10 years of Telangana: Palle Pragathi sets benchmark for village development in India

HYDERABAD: As Telangana celebrates its 10th anniversary, the state government's Palle Pragathi (village development) programme has etched its name as a game-changer initiative.

The programme was launched in 2018 by Chief Minister K Chandrahsekhar Rao, who is committed to bringing about the village swaraj (self-rule) that Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of.

Palle Pragathi aims to improve the quality of life in rural areas by undertaking a wide range of development activities, including infrastructure development, sanitation, and social welfare.

Right from the get go, the programme has had a transformative impact in Telangana in the following areas.

Infrastructure development

Under the rural development programme, a total of Rs 13,528 crore has been spent under which every gram panchayat in Telangana has been equipped with a tractor, trolley and tanker to carry out developmental activities.

Sanitation

New toilets have been built and waste management systems have been implemented which has improved sanitation and ensured hygiene in every village across the state. Since the launch of the programme, Rs 279.10 crore has been spent on 12,753 gram panchayats for the construction of village dumping yards.

It is not just hygiene, Chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had directed that under the Palle Pragathi initiative, every village in Telangana should have a ‘Vaikunta dhamam’ — final resting place — for people to cremate their near and dear ones. In this regard, orders were passed and construction of

Vaikunthadhamas have been completed in 12,745 gram panchayats at a cost of Rs 1,329.73 crores.

Green Drive

KCR had stated that while forests were cut down in the past, villages in Telangana should become abodes of greenery. Thus under Palle Pragathi, functional nurseries were established in 12,756 gram panchayats at a cost of Rs 238.09 crores. As many as 20.16 crore plants have been raised so far in these nurseries. Apart from this, 6.61 crore saplings have been planted in villages at a cost of Rs 118.68 crores. Brihat Palle Nature Parks have been established too in 1,552 mandals at a cost of Rs 34.79 crores

KCR had envisioned that Palle Pragathi should become a fitting tribute to the state's progress. The programme is already playing a vital cog in the state's development and iis sure to continue and make a positive impact on the lives of rural residents for many years to come.