In a bid to empower all the 226 talukas of the state, Gujarat government today held a programme relating to its ambitious ‘Chalo Taluke' campaign.

Speaking on the occasion Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi said that ‘Chalo Taluke' campaign will infuse a new vigor to the decentralized administrative mechanism. The campaign will be instrumental in taking the benefits of growth to the village level realizing the mantra of ‘Sauno Sath, Sauno Vikas' (Cooperation from all, growth for all) and will serve as a new model for the taluka development.

The campaign will be held during July 28 to September 8, covering all 225 talukas of the state, while a pilot campaign will be held initially on July 22 and 23. Teams comprising of in-charge ministers, guest ministers, in-charge secretaries and district officials–office bearers will stay for a full day in their allotted taluka and will give guidance on the development issues.

Giving details of the campaign Chief Minister said the state government aims at providing enough resources and infrastructural facilities to the villages to successfully implement the development plans on the root level. “State government wishes talukas to have beautiful schools, have its people empowered enough to fight malnutrition, have units for water management and not a single family living below poverty line”, he said.

Chief Minister exuded faith that the campaign will evoke appetite for growth in every taluka. With the success of ‘Chalo Taluke' campaign, the talukas will land themselves on the growth-route in a span of a single year, he said.

Revenue Minister Mrs. Anandiben Patel said that various programmes will be held at talukas level so as to enable them to work for their own empowerment, to plan for their own growth and to plan for rooting out poverty. At present, about 124 different services are being provided on the taluka level by the public service centre and Rs.182-crore has been allocated for it in the budget, she said.

Giving details of the campaign Revenue Minister said that a grant of Rs.375-crore has been allotted to the campaign. Teams of ministers and officials will go to the talukas and will fix the goals for them. They will also hold meet with the leading citizens of the talukas. Entire campaign will be concluded in 16 days covering 14 talukas everyday.

Finance Minister Mr. Vajubhai Vala, Agriculture Minister Mr. Dilip Sanghani, parliamentary secretaries, MLAs, state government office bearers and officials were present on the occasion.