By Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network—Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Oct 2: Kavalapadooru grama panchayat has been selected for the ‘Gandhi Grama Award’ for 2014-15. The award is presented by the state government every year to promote performance of the grama panchayats in the state. The award will be presented by chief minister Siddaramaiah in a programme that will be held at the Vidhana Saudha on Friday October 2.

Several programmes are being held by the government in order to encourage transparency, accountability, and speed in the functioning of the panchayat system. The monetary incentive is paid after evaluating 90 percent to 95 percent of their performance. The award has been presented since 2013-14. It is hoped that the performance of the grama panchayat will be a model to other grama panchayats and an inspiration for them to perform better.

The incentive consists of Rs 5 lac in cash. A minimum of three grama panchayats per taluk get selected on priority through the taluk panchayat executive officer. However, the incentive is paid to one of them.

Out of 47 grama panchayats in Bantwal taluk, the development work conducted in Kavalapadooru grama panchayat includes independent toilets, employment under employment guarantee scheme, distribution of aid, basic necessities such as roads, bridges, clean drinking water, implementation of housing project, cleanliness, implementation of Sanjeevini Ajeevika Project, distribution of funds under 13th Finance Commission, utilization of funds as per legislation, auditing of accounts through local audit circle, implementation of minutes of monthly meetings, collection of taxes, and other development works.

Kavalapadooru grama panchayat office is situated on National Highway 234 Bantwal – Belthangady road. It includes Kavalapadooru and Kadabettu gramas. It has an area of 3,887 hectares. It has a population of 7,029 and 5,176 voters. It has 12 Anganwadi centers, a Morarji Desai School, two higher primary schools, one private aided school, a government high school, a pre-university college, one national bank, one primary agricultural co-operative bank, and 13 religious centers.

The award is presented for their performance for 2014-15 when Rohini was the president. She passed away last October. Abdul Razak became the president later. Vedava was the panchayat official. He is in Kavalapadooru at present. There are 18 members and five staff members in the grama panchayat. Former president Pramod Kumar Rai and Vedava will receive the awards from the chief minister.