New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday said time has come when states spend around 25 per cent of their budget towards rural infrastructure to ensure an all-round progress of the country.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, while flagging health, education, drinking water and hygiene as important conditions which need special focus from the governments, said in some appropriate cases it may give certain directions to the Centre and the state.

The top court made the observation while dealing with a PIL filed by 'Mundona Rural Development Foundation' seeking a direction to the state governments and the Centre for setting up a library in rural areas by the gram panchayats.

"Health, education, drinking water and hygienic conditions are important areas which need special focus in rural India. Time has come for the states to invest around 25 per cent of their budget towards rural infrastructure for ensuring the country's all round progress. Not in this case but in appropriate cases, we may issue certain directions in this regard," the bench said.

While disposing of the petition, the bench said, "It needs no emphasis that establishment of libraries in village areas will infuse democratic values, constitutional culture and access to knowledge to those living in inaccessible areas." It impressed upon the state to take necessary steps to address the issue of lack of libraries in the villages. "We hope and trust that some effective steps especially towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding could be explored." The bench said there can be no doubt that the gram panchayats as representatives of democracy at the grassroots level and the first constitutional democratic institutions envisioned in the Constitution are responsible for implementation for various schemes for economic development and social justice in respect of the people living in the respective rural areas.

"Such development and welfare schemes, however, largely depend on the financial/ assistance received from the states or their agencies towards welfare schemes launched from time to time," it said.

The bench added that the setting up of a library is undoubtedly a laudable object, as such library amounts to reaching out to the young children and the posterity to make them aware of the history, culture and the constitutional values and rights and responsibilities of the citizenry.

"Equally important are the adequate arrangements for health, education, drinking water, hygienic conditions and other basic amenities that are required in rural areas. The prioritisation of such facilities, in our considered opinion, is a matter of policy which needs to be left to the wisdom of policy makers," it said.

The bench said it would not be prudent for the court in the absence of relevant data to determine as to which of the facilities are to be provided overlooking the others. PTI MNL MNL VN VN

Rural infrastructure investment urged to prioritise health, education, water and hygiene; courts may direct governments to act. States should allocate a substantial portion of public finances to rural infrastructure, prioritising health, education, drinking water and hygiene. The court indicated it may, in appropriate cases, direct the Centre and state governments to ensure funding and prioritisation for rural facilities such as village libraries, which promote access to knowledge and constitutional values. Gram panchayats bear implementation responsibility but rely on state financial assistance; CSR funding could be explored. Prioritisation among amenities remains a policy matter and the court will not dictate specifics without data.