Haryana announces Rs 50-lakh grant for panchayat samitis

New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) Haryana has announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for each Panchayat Samiti in the state to further empower them. Making this announcement here today while addressing representatives of Rewari Zila Parishad, Panchayats and Block Committees, state Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda called upon the local bodies in the state to contribute to building a new Haryana. This is for the first time that the Panchayat Samitis have been given such a big annual grant, an official release said. The Panchayats earlier had an expenditure limit of up to Rs three lakh, which has been increased to Rs five lakh. The government has now decided that money be directly sent to the accounts of Panchayats. Hooda hoped that the Panchayats would properly use the money. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner used to be the Chairman of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), but now the Chairperson of Zila Parishad will be the President of the Agency. The delegation that met the chief minister was led by Chairperson of Rewari Zila Parishad Promila Yadav, besides Sarpanches, Panches and members of Panchayat Samities. Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and President of Zila Congress Rural Gurgaon Jitender Bhardwaj were also present.