In a huge boost to the panchayati raj institution (PRI), the construction of 400 panchayat bhavans-cum-common service centres (CSC) in Arunachal Pradesh has been approved by the panchayati raj ministry. The target will be villages located along the international border. This will be a big boost for the PRI in the state. The construction of panchayat bhavans will help the PRI leaders, who are considered to be grassroots representatives. Many of them do not have proper office infrastructure and are functioning from their homes.
These PRI leaders are also elected representatives and deserve certain facilities. The state government on several occasions promised to give more power and resources to the PRI institution but the promises remain only on paper. The decision of the government of India to sanction funds for the construction of 400 panchayat bhavans is therefore welcome. However, in the past, we have seen how funds sanctioned by the government of India are often misused. The schemes are not properly implemented on the ground. The state government should make sure that this is not repeated while implementing the scheme for the construction of panchayat bhavans. Proper monitoring should be done by the authorities and the building should be constructed without compromising with quality and design.