As Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are the backbone of rural development, the Himachal Pradesh government is laying emphasis on strengthening them for the holistic development of rural areas

A state government official said the state government has constituted 412 new gram panchayats to facilitate the people and also ensure rapid development of the rural areas.

In the year 2018-19, Rs 850.17 crore were sanctioned under the 14th Finance Commission to gram panchayats for various development works out of which about Rs 700 crore have been spent. In the year 2020-21 under the 15th Finance Commission, the Centre government provided Rs 429 crore for panchayats, and in the year 2021-22, a provision of Rs 317 crore was made for developmental works in panchayats.

In the last four years, Rs 429 crore has been provided for gram panchayats under the recommendations of the State Finance Commission while a provision of Rs 248 crore was made for the development of rural areas in 2021-22, he said.

The official stated that District Resource Centres were being set up in district Sirmaur with an expenditure of Rs 5.65 crore, in district Kinnaur with an expenditure of Rs 3.65 crore, and in district Una with an expenditure of Rs 5.50 crore.

Besides, the state government has released Rs 7 crore for up-gradation and restoration of gram panchayat buildings, and work on 69 panchayat buildings has been completed at an expense of Rs 5.71 crore. Rs 27.44 crore has been released for the construction of Lok Sewa Kendra in gram panchayat out of which about Rs 16.45 crore have been spent to facilitate the people.

The state government has also released Rs 5.38 crore for the training of elected representatives and officials of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rs 2.44 crore has been spent on the training of 5,124 participants. The Centre government also approved Rs 164.43 crore for various schemes under which training of representatives and officials of PRIs, District Panchayat Resource Centres, 389 panchayat buildings, construction of 1,924 Common Service Centre and purchase of computer systems in newly constituted gram panchayats are included.

In addition, in order to keep pace with digital India, the state government is laying emphasis on digitisation of panchayats. Taking a step forward in this direction, the pariwar register in gram panchayats has been made online from 1st April 2018 and an online copy of pariwar register was being provided to the people. The preparation of schemes and audit work in gram panchayats of the state were being done through various software. With an expenditure of Rs 2 crore, 412 new gram panchayats have been linked with e-panchayats, he added.