Linking vikas to victory, PM lists rural area priorities in Gujarat

Addressing a large Panchayat Maha Sammelan Friday, Modi said: “Yesterday, in a festival of democracy, (BJP) governments were repeated in four states. Look at the strength of democracy… where a government was not being repeated, people there repeated a government. Awareness towards democracy has increased so much. The task of elected representatives is to do development and this aspect is starting to get established in people’s minds and we are benefitting. I want to do development at any cost… We want development so that the poorest of the poor benefit.”

#WATCH | ‘Jai Shree Ram, Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ being chanted at PM Modi’s roadshow in Ahmedabad, post BJP’s win in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. pic.twitter.com/aq2SbqbjnZ

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2022

Setting an August 2023 target for developmental works as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, he asked elected representatives to strengthen rural management by creating a small 75-tree van (forest) in every village; ensuring at least 75 farmers are engaged in natural farming in every village; celebrating the birthday of a village and its school; building boribandhs (embankments), khet-talavadi (farm ponds); promoting vaccination of village cattle against foot-and-mouth disease; promoting the use of LED bulbs; visiting village schools every month; making maximum use of optimal fibre network in availing services like tele-medicine and tele-education; and, taking advantage of Common Service Centres.

#WATCH | PM Modi greets people with victory sign during a roadshow in Ahmedabad, after BJP’s win in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. pic.twitter.com/bHOLCJK8Q4

— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2022

On the expanding optical fibre network, he said: “This means the world in cities can be there in your villages as well. How can the maximum benefits of this be available in our village? How do we get the benefits of tele-medicine? How do we benefit from tele-education? Panchayat representatives should think over it. This entire network is being set up.”

He also asked them to hold at least 75 prabhat pheri during this period.

Underlining the importance of women sarpanch and other elected women representatives in rural management, he said more than 50% gram panchayat representatives in Gujarat are women. A mahila sarpanch, he said, is capable of performing duties as in any other field and there should not be any practice of letting a sarpanch pati (husband of woman sarpanch) handle the affairs of a village panchayat.

The Maha Sammelan was attended by over 1 lakh elected representatives of district panchayats, taluka panchayats and gram panchayats. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state BJP chief C R Paatil and and all leaders of the state unit were also present.