Hyderabad: Riled by slow pace of works, government cracks whip on lax babus

• Sarpanches warned with action if they do not complete the work by end of this month

• Thousands of works have been identified in 12,700 Gram Panchayats during the two phases of the Palle Pragathi

• The achievement in the progress of the works being taken up under the Palle Pragathi is about 38 percent

Hyderabad: The officials of Panchayat Raj have begun cracking the whip on the sarpanches who have been negligent in completing the works being taken up under the Palle Pragathi programme.

The district collectors are issuing notices to the sarpanches who are unable to complete the works. The sarpanches have been warned with action if they do not complete the work by end of this month.

The Palle Pragathi has been launched in the State in last year to improve the living conditions of the residents of the villages.

The first round was held in September last year and the second round in January.

Thousands of works to construct soak pits, to establish nurseries, construct crematoriums, soak pits and dumping yards have been identified in 12,700 Gram Panchayats during the two phases. The government has released funds to take up the programmes. It has appointed special officers to check the progress of the works. It is of the view that the programme would change the face of the villages.

The district collectors are holding reviews periodically and reviewing the progress for the last two months. The data about the progress of the works is recorded online and the panchayat secretaries have been told to upload the progress regularly.

However, in some of the GPs the works are going at a slow pace. The achievement in the progress of the works being taken up under the Palle Pragathi is about 38 per cent. It has been planned to raise 18 crores saplings, to construct 44 lakh soak pits, to establish 7,000 crematoriums and 12,769 dumping yards.

Out of the 44 lakh soak pits planned, the achievement is 7 per cent so far. About 29 per cent of work has been done in completing the construction of dumping yards. The works of the crematoriums has been completed up to 80 per cent.

The officials have observed that Haritha Haram programme was going on at a slow pace. Out of the target of raising 19 crore plants bag filling has been done for 15 crore. Survival of nine crore plants has been achieved while 10 crores have been planted.

Apart from these activities relating to close the open wells, cleaning the roads, removing weeds also have been planned under Palle Pragathi. The officials have observed that these activities are also going on at slow pace.

The government has taken up the Palle Pragathi programme seriously and it has established flying squads with Indian Service officers to check the progress. The squads have been making surprise visits and filing reports to the PR department.