Chandigarh, Sep 13 (IANS) To bring about all-round development in rural areas of the state, the Haryana government Tuesday said that it was likely to set up a Haryana Rural Development Authority (HRDA) on the lines of the state's money-spinning Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that setting up the HRDA would help in focused development of rural areas.

He made the announcement here Tuesday while interacting with village heads in his direct contact programme with them.

Under the new plans, bigger villages having a population of over 10,000 people will have residential sectors and some other facilities like sewerage system and metalled roads like urban centres.

The state government has already announced sports stadiums in bigger villages at a cost of up to Rs.500 million ($10 million) for each stadium. Hooda said this would help in promoting sports.

Hooda said that Rs.7 billion had been given to panchayati raj institutions in Haryana during the last one year. He said that powers of these institutions would be restored. He said that panchayats would have power to get works up to Rs.300,000 done on their own.

The government this year has already abolished a law that barred people having more than two children from contesting panchayat elections.