KCR meets local body representatives, calls for active development of villages

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has called upon the newly elected local body representatives to play an active role in the development of the village region with Gram Swaraj as their aim.

The Chief Minister on Tuesday held a meeting with the newly elected chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the Zilla Parishad at Pragati Bhavan here. He explained to them the steps that are to be taken to strengthen the Panchayat Raj institutions, the responsibilities of the elected representatives.

"Panchayat Raj was a great movement. It was formulated soon after the independence of the country. Local self-rule was initiated to make states more independent and for decentralisation of power. Centralised administration had not yielded results on the field. Panchayati Raj movement was aimed at development locally. For a long period, local bodies functioned in tune with the spirit of the Panchayat Raj movement. Sanitary programme used to be the best. Unfortunately, that spirit had lost these days," Rao explained.

"After 70 years of independence, go to any village the unhygienic conditions will baffle you. Villages have become huge trash bins, why this degeneration? Why cry for drinking water? Telangana is very much in the villages. If we develop the village properly, the state will develop. You are all educated and hence can understand things in the right perspective. Vow to develop the villages. The change should be brought in the villages, which are in dire straits now. The change should be a qualitative one," he urged.

KCR also announced the release of Rs 10 crore from the CM Special Development Fund for the Zilla Parishad which stands first in reaching the target.

"In the past, ZP Chairpersons have no major work. Recently when I met the Central Finance Commission, I have explained to them about our system. I told them that ZP Chairpersons here are given the status of Minister of State. I also told that ZP Chairpersons would work actively henceforth. The Finance Commission Chairman has assured that necessary financial help will be provided," Rao said.

"We have been thinking to strengthen the system. We will transfer all the powers and responsibilities as guaranteed under the Constitution. Never in the past, we got 32 ZP results one-sided. This has enhanced your responsibilities and workload. Your role should be higher. ZPs should become active, your duties and responsibilities should be strengthened," he observed.

In another significant announcement, Rao said a training workshop would be conducted for the newly-elected chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the Zilla Parishad in Hyderabad shortly.