National Panchayati Raj Day: PM Modi will also address functionaries and representatives of the Panchayati Raj Intitutions as well as gram sabhas across the country today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning participated in the National Panchayati Raj Day celebrations in Madhya Pradesh' Rewa district along with the state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
National Panchayati Raj Day is observed in India on April 24 every year to mark the constitutional amendment that created the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India. The PRIs are the third tier of governance in India, after the central and state governments, and are responsible for local level governance in rural areas. The day marks the establishment of the first Panchayati Raj system in India on April 24, 1993.
The prime minister extended wishes to people on the National Panchayati Raj Day and said more than 30 lakh panchayat representatives from across the country were virtually connected to the programme held in Rewa.
“This is certainly a very powerful picture of India's democracy,” he said.
Modi said in the 10 years before 2014, around 6,000 panchayat buildings were built with the help of the then central governments.
"But, our government, within eight years, has got more than 30,000 new panchayat buildings constructed," Modi said.
Since 2014, the country has taken up the cause of empowerment of its panchayats and the results are visible today. Now, India's panchayats are emerging as the lifeline of development of villages, the PM said.
"The governments after independence destroyed the Panchayati Raj system in the country. The system which existed hundreds and thousands of years ago, the same Panchayati Raj system was not trusted after independence," he added.
Referring to the digital development of rural areas under the present regime, Modi said in this era of digital revolution, panchayats are also being made smart.
Modi launched various projects, including the integrated e-GramSwaraj and GeM portal for procurement of goods and services at the panchayat level and redevelopment of Gwalior railway station.
The PM launched the projects virtually at an event held in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district and also flagged-off three trains. The e-GramSwaraj-GeM (government e-marketplace) integration aims at enabling panchayats to market their goods and services through GeM leveraging the e-GramSwaraj platform.
Modi also performed the virtual 'Griha Pravesh' (ceremony performed when entering one's new house) for 4.11 lakh beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana at the function held at the SAF ground in Rewa. He also inaugurated various projects worth Rs 7,853 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission. These projects will benefit 9.48 lakh families of 4,036 villages, as per a release.
On the occasion, Modi handed over around 35 lakh SVAMITVA (aimed at establishing clear ownership of property in rural areas) property cards to beneficiaries. With the handing over of these cards, about 1.25 crore property cards will be distributed under the Swamitva Yojana in the country.
The PM also launched the 'Joint Steps towards Development' campaign with the aim of increasing people's participation in ensuring full benefits of government schemes.
He laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various railway projects worth about Rs 2,300 crore.
These include doubling of railway tracks, gauge conversion and electrification projects along with 100 per ent electrification of the rail network in Madhya Pradesh.
The PM also laid the foundation of the redevelopment of Gwalior station and flag-off three trains, including the Rewa-Itwari and Chhindwara-Nainpur-Chhindwara trains.
With inputs from PTI
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First Published: Apr 24, 2023 12:39 PM IST
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