CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: A meeting of the Bhopal division was held today at the divisional commissioner’s office under the chairmanship of Madhya Pradesh State Finance Commission Chairman Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya. Pawaiya said practical policies are being prepared for better distribution of financial resources in villages and urban bodies. In this direction, the commission held a meeting today with public representatives and collectors. Pawaiya said everyone should work together to improve and develop villages. Divisional Commissioner Karmveer Sharma, collectors of all districts of Bhopal division, the municipal corporation commissioner, district panchayat CEOs and CMOs were present.
Addressing the meeting, Commission Chairman Pawaiya said the State Finance Commission is a constitutional institution whose main task is to distribute financial resources between the state government and local bodies, including panchayats and urban bodies. In the meeting, the divisional commissioner, collectors and district panchayat CEOs gave detailed information on district finances and grants, and on the financial position, transparency, quality and economic self-reliance of urban bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions in Bhopal division.
Divisional Commissioner Karmveer Sharma suggested that collectors and district panchayat CEOs of all districts prepare and send proposals for the renovation and conservation of cultural and tourist sites in their respective districts.
Bhopal Collector Priyank Mishra said that with the expansion of the city, several gram panchayats on the borders of urban bodies have become urbanised, but the right to collect tax does not rest with the gram panchayat. He said a separate arrangement should be made for self-revenue generation by such gram panchayats. Around 36 gram panchayats in Bhopal district have been urbanised, and a separate provision is needed for their self-revenue generation. He also suggested special grants for environment, cultural programmes and disaster management in gram panchayats.
Bhopal District Panchayat CEO Smt Ila Tiwari said a tax collection model has been started in Bhopal district through the Tax Sakhi Initiative, which has been appreciated across the country. In Bhopal district, gram panchayats received revenue of more than Rs 5 crore in 2025-26. She suggested GI tagging of taxable assets of gram panchayats.
Sehore Collector Balaguru K suggested preparing a business model for the economic strengthening of gram panchayats through local land-linked infrastructure, building permissions and local tax collection.
Vidisha Collector Anshul Gupta suggested special grants for community assets, libraries, gardens, gaushalas, environmental conservation and renovation of old stepwells and ponds in gram panchayats. He also suggested making gram panchayats financially strong, transparent and self-reliant through local tax collection from religious places, fairs and religious events.
Rajgarh Collector Dr. Girish Mishra suggested arrangements at the gram panchayat level for a suburban development planning policy, libraries, gardens, conservation of old stepwells and ponds, a special fund for forest fires and other natural disasters, and a special fund for disaster management at major religious events, religious places and fairs, along with fire brigade community assets.
In the meeting, Raisen Collector Arun Vishwakarma suggested making urban bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions financially strong, transparent and self-reliant. The commission appreciated the Sehore municipality for making its entire income and expenditure system online.
All officers discussed the core responsibilities of gram panchayats and bodies, sanitation, drinking water, quality of development works and measures to increase their own revenue sources. Possible innovations in urban and panchayat areas were also discussed.
Commission members K.K. Singh and Rishi Garg, Member Secretary Veerendra Kumar, Bhopal Collector Priyank Mishra, Sehore Collector Balaguru K, Raisen Collector Arun Vishwakarma, Rajgarh Collector Dr. Girish Kumar Mishra, Vidisha Collector Anshul Gupta, Bhopal Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sanskriti Jain, along with district panchayat CEOs of all districts and officers of urban bodies, were present.
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