BENGALURU: Do houses in your panchayat limits have toilets? If yes, 3 marks! Are these toilets widely used? If yes, 2 marks! The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) has hit upon a novel idea to motivate panchayats. The officials will conduct an ‘exam’ for 150 marks covering various aspects. The top three panchayats in each taluk will get a cash award of Rs 5 lakh each. In Karnataka, there are over 6,000 gram panchayats. RDPR has invited applications from these village bodies for the ‘Gandhigrama Puraskar’ award.
“All the panchayats have to write this ‘paper’ and the questions have to be filled online. It has to be endorsed by the Panchayat chairman and Panchayat Development Officer. The same will be verified later,’’ said the government order issued by RDPR Principal Secretary on August 14.
According to the questionnaire obtained by TNIE, there will be 80 questions. The questions have been divided into many segments - resource mobilisation by panchayat (tax collection and other means), utilisation of grants, MNREGA scheme, drinking water, streetlights, housing, sanitation, solid waste management, punctual Gram Sabha meetings, Sakaala services, RTI reply, staff management, novel and innovative initiatives, quality life based on children’s health and many more.
A senior official said that they give grants under various schemes to the panchayats. In spite of asking them to focus on resource mobilisation, conduct meetings on time and many more, many of the panchayats still do not follow it. “By providing such a questionnaire and awarding cash prize, panchayats will feel encouraged and motivated. Their reply will give us data on the status of schemes and funds. We can work according to that,” the official said.
Some of the interesting questions along with marks
Q: Tax collection target?
A: 100% (4 marks), 80% (3 marks), 60% (2 marks), less than 60% (1 mark)
Q: Are job cards given to all beneficiaries?
A: Yes ( 2 marks), Fewer people (1 mark), No (0 marks)
Q: Drinking water supplied to all?
A: All houses ( 3 marks), Fewer houses (2 marks) No (0 marks)
Q:Do you have sufficient streetlights?
A: Yes (3 marks), Less ( 2 marks), No (0 marks)
Q: Waste segregation done scientifically?
A: Yes (3 marks), Less ( 2 marks), No (0 marks)
Q: Is panchayat completely literate?
A: Yes (2 marks), No (0 marks)