Jaipur, February 27 The national song will be sung every morning and the national anthem at the end of office hours in all Panchayati Raj offices across Rajasthan, Minister Madan Dilawar said.
The Panchayati Raj minister said that only products made in India would be used in all ministry offices. If foreign-made items are found to be in use, the cost would be recovered from the concerned official, with exemption granted only in unavoidable circumstances, he added.
Responding to the debate on the demand for grants to the Panchayati Raj Department in the Assembly on Thursday night, Dilawar said that the state government is moving forward with its commitment to strengthen villages and improve governance at the grassroots level.
Following the discussion, the House passed the department's grant demands by voice vote.
Dilawar said that the officials of the department will visit villages at least four times a month to hold "Ratri Chaupal" and stay overnight.
He said that officials who fail to undertake village visits will have their official vehicles withdrawn and deposited in the vehicle pool. He also said that officials will now be allowed to inspect areas beyond their assigned jurisdictions to improve monitoring.
The minister said that cattle shelters will be developed over 20 hectares of land, along with ponds and plantation drives, at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore.
"Pattas" (land titles) will be issued in the names of temples in rural residential areas based on drone surveys.
"This will help resolve issues related to water and electricity connections and land ownership disputes," he said.
Dilawar said that all villages in the state will be illuminated with streetlights and a special drive will be launched to remove encroachments, including from ponds.
The minister informed the house that rural development schemes and construction works were being uploaded on a portal to enhance transparency.
The minister said, similar to municipal rules, licenses will now be mandatory for meat sales in gram panchayats. He said sales will be permitted only in commercial shops with valid health certificates, and strict action will be taken against violators.
Raising concerns over clerk recruitment-2013, Dilawar said serious irregularities had come to light, including fake experience certificates and manipulated mark sheets, and announced that the matter would be referred to the SOG for investigation.
