Maharashtra, which is the second largest state in India in terms of population, is one of the fastest urbanised states with 45.2% people residing in urban areas, according to the 2011 census, compared to 38.69% in 1990-91 and 42.43% in 2000-01.
On lines of Centre's plans to develop smart cities across the country, the state government is planning to build up 'smart villages' with amenities like roads, renewable energy, health and drainage facilities. In addition, villages will get a village development plan (VDP) to ensure their planned development unlike the present system where these amenities are planned in an arbitrary manner.
Maharashtra, which is the second largest state in India in terms of population, is one of the fastest urbanised states with 45.2% people residing in urban areas, according to the 2011 census, compared to 38.69% in 1990-91 and 42.43% in 2000-01. However, the state, which is spread over a 3.08 lakh sq km area with a census population of 11.24 crore, also has 40,959 villages.
"The smart gram scheme is envisaged by the rural development department. We have been designing it for the past few months and have conducted surveys and studies. We will prepare this keeping in mind (factors like) use of renewable energy, underground drainage, health and cleanliness, to make villages complete and ease pressure on cities," said rural development minister Pankaja Munde, adding that the plan was at the final stages. This would also involve convergence of the department's various schemes.
"Smart villages will also help make cities smart," noted Munde.
She said all villages would have a VDP, which would create durable physical assets. The plan will be prepared in consultation with local gram panchayats and gram sabhas and the development funds allocated by members of Parliament and legislators will have to be used for activities and amenities earmarked in this VDP.
This planned development would channelise funding to the villages and create durable assets.
Munde said she would make a presentation about the smart village scheme before chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and then put it before the state cabinet. The eligibility of these villages will be decided on comprehensive parameters like whether the primary health centres there are operational, percentage of institutional deliveries, sex ratio, the rise or fall in girl child numbers. "We will try to operationalise around 400 villages at one go, though the final figure will be decided in the presentation," she added.
"Presently, schemes like dispute free village and village cleanliness schemes are award oriented. They will be converged (into the smart villages scheme)," noted Munde, adding that the focus would be on use of renewable energy and sustainable environment.
She listed Anna Hazare's village of Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahmednagar and Popatrao Pawar's Hivare Bazar as some ideal villages and added that the work done by the people from Patoda in Aurangabad and Deogaon near Melghat was also laudable.
"In Patoda, the roads including motorable ones, are made of paver blocks and not of cement as cement roads lead to an increase in the heat and prevent water from percolating into the ground," Munde said, adding that women also effectively collected levies like water usage fees.
After the Centre's 'Adarsh Gaon' scheme for members of Parliament, the state too announced a similar ideal village scheme for legislators to adopt villages and target schemes to them.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Hazare")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}