LED bulbs to light up 25 villages

Panchayat Raj MInister Jupally Krishna Rao directs the officials to identify the villages

Hyderabad: Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Jupally Krishna Rao directed the officials to identify 25 gram panchayats for setting up LED bulbs on pilot basis.At a review meeting at the State Secretariat here on Monday, the Minister discussed the need for LED bulbs distribution in the villages,

filling of vacant posts and promotions for panchayat secretaries and providing water and other basic facilities for the workers of employment guarantee scheme, taking up road laying and other works in villages. Chief Secretary S P Singh, Finance Principal Secretary Ramakrishna Rao and other officials were present in the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Krishna Rao said LED bulbs would be fixed at the selected 25 village panchayats in the first phase and the rest in the following phases. “We have to assess the reduction in power consumption on using the LED bulbs and take necessary measures accordingly,” he said.

Of 78 village panchayats that came forward to avail ED bulbs scheme, the officials should first select only 25 panchayats to set up the facility on pilot basis. The government is going for the LED bulbs to save power and lessen the burden of bills by the consumers at various levels. He also felt the need for giving promotions to the panchayat secretaries for improving services at rural level besides filling vacant posts.

The Panchayat Raj Minister stressed the need for focusing on providing basic amenities to the workers, including tents for shade, drinking water, ORS packets and medical kits. He also said since day hours were unbearable due to continuing heat wave and scorching sun, the workers of employment guarantee scheme should avoid working during day hours. Those villages without road facility so far would get priority and the concerned departments should plunge into immediate action, he said.

Referring to pension proposals to single women, Krishna Rao said the government had so far received 1.42 lakh applications. “Now, we have to scrutinise the same and ensure that all the eligible single women get pension to be offered by the government on June 1 to mark Telangana State Formation Day,” he said. There shall not be any sort of problem or inconvenience to the women seeking pension, the Minister said.