Hyderabad: The TS government submitted a long wish-list to Union minister for rural development, panchayat raj, drinking water and sanitation Chaudhary Birender Singh, seeking funds for Internet, digitalisation of villages, besides other schemes and increasing job days under the MGNREGS from present 100 to 150.
Mr Singh, who visited NIRD in city, discussed various issues pertaining to panchayat raj and rural development in TS with state panchayat raj minister Jupally Krishna Rao when the latter called on him.
Mr Krishna Rao informed the Union minister that as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, funds were directly sent to gram panchayats leaving mandal and zilla parishads starved of funds.
“ZPs and MPs are starved of funds affecting development. Funds for drinking water schemes from the Centre have also been stopped. Funds should be provided to zilla and mandal parishads,” he pleaded.
Mr Krishna Rao said due to cancellation of grants to backward areas, development was stagnated and sought funds for these areas.
“About 500 gram panchayats have no tar roads hence funds should be released for these, besides building bridges,” he said.
Referring to severe drought in TS in the past two years, he said that the number of job days under MGREGS should be increased from 100 to 150 days.
The TS minister also sought additional funds for social audit and increase in administrative expenses from the present 6 per cent to 8 per cent, linking agriculture with MGREGS and taking up pilot projects in TS, planting of new saplings and water conservation in all kinds of soils, among others.
The Union minister gave a patient hearing and promised to convene a meeting in New Delhi soon to sort out the issues.
