J'khand to observe 2017 as Garib Kalyan Varsh: Raghubar Das

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said the state will observe 2017 as "Garib Kalyan Varsh (year for benefit of the poor)".
He said this while addressing a programme - Hamari Yozana, Hamari Vikas (our schemes, our development) - at Asanpahadi panchayat in Kathikund block of Dumka district.
Das said development projects would be made at gram sabhas.
Stating that grama sabhas were a dream of Mahatma Gandhi and that management of local schools would also be given to gram sabhas, the CM said a time would come when villages would become BPL-free and would be on the path of development.

By March 2018, electricity would reach to 30 lakh houses, he said.
It was a pleasant surprise for the people of Asanpahari village as they saw a Chief Minister for the first time since Independence, sitting with them in the gram sabha, chaired by village head Harinarayan Giri.

Das said gram sabhas of all 32,702 villages were the path to development.
The villagers said they would like to promote a paper mill as part of cottage industry and they would either engage in bamboo cultivation or would give barren land to such persons who would like to run a paper mill.

Das advised to go for small check dams for irrigation purpose, besides other small water bodies.
The gram sabha approved for lending barren land to set up small industries and supported the CM's suggestion to establish a cow dung bank and plant.
When Das told the gram sabha to give importance to women in gram sabhas, the villagers took a pledge not to marry away girls until they attainment 18 years age and also pledged to educate the girl child.
Through Asanpahadi gram sabha, the Das cautioned 4,402 mukhias in the state that if meetings were not held every month they would be changed through elections, an official release said.

Works should be initiated with the approval of gram sabhas, he said.
Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma, Principal Secretary (Rural Development) M S Bhatia, Panchayat Raj Secretary Vandana Dadel, Santhal Pargana Commissioner Baleshwar Singh, Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar were among several officials present at the programme.