Gandhinagar: In a major administrative decision aimed at empowering resettled communities and improving their access to basic services, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved the finalisation of rules for the integration of Narmada resettlement settlements with their original villages’ Gram Panchayats.
The move will benefit 127 Narmada settlements located across 26 talukas in eight districts, namely: Ahmedabad Rural, Vadodara, Bharuch, Kheda, Panchmahal, Narmada, Chhota Udepur, and Mahisagar.
Key Benefits for Resettled Families
With the formalisation of this integration process:
- Resettled families will be officially linked with their respective Gram Panchayats
- They will now have direct access to government welfare schemes
- The standard of living and ease of accessing public services is expected to improve significantly
The Gram Panchayats will assume responsibility for the maintenance and delivery of critical civic amenities in these settlements, including:
- Drinking water supply
- Internal and approach roads
- Street lighting
- Rainwater drainage
- Electricity bills
- Public utility maintenance
Asset Management and Institutional Responsibilities
As per the resolution:
- SSPA will continue to retain ownership of unallocated plots
- All settlement records will be handed over by the SSPA to the respective Gram Panchayats
Public facilities within settlements, such as schools, dispensaries, and anganwadis, will be transferred to the concerned departments
The Gram Panchayat will also:
- Manage common plots and open spaces for community development
- Handle voting rights and ensure fair representation of the resettled citizens
- Begin tax and levy collection under provisions of the Gujarat Panchayats Act, 1993
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Implementation Timeline and Future Outlook
The integration process is expected to be completed within the next two months. The government has clarified that these rules will serve as a standard framework for the merger of future SSPA settlements as well.
This reform reflects the Gujarat government’s continued focus on rural empowerment, decentralised governance, and ensuring inclusive development in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Department of Panchayat, Rural Housing and Rural Development has issued a formal notification and will oversee implementation.
