Delhi delivers Rs.600 cr for smart villages

In a significant development towards building rural infrastructure, the Delhi cabinet approved the setting up of Delhi Village Development Board (DVDB) in a recent meeting, whereby, the body will take care of development works in around 300 villages at an investment of Rs.600 crore. Since many villages over the years have become urbanized, the rural development board's work too had got limited. The decision to have a village development board for both urbanized and rural areas is a way forward to achieve comprehensive development. Delhi Village Development Board will oversee construction of approach roads, link roads and roads inside the villages and will focus on the development of ponds & water bodies, cremation grounds, parks, play grounds, village libraries, drainage facilities, chaupals, barat ghars, community centres among others. The board will have the minister for development as its chairperson and two MLAs will be nominated by the government as vice-chairperson. Besides this, it will have all Delhi ministers, seven Delhi MPs, all MLAs, zonal chairpersons of all corporations and chief secretary of Delhi among others as members.