Gujarat govt allocates Rs 29.75 crore for development works linked to I-Day celebrations

Gandhinagar, Aug 12 (AHN) The Gujarat government has allocated Rs 29.75 crore for development works across the state in connection with the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, with Amreli set to receive Rs 10 crore as the venue for this year’s state-level function.

The General Administration Department issued an order on Wednesday under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, providing grants for development works associated with Independence Day celebrations at the state, district and taluka levels.

The allocation includes Rs 10 crore for Amreli district, Rs 8.25 crore for the remaining 33 districts and Rs 11.50 crore for villages selected to host taluka-level celebrations.

The state-level Independence Day function will be held in Amreli this year. As the district does not have a municipal corporation, the Rs 10 crore grant will be divided equally between urban and rural development.

Municipalities in Amreli district will receive Rs five crore for development works, while another Rs five crore will be provided for rural works through the Amreli District Panchayat.

The government has been holding state-level national festival celebrations at locations outside Gandhinagar as part of a practice introduced in 2003.

The policy links the hosting of such events with development works in the areas where the celebrations are held.

With Amreli hosting the state-level event, the district-level Independence Day celebrations will be organised at selected taluka headquarters in the remaining 33 districts.

The government has sanctioned Rs 25 lakh for development works in each of these districts, taking the total allocation to Rs 8.25 crore.

At the taluka level, celebrations will be organised across the state, except in Ahmedabad and Junagadh cities, covering selected villages in 230 rural talukas.

A grant of Rs five lakh has been earmarked for development works in each village selected as a venue, resulting in a total allocation of Rs 11.50 crore.

The combined allocation is therefore Rs 29.75 crore — Rs 10 crore for the state-level celebration in Amreli, Rs 8.25 crore for district-level celebrations in the other 33 districts and Rs 11.50 crore for taluka-level celebrations.

The government order states that the development works will be selected and implemented according to the prescribed procedure and within the stipulated timeframe.

Authorities will also be required to submit progress reports and details of grant utilisation, along with utilisation certificates.

The latest allocation follows the state government's decision earlier this month to increase development grants for districts hosting state-level national celebrations.

Under the revised provisions, a host district with a municipal corporation can receive up to Rs 15 crore for rural, municipal and municipal corporation areas. In comparison, districts without a municipal corporation can receive up to Rs 10 crore.