Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development E. Dayakar Rao requested Union Minister of State for Panchayat Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil to raise the grant being given to Telangana under the 15th Finance Commission funds rural local bodies, as it is much lesser than the 14th Finance Commission grant.
Mr. Rao called on the Union Minister, who is on a visit to the State, to explain various rural development programmes being implemented in Telangana. The Union Minister was said to have assured of looking into the matter. Mr. Rao also requested him to sanction ₹200 crore for construction of 1,000 gram panchayat buildings in the State, for which the latter responded positively.
According to officials of the PR&RD Department, the Union Minister complimented the State for implementing ‘Palle Pragathi’ programme to resolve long-pending problems in villages in a planned manner.
He also complimented the State government for utilising the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) for construction of dumping yards and graveyards and changing the face of villages with programmes taken up under ‘Palle Pragathi’.
Mr. Rao sought Central assistance for capacity building of panchayat secretaries and other staff of gram panchayats. He was accompanied by secretary (PR&RD) Sandeep Kumar Sultania during the meeting with the Union Minister.
Later, the MoS went for a visit to Vellanki and S. Lingotam villages of Yadadri-Bhongir district for examining various rural development programmes being implemented.
