IIT-Guwahati prepares 10-year development plan for two Assam gram panchayat

GUWAHATI: The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IITG) has prepared a 10-year development plan for two gram panchayats in Assam's Kamrup Rural District, identifying land and infrastructural needs for the villages' long-term growth.

The projects have been carried out by IITG's School of Agro and Rural Technology (SART) in the district's two gram panchayats of Bongshar and Saraighat villages, and the work was submitted to the Ministry of Panchayat Raj in the form of a report.

Professor Sanjukta Patra, the head of SART, stated that this spatial planning provides a sound professional assessment of the ground situation, clearly identifying land and infrastructure usage requirements for the gaon panchayats through land allocation and infrastructure usage provisioning.

These findings can be incorporated into the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) to help create economically productive, effective, and equitable rural growth centres that result in a harmonious and sustainable distribution of activities, enabling the panchayat to perform all economic and social functions efficiently and effectively, she said.

"IITG is happy to provide sustainable systematic planning for gram panchayat development with replicative features," SART will be on hand to provide the necessary technological assistance," Patra said on the long-term project.

T G Sitharam, the institute's director, stated that the institute tries to use its expertise for the country's long-term growth. "The institute has initiated various Northeast-specific efforts, particularly in rural planning." I hope this collaboration with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for village planning and development would serve as an example for rural India's long-term development," he added.

The proposed 10-year plan for Bongshar includes the development of secondary and tertiary road networks by using sustainable materials, such as permeable concrete paving. Integration of clear footpaths along with demarcation of traffic flow, standardised design implementation of Assam type roof for the different floors, using local materials and to establish large recreational open or semi-built facilities for sports, games, and healthcare, Patra said.

There was also an urgent need for the establishment of a complete waste handling plant (solid and liquid) with the provision of generation of biofuel and bio-based electricity. Integration of state-of-the-art technologies to monitor and improve management, she said.

The project also includes setting up of a full-fledged veterinary hospital and college, a dedicated agriculture institute and college to support farmers in science, and technology competence and expand the classroom learning to vocational training along with remote learning.

There is also a proposal to establish warehouses and cold storage, with e-commerce backend inventory and linkages along with the development of eco-tourism by establishing an “eco-village” holiday resort, Patra added.

Integration of clear footpaths, development of secondary and tertiary road networks using sustainable materials such as permeable concrete paving, complete phase-wise reclamation of scrubland, and demarcation and allocation of land for various recreational purposes are all part of the proposed 10-year plan for Saraighat.

In addition to housing projects, waste management, healthcare, and educational institutes, the Saraighat proposal includes the creation of a heritage cum park and open museum, organisational and entrepreneurial support for locals through the establishment of MSMEs, and the development of Saraighat as an ideal handloom and textile hub over the next ten years.