures good financial returns. He said transfer of control over development-related Government departments to Zila Parishads would strengthen the latter. Besides, the PRIs had the liberty to exploit the revenue generating sources, such as issuing title deeds to those possessing land for long.

Mr. Surana pointed out that each of the six districts in Rajasthan selected for NREGS had been allocated Rs. 200 crores and said the money should be used to meet the development needs of the region. He asked the Development Officers to submit the details of income and expenditure during 2001-2004 to the Commission so that budget estimates for the future could be made.

Ajmer, Pushkar plans

Meanwhile, the State Government has formulated proposals worth Rs. 240 crores for launching long-term development works, in addition to evolving infrastructure facilities, in the pilgrim towns of Ajmer and Pushkar during the first year of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The proposals will be given final shape by this coming August 15.

Divisional Commissioner Deepak Upreti discussed the details of 12 projects worked out under the mission with the officials concerned at a meeting in Ajmer on Monday and asked a consultant firm, PD-Cor, to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for them.

State Local Self Government Secretary Manjit Singh said a committee headed by the Divisional Commissioner would finalise the DPR and monitor the progress of works. He said Rs.1,200 crores is proposed to be spent in the two towns during the next six years under JNNURM.

A presentation made in the meeting pointed out that the works to be taken up in Ajmer in the first year would include development of the old city area around Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's Dargah, conservation of Ana Sagar lake, solid waste management, renovation of central bus stand, construction of a road over-bridge and providing traffic facilities in accordance with the traffic master plan.

For Pushkar, the proposed works are conservation and development of Pushkar lake, laying of underground sewer lines, solid waste management and providing facilities to poor families. District Collector Rolly Singh said the Ajmer Municipal Council, the Urban Improvement Trust and the Pushkar Municipality would jointly ensure timely completion of works to meet the development needs of several years in future.

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