GUWAHATI, Aug 9 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today directed the officers of the panchayat and rural development department to implement the schemes in a time-bound and transparent manner.
The Chief Minister reviewed the functioning of the department at a meeting held at the Janata Bhawan and directed the department officials to inform about the credentials of the block development officers to the MLAs so that their performance can be enhanced and corrupt BDOs can be kept in check.
Stating that the 14th Finance Commission has created an enormous opportunity for responsive local governance at the institutional level of the gaon panchayats, Sonowal said MLAs must be empowered to check accountability of the implementing agencies in their constituencies for development to take place at a faster pace.
Saying that gaon sabhas are the only institution that can effectively eliminate corruption where the villagers can directly question the panchayat presidents and other members on implementation of various schemes, Sonowal directed the P&RD department to start an awareness campaign about the good works carried by the department in the last one year by publishing a booklet and holding press events for dissemination of information.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the �Amar Gaon Amar Achoni� scheme conducted by the P&RD department at the village level to ensure proper social mobilisation for active participatory planning through which a buzz has been created for positive development.
Sonowal directed the department to set up a monitoring mechanism of joint commissioner level in the Barak Valley so that implementation of all welfare schemes can be ensured with transparency, which cannot be done from Guwahati. A separate office would also give confidence to the people of Barak Valley that the government is taking developmental steps for the valley seriously, he added.
Sonowal also said that with improved infrastructure in the villages rural tourism would receive a boost and asked the department to launch a programme to make the community involved in protecting the environment. The government�s plan to plant 10 crore saplings would also create an environment for rural flora and fauna to flourish and attract tourists to the villages of the State in large numbers, he added.
The Chief Minister directed Managing Director of Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission Nandita Hazarika to take steps to open stalls in all the townships of the State to showcase and sell products produced by local communities after being enabled through skill training.
Minister of State for P&RD Dept Naba Kumar Doley, Legal Adviser to the Chief Minister Santanu Bharali, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Additional Chief Secretary P&RD MGVK Bhanu, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Lohia and Commissioner P&RD JB Ekka among others were present at the meeting.
