'Game-changer' rural development scheme 'Grama Jyothi' launched in Telangana

Hyderabad: Touted as a “game-changer” in rural development, a mega programme which aims at comprehensive development of villages was on Monday launched in Telangana. The programme - ‘Grama Jyothi’ was launched by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Warangal district’s Gangadevipalli village, which has won awards and appreciation from various quarters for its innovative development activities. Speaking on the occasion, Rao stressed on making collective efforts for the development of villages and announced an amount of Rs 10 crore for the hamlet and urged its representatives to take up drip irrigation for better cultivation of crops. [caption id=“attachment_287220” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] K Chandrasekhar Rao. Screen grab from CNN-IBN.[/caption] Several state ministers participated in the functions related to ‘Grama Jyothi’ at different places. Panchayat Raj and IT Minister K T Rama Rao, son of the Chief Minister, took part in ‘Grama Jyothi’ at Aziz Nagar in Ranga Reddy district. Interacting with villagers, the minister sought their views to resolve the local problems. “With ‘Grama Jyothi’, the rural people will decide priorities of their developmental needs and government will act accordingly. We understand that every village has its own set of problems and priorities and needs, which demands separate planning.” “We want the Aziznagar village development plans to be written in the Aziznagar Grama Sabha and not in Assembly or Secretariat,” Rama Rao maintained. “This is the sole theme of ‘Grama Jyothi’,” an official release in Hyderabad quoted the minister as saying. According to the minister, the flagship scheme will be a “game-changer” towards inclusive and holistic development of hitherto backward villages. The government will incentivise villages that achieve 100 per cent targets in the areas of sanitation, immunisation, nutrition, literacy and green cover, Rama Rao said. The IT Minister appreciated the gram panchayat for achieving 100 per cent tax collection and assured all possible help from government to the villages. He claimed that all villages in Telangana will have proper road connectivity in the next four years. PTI