Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Monday said strong gram panchayats will strengthen the nation and asked the state's gram pradhans to make sincere efforts to transform villages.
Addressing the 'Gram Pradhan Sammelan' here, Adityanath said, "The soul of India resides in its villages. The country's overall growth is not possible without the development of villages. Only strong gram panchayats will make the country strong."
"After Independence, Modi ji fulfilled the dream of Mahatma Gandhi of establishing 'gram swaraj'," he added.
Crediting Modi for focusing on the development of gram panchayats, Adityanath said that the prime minister has formulated and implemented several schemes and for the first time, Panchayati Raj has been implemented in the country in its real terms.
"The financial rights of gram pradhans is even higher than that of an MLA. So, in order to ensure proper utilisation of government funds, pradhans should recognise their rights," he said.
"There are a few case studies where gram pradhans with their sincere and honest efforts have transformed villages into model villages," he added.
He further urged them to carry on the developmental activities in the state.
"There is a need to form a monitoring committee to ensure that the benefits reach the poor through these welfare schemes," he said.
On the occasion, he made an appeal to the village pradhans to cast their votes in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party and asked them to make efforts towards creation of model villages and be an integral part of the democracy.
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