Chirag Gupta
Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 2,615 Panchayat Government Buildings and the State Panchayat Resource Center in Sonpur, with a total investment of Rs 7,160 crore under the Panchayati Raj Department. This significant event was conducted through video conferencing. Alongside the foundation laying, the Chief Minister also inaugurated 13 District Panchayat Resource Centers, 65 Panchayat Government Buildings, the E-Gram Kachhari Court Management System, and the District Council Portal.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister expressed his satisfaction in laying the foundation for such a large number of Panchayat Government Buildings, emphasizing the importance of establishing a robust system within the Panchayati Raj institutions that mirrors that of the state government. He noted that the concept of these buildings is to facilitate comprehensive services to the public, and he aims to ensure that each Gram Panchayat has its own dedicated building.
CM Nitish highlighted the progress made thus far, revealing that out of a total of 8,053 proposed Panchayat buildings, approvals have been granted for 6,858, with 1,548 already completed while the remainder is under construction. He instructed district officials to promptly identify suitable land for the construction of the remaining 1,195 Panchayat Government Buildings to expedite the development process.
In addition to the new buildings, Kumar discussed the installation of solar panels on the roofs of the Panchayat Government Buildings to help reduce electricity costs. He set a target for all Panchayat Government Buildings to be completed by June 2025 and called for improved maintenance of these facilities. The inauguration also included the unveiling of 13 District Panchayat Resource Centers at the district level, as well as the foundation stone for the State Level Resource Center in Sonpur.
The Chief Minister also addressed ongoing initiatives under the Saat Nishchay-2 program, including the installation of solar street lights in rural areas. Since 2021, significant progress has been made, with plans to install an average of 10 solar street lights in every ward, and additional lights in larger wards as necessary. The target is to install a total of 11,75,740 solar street lights across 1,09,321 wards in the state, with 3,75,000 being inaugurated at the event.
He reiterated the importance of completing the installation of the remaining 8,00,740 solar street lights by March 2025. Kumar criticized the previous government’s lack of progress in the energy sector, stating that his administration has successfully provided electricity to every household in the state.
Under the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, Kumar mentioned that valuable feedback and issues have been communicated from various Panchayat representatives. He urged all representatives to work collaboratively towards the timely completion of the Panchayat Government Buildings and solar street lights, assuring them of continued support from the state government in addressing their concerns.
The event concluded with a short documentary showcasing the achievements of the Panchayati Raj Department. Kumar was welcomed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department, Mihir Kumar Singh, who presented him with a green plant. The program also featured remarks from Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, as well as Panchayati Raj Minister Kedar Prasad Gupta and Building Construction Minister Jayant Raj, along with other dignitaries connected via video conferencing.
