Finance panel member hails rural development in TG

The 16th Finance Commission member Ajay Narayan Jha has appreciated developmental activities being implemented in village panchayats in the State. He stressed the need to ensure that the local bodies function as institutions of local self-government.  
He, along with other members Manoj Panda, Joint Secretary KK Misra, Joint Director Davinder Choda, Deputy Director Abhishek Nandan and Assistant Director visited the Anantharam village under Bhongir mandal on Tuesday.
They first visited the village clinic and inspected the medical services being provided to patients, visited a photo exhibition on cleanliness drive, promotion of greenery and sanitation activities in the village. They also inspected the additional classrooms built in ZP High School. They interacted with the school children and later planted saplings on the school premises.
In a programme held on village panchayat office premises, they interacted with women from self-help groups.
Ajay Narayana Jha said that the Telangana State set an example for other states to emulate in development. He appreciated the implementation of developmental works in village panchayats taken up with the funds provided under the 15th Finance Commission recommendations. He expressed the hope that more developmental works would be implemented in villages the funds to be released under the 16th Finance Commission recommendations. He said that the services in the health and education sector should improve in the country. He stressed the need to improve Anganwadis further.
He praised the functioning of the self-help groups in Telangana.
Collector Hanumanthu K Zendage highlighted the uniqueness of Pochampalli weavers and spiritual development centres in Yadagiri Gutta and Kolanupaka Jain temples.
He said that the PHCs would be upgraded. A special officer has been appointed to each village panchayat to ensure sanitation and monitor drinking water supply at the field level. Special initiatives would be taken to promote greenery in the villages.
Health and Family Welfare Secretary Christina Chongthu, Medical and Health Commissioner RV Karnan, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Commissioner Anita Ramachandran, district local bodies additional collector K Gangadhar, ZP CEO Sobha Rani, district rural development agency official Nagireddy, District Medical and Health Officer Dr Yashoda, District Panchayat officer Sunanda, District Chief Planning officer Samuel, DEO Narasimha, former sarpanch, upa sarpanch, officials and elected people’s representatives took part in the event.