Villages Our Priority, PM Modi Says On Panchayati Raj Day

Jamshedpur: Health, education, cleanliness - these are the parameters on which villages should transform themselves, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said in his address to the 3,000 representatives from Panchayats across the country.

"Mahatma Gandhi said India lives in the villages. Yet, why are facilities in villages not up to the mark, at par with cities?" PM Modi said at the event, held at Jamshedpur's JRD Tata Sports Complex. "Those serving in villages should think, 'I have the opportunity to do something transformative during my tenure and serve my village'.   

The Prime Minister's message was streamed live to all the gram sabhas across the country.

With the BJP facing criticism for alleged focus on industry and the urban populace, the move is being seen as part of the party's efforts to pursue the agrarian and Dalit vote.

The misconception that Delhi is all there is to India should be countered, the Prime Minister said. "That's why we are holding many programs outside Delhi."

The soil health card, he said, was released in Rajasthan, the programme for gender equality in Haryana, the social security schemes in West Bengal. "I am happy to launch the Panchayati Raj program - Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday - from the soil of Jharkhand," PM Modi said.

On April 14, the centre, along with state governments and panchayats, had launched "Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan" on the 125th birth anniversary Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar's. It will culminate with the Panchayati Raj Day celebration. But some states, like Madhya Pradesh, have extended the campaign to 45 days.

To celebrate the day, Prabhat Pheris (morning group walks) were organised across villages and programmes on sanitation, cultural programmes as well as sports programmes were held.

Gram Sabhas were also organised to hold discussions -- around 300 central government officers were expected to visit various districts to attend these programmes of under 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan'.