Biometric systems in rural Maha

There will soon be biometric systems in schools and government offices in rural areas to keep a check on attendance.

There will soon be biometric systems in schools and government offices in rural areas to keep a check on attendance.

HT Image

The state Rural Development Minister, Jayant Patil, talked about the roadmap for rural Maharashtra at Gram Sabha 2010, a seminar held at Matunga’s Welingkar Institute of Management on Thursday.

The two-day seminar had presentations from management practitioners, policy advisors, ministers and sarpanchs.

The biometric or fingerprint recognition system has had trials in Solapur and the government is now asking schools to
volunteer for further trials.

“There are a lot of complaints from rural areas that government servants do not report to work. So now everyone from the
revenue officials to the wiremen will be accountable,” said Patil.

The project’s financial provision will be announced during the fiscal budget.

There are also plans for eco villages and village planning concepts. Eco villages will aim for one tree for every resident — so there will as many trees in a village as residents. Village planning will replicate the model of urban planning.

Villages will now draw up plans on locations of schools, markets, hospitals and other infrastructure and the villages will expand in accordance with the plan.

Professor Uday Salunkhe, director of Welingkar’s, said: “There is a greater need for managerial input in rural India and the main actors are the people inhabiting rural areas. No long-term plan can be pursued without their participation.”