Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday issued appointment letters to 1,950 persons appointed through UPSSSC. These included 1,526 gram panchayat officers, 360 gram vikas officers (social welfare), and 64 social welfare supervisors. He said that in 7.5 years, his government had recruited over 7 lakh people in government service. Private sector jobs had also increased in the state as law and order had improved significantly and there was massive investment taking place in the state, the CM said.
Accusing the previous governments of corruption in the recruitment process, the CM said that before 2017, there were job seekers who despite their competence and qualifications, could not make it through the selection process."Jobs were granted based on influence and money, and not merit. Many capable candidates were unable to secure positions because their families didn't have the financial resources or connections," he said.
He said that earlier, many youths from UP were forced to look for jobs in other states and even abroad. Now, they were getting opportunities near their homes, allowing them to balance work and family. To facilitate this, the CM said that most gram panchayat officers and candidates selected for roles in the panchayati raj department had received appointments in the districts where they live.
He highlighted that in this round of selections, a young tribal from the Tharu community had also received an appointment letter, marking a step forward in tribal empowerment. A large number of women had also been appointed, he said, which was an "encouraging sign of women's empowerment in the state".
Talking about the importance of gram panchayats, the CM said that they helped in realising the vision of Gram Swaraj, as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi. Similarly, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a vision for a self-reliant and developed India by 2047, the centenary year of Independence.
"The foundation for a self-reliant India starts at the grassroots, and our gram panchayats are the building blocks of this vision. The panchayati raj department has empowered gram panchayats to undertake 29 different types of development activities. In the past, gram panchayats lacked infrastructure, and many gram pradhans worked from home, often delaying or missing out on creating and implementing action plans which then led to underutilisation of funds," the CM said, adding that now over 57,000 gram panchayats in UP were equipped with village secretariats with facilities like optical fibre, internet and Wi-Fi.
He asked gram panchayats to not rely solely on central and state funds, but also explore ways to generate local resources and move towards self-reliance. "Every gram panchayat has some surplus land, and there are village markets that can be developed into rural hubs," the CM said.
The CM instructed the panchayati raj department to prepare a proposal to optimise the use of funds. He suggested that in the first phase, the state government would match the amount the panchayats collect from their local resources to further boost development. He also discussed the concept of ‘smart villages'.
He stressed the need to set up waste management systems with public participation, street lights and CCTV cameras in key areas and installation of public address systems in villages to enhance communication.
Speaking on the importance of utilising local resources, the CM said that construction of compost pits on reserve land, grazing areas, and cow shelters should be carried out.
He also urged village leaders to identify residents who have not yet benefited from government schemes and ensure that they were registered under the applicable programmes.
The CM further said that fair price shops are being developed as models near village secretariats, where not only government ration, but also other goods can be distributed. The rent from these shops will be deposited in the gram panchayat's account, creating another revenue stream for local development.
He emphasized the need for initiative and effort in bringing about changes, saying that government funds must be used wisely. "If funds are used effectively, gram panchayats will become self-reliant, developed, and an ideal model for others to follow. Such efforts would give village leaders a new identity and recognition," the CM said.