GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved a significant grant of Rs 489.95 crore for the construction of 2,055 new Gram Panchayat buildings as part of the Gram Panchayat Ghar cum Talati-Mantri Awas Yojana, aiming for complete saturation across the state.
To solidify the role of Gram Panchayats as essential units in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, CM Patel’s office announced the substantial grant through a press release.
The State Government’s Panchayat Department allocates funds from the annual budget to construct new Panchayat buildings for those that are dilapidated or nonexistent, along with residences for Talati-cum-Mantri officials. The facilities are built in accordance with assessed needs, according to the release.
As per the plan, villages with populations exceeding 10,000 will receive Rs 40 lakh; those with populations between 5,000 and 10,000 will get Rs 34.83 lakh; and villages with fewer than 5,000 residents will be allotted Rs 25 lakh to build Gram Panchayat Ghar cum Talati-Mantri Awas.
For the first time, the Chief Minister has approved Rs 489.95 crore for new Panchayat houses in 2,055 Gram Panchayats, based on population-determined unit costs. Consequently, most Gram Panchayats are expected to initiate construction of their own buildings within this year.
Additionally, the Panchayat Department is committed to achieving 100% construction of Panchayat houses for Gram Panchayats under various schemes, as stated in the release.
