Vidushi Gaur/ Azamgarh
One man’s initiative and vision can change the lives of villagers. In this case, an elected head in a village in Uttar Pradesh has shown the way to bringing modern urban facilities to the doorsteps of villagers.
This happened in Binapara Gram Panchayat, in the Mirzapur block of Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, where village head Aslam Khan turned the Panchayat secretariat into a modern technology-enabled facility equipped with modern amenities, setting an example for other villages.
With a population of around 3,000, Binapara has emerged as a distinctive model among the district’s 1,858 gram panchayats. Its development initiatives are now attracting attention beyond the district, with officials praising the village’s approach to rural infrastructure and public service delivery.
When the government introduced its scheme to convert village panchayat buildings into gram secretariats, Binapara received a budget allocation of ₹21.78 lakh. Of this amount, around ₹19 lakh has been spent so far on establishing a modern secretariat under the leadership of village head Aslam Khan.
When the government introduced its scheme to convert village panchayat buildings into gram secretariats, Binapara received a budget allocation of ₹21.78 lakh. Of this amount, around ₹19 lakh has been spent so far on establishing a modern secretariat under the leadership of village head Aslam Khan.
A picture of the inside of the Panchayat Secretariat
“Earlier, even a small administrative task could mean repeated visits and wasted time. Having a panchayat secretariat in our village makes us hopeful that our problems can be addressed closer to home”, said a resident.
The facility brings the gram panchayat secretary, revenue official (lekhpal), village employment worker and village head together under one roof. A Jan Suvidha Kendra, or public service centre, also operates from the premises, helping residents submit online applications and access government services.
This arrangement has reduced the need for villagers to make repeated trips to the block office and tehsil for routine work, saving them time and effort.
Modern amenities for the community
Binapara’s development extends beyond its secretariat. The village has 28 solar-powered streetlights and several facilities designed to meet residents’ everyday needs.
These include:
· A public distribution facility known as the Annapurna Bhawan
· A rainwater harvesting system
· A modern library with digital learning facilities for children
· A community meeting centre
· A model school and an anganwadi building
· A community toilet and a playground
· Concrete roads, interlocking pathways, drainage channels and individual household toilets
· Door-to-door garbage collection, similar to urban waste-management services
· A police beat room to support village security
The secretariat itself runs on solar energy, reflecting the village’s effort to combine public service delivery with sustainable infrastructure.
Aslam Khan’s journey has also drawn interest. A former scrap trader who studied only up to Class 8, he says his deep attachment to his village has motivated him to work towards its development.
A picture of the outside of the Panchayat Secretariat
Despite his limited formal education, Khan has established a modern library to provide children with better learning opportunities. His approach reflects an emphasis on improving access to education and essential services at the village level.
However, Khan believes the work is far from complete. He hopes to add a gym and a mini-stadium to the secretariat complex and says he is making efforts to realise these plans.
“People remember a leader not only for what he builds but also for how he helps them. The real value of Aslam Khan's efforts will be seen in how easily ordinary villagers can access the services they need”, shared an elderly resident of Azamgarh district.
The village’s development work has also earned appreciation from Azamgarh Chief Development Officer Parikshit Khattana. He said efforts would be made to introduce similar arrangements in other gram panchayats across the district.
He also encouraged other village heads to draw inspiration from Binapara’s model and establish modern gram secretariats in their own areas.
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By bringing government officials, digital services, learning facilities and community infrastructure together, Binapara is demonstrating how a village secretariat can become more than an administrative office, it can serve as a central hub for local development and everyday public needs.
