Panchayat Raj taxes to be used for rural development: Nirmal district

​Nirmal: The district and mandal level departments have collected 100% taxes from the 40 villages of the total 240 villages in the Nirmal district.

The collections have been fruitful and swift that the collected amount could be spent on the welfare of the villages facing any issues with sanitation and other areas which need funds to develop.

The higher officials have passed orders to the village panchayats to start collecting the taxes which were pending due to the demonetisation of the high currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 on November 8 last year.

Of the 40 villages which have cleared 100% taxes, an unbelievable amount of Rs. 3.74 crore was collected.

On an average with a collection percentage of 61.5, Nirmal district had soared up to sixth spot in tax collections around the Telangana State.

There are total of 240 village panchayats which come under the purview of the Nirmal district. Taxes are collected by the Revenue department on property, water, house, transfer of property.

The money that is collected through these taxes, in turn, is used for taking up social welfare measures.

After the Centre decided on demonetisation, the payments on taxes rose so high that almost all the issues around most of the villages could be solved. Situations at most of the villages were so bad that it became difficult for passers-by to take a walk.

Roads conditions were poor and defecation was a major problem in most of the villages. But, as a welcome move, the district was granted Rs. 10.16 crore under the welfare activities which helped the newly formed district to shape itself to the best level.

The sarpanchs of the villages have completed three years of their tenure and the remaining two years could be very crucial for them in taking up the developmental and welfare programmes with the surplus money on taxes.

'Grama Jyoti' program also played a crucial role in helping the gram panchayats to hold meetings on a regular basis focussing on welfare activities.

Earlier, most of the welfare activities were just on paper and they were not put in practice. Soon after the Grama Jyoti' program, the efforts by the panchayat have been in full swing and unstoppable.

Speaking to The Hans India, here on Wednesday, district panchayat-raj officer Narayana said that already 40 villages around the district have already paid their taxes fully.

He expressed the hope that the remaining 200 villages would also clear their tax dues so that the government could take up developmental programmes.