VISAKHAPATNAM: There are still 62 lakh houses in the state without toilets, including 22,000 of elected representatives, said Panchayati Raj and Rural Development minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu. Taking part in Nirmal Grama Puraskarams presentation ceremony here Saturday, the minister said that more awareness among public and competitive spirit among sarpanchs was the need of the hour for development. The state government awarded the Puraskarams for 2013 to the Sarpanchs of 27 gram panchayats.
On the occasion, Ayyanna felt that after the measures taken by the government to eradicate open defecation, there are no toilets for almost 62 lakh houses in the state, apart from many not making efforts for constructing them. He said that awareness campaigns by village sarpanchs among the public and even with public participation was needed. Ayyanna said that the main aim of the Nirmala Grama Puraskarams was to encourage sarpanchs to take their job seriously and compete with others. Provision of drinking water, sanitation and Swacch Bharat Mission are the criteria for the awards.
Ayyanna said that they had received around 9,000 resolutions from the 13,000 panchayats for the dumping yard proposal, and questioned why the remaining 4,000 resolutions had not reached his ministry even after three months of notification.
He said that majority of the sarpanchs lack planning and don’t know how to seek funds and make use of NREGS.
The state government would conduct training classes for the sarpanchs and local heads from September 1 in their respective mandal headquarters. Ayyanna also said that they had recommended two terms for sarpanch to the Central government.
This would facilitate them to study and take measures for development. He also said that from the 14th Finance Commission the grants for the rural development would directly reach the gram panchayats.
A Total of 27 gram panchayats have been awarded Nirmal Grama Puraskaram, including eight villages each from Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts. The awardees are Kambili (Simhadripuram mandal), Ayyavaripalli (Vempalli mandal) of YSR Kadapa district, Rachuru (Bhattiprolu mandal), Krishnayapalem (Mangalagiri mandal), Kothamallayapalem (Prathipadu mandal), Ippatam, Kolanikonda, Undavalli (Tadepalle mandal) of Guntur district, Kakarlamudi (Vemuru mandal), Velivolu, Yarlagadda (Challapalli mandal) of Krishna district.
Cheemalapalli, Depperla, Somavaram, Yerravaram (Atchutapuram mandal), Arabupalem (Munagakapaka mandal), Kesvaram, Kothuru, Rajagopalapuram (Payakaraopeta mandal) of Visakhapatnam district, Bethapudi, Chinamiram, Komarada, Kothapusalamarru (Bhimavaram mandal), Vemuladeevi East (Narasapur mandal), Lankalakoderu, Ullamparru (Palacole mandal), Neggipudi (Penumantra) of West Godavari district.
Panchayati Raj and Rural Development commissioner B Ramanjaneyulu prioritised underground drainage system for implementation. Chodavaram MLA SNS Raju pointed out that most of the NREGS workers has not been receiving remuneration regularly.
HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju, the collectors of West Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts and sarpanchs from various villages took part.