Like cities, Hry villages to have gyms, parks & libraries: Min

GURGAON: The state government is planning to prepare a blueprint to carry out developmental works in the villages. Under the project, each village will have an urban setup, including gymnasium, parks, e-libraries and open gyms, among other facilities. Devender Singh Babli, minister of development and panchayats, Haryana, while addressing an event in Farrukhnagar’s Gumana on Monday said the state government wants to develop villages on the lines of urban areas. The minister was interacting with the sarpanch and panchayat body members. “The government is determined to develop rural areas and we urge the public representatives to work on this vision of development,” he said. The minister added the development of villages would not be limited to maintaining streets and drains, and that the central and state governments have brought several development schemes which would change the infrastructure of the villages. A blueprint of each gram panchayat is under preparation and includes parks, community centres, youth clubs, hi-tech libraries and a treatment plant for water management. He said the garbage management system is also under consideration. “The government is planning to allot tenders at block level for disposal of waste,” Babli mentioned. In villages with a population of more than 10,000, the government will provide physical, social and economic infrastructure facilities on par with the urban areas.The minister said in the last quarter of the last financial year, the state government had released Rs 1,100 crore for the development of the villages. For the financial years 2023-24, more than Rs 4,000 crore were allotted. “We urge the panchayat to come with the projects which will help in increasing the income of the villages,” said Babli. While discussing the cow shelters, the minister also said that in the budget for 2023-24, the state government has increased the allocation of Gau Seva Aayog from Rs 50 crore to Rs 500 crore. “All these funds will be utilised for development of cow shelters,” said Babli.