Har govt sets up Smart Gram Development Authority

The Haryana government has set up the Haryana Smart Gram Development Authority (HSGDA) under the chairmanship of the chief minister to develop smart villages in the state.
A notification has been issued in this regard and the Development and Panchayat Minister would be the vice- chairperson of the authority, a spokesman of the Rural Development Department said today.
The HSGDA would oversee the formulation and implementation of plans for converting villages into 'smart grams'. It will also aggregate these plans for leveraging policy and programme support, he said.
Besides, it would also leverage resources by accessing central and state government schemes, corporate social responsibility funds and would recommend changes in the rules, regulations, acts and statutes hindering development of 'smart grams' to the Haryana government, the spokesman said.

He said that the authority would act as a platform for resolution of inter-sectoral and inter-departmental issues with a view to accelerate the development of 'smart grams'.
Also, it would design a strategic long-term policy and programme framework to improve basic amenities like roads, power supply, drinking water, sanitation and common government to consumer (G2C) services, the spokesman said.

It will also work on improving education, skill development and health care, and monitor their execution for improvements, he said.
The spokesman said that the HSGDA would provide advice and promote partnership between key stakeholders, government departments, educational and research institutions, and corporates for activities under the 'smart gram' initiatives.

Besides they will through a collaborative approach innovate and create and entrepreneurial support systems, he said.
The spokesman said that apart from the chairperson and the vice-chairperson, the HSGDA would have an executive vice- chairperson, members and the chief executive officer-cum- secretary HSGDA will be nominated by the chief minister.
He said that the headquarter of the HSGDA would be at the Directorate of Rural Development here.