Gujarat Chief Minister launched the Smart Village programme
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel on 22 May 2014 launched the Smart Village programme to improve public facilities in villages.
• It was conceptualized on the lines of Smart Cities initiative of the Union Government under which 100 cities were chosen for infrastructure development.
• Under the Smart Village programme, 300 villages will be selected.
• Villages will be shortlisted by the state-level committee consisting of experts on the basis of Gram Panchayat’s performance through a transparent process.
• The objective of the programme is to make villages self-reliant, clean and hygienic.
• Toilets, cleanliness, drop-out rate in primary schools, malnutrition ratio, Anganwadi facilities, vaccination of children, ATVT services are some of the parameters on which a village will be adjudged as a Smart Village.
• These villages will get 80 lakh to 2 crore rupees cash assistance from the State government to implement the programme.