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Centre to fund gram panchayats directly

The Centre has decided to provide funds directly to gram panchayats for rural development schemes from this year, in order to avoid interference by the state governments, Union Minister for Rural Development Sunderlal Patwa has said.

Addressing a kisan sammelan at the Raipur Krishi Upaj Mandi premises yesterday, Patwa said there was no dearth of funds for rural development and the BJP-led government was making efforts to correct the regional imbalances in development.

He said funds to the tune of Rs 50 billion were available with the Centre at present for road construction. Every year, Rs 25 billion accrued for road construction from the surcharge of Re one 1 on diesel. Half the amount would be spent on national highways and the rest on rural roads, he added.

The minister said the Centre was emphasising the need for constructing quality roads so that there was no need for repairs for ten years.

UNI

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