Chandigarh: The Punjab government Tuesday approved a rural development scheme worth Rs 384.40 crore to supplement the ongoing works to build village infrastructure and provide essential amenities. Named ‘Smart Village Campaign’, the scheme would be financed with funds from the 14th Financial Commission and MGNREGA works, an official spokesperson said. The scheme was approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, he added.
The SVC is aimed at improving the condition of rural areas by supplementing the ongoing government schemes for building infrastructure and providing essential amenities, he said. Under the scheme, the deputy commissioners shall get proposals from the block development and panchayat officers and other sectoral departments, he said.
Projects worth Rs 25 lakh would be approved by a committee of deputy commissioner and additional deputy commissioner (Development) while those above Rs 25 lakh would be given sanction by a state-level committee headed by the joint development commissioner, he said. Punjab has a total of 13,276 villages in Punjab.