Sector focus on smart villages will be on climate change, smart energy, agriculture and water.

BHOPAL: In a bid to prime rural development, the Centre selected 60 villages in three districts of Rajgarh, Sehore and Satna to develop them as 'smart villages'. Like its flagship smart cities project, the Modi-led NDA government will give funds for specific development. In case of smart villages, each village will get Rs 25 crore.

Sector focus on smart villages will be on climate change, smart energy, agriculture and water. Smart village development will come about in the state in coordination with Environment Planning and Coordinating Agency (EPCO).

The proposal was developed by coordinating with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with focus on uplift of rural areas by greater credit flow to give push to agriculture and rural non-farm sector. The project is expected to be of three years duration.

As for selection of 60 villages, their most venerable status was the decider, state government officials said. 20 villages have been chosen for development in districts tagged as climate change' smart villages. "EPCO's centre is a knowledge sharing initiative and is a first-of-its-kind in the country," said EPCO executive director Anupam Rajan.

Besides, there is another initiative through international finance stream of United Nations in which MP has identified concept-based landscape development of 30 villages in Ghoradongri block in Betul district.

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