Villages are Foundation of Culture, Tradition, and Self-Reliant India, Their Development is Essential for Developed Nation – Haryana CM
Panchayat Representatives Should Pledge to Develop Villages on Socio-Economic Parameters Including Education, Healthcare, Sanitation, and Women Empowerment
Tributes Paid to Victims of the Terrorist Attack in Pahalgam at the State-Level Gram Utthan Samaroh Held in Panchkula
Chandigarh, April 24, 2025 –
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that villages are the foundation of our culture, tradition, and a self-reliant India. A strong village leads to a strong nation. When panchayats are empowered, democracy thrives. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the development and self-reliance of our villages. Villages play the most crucial role in the journey toward a developed India. Once our villages are developed, the state will progress, and we will surely fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Viksit Bharat well before 2047.
The Chief Minister was addressing the State-Level Gram Utthan Samaroh held on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day in Panchkula on Thursday. Earlier, the Chief Minister and others present observed a two-minute silence and paid tribute to the people who lost their lives in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Development and Panchayats Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana, Public Works Minister Ranbir Gangwa, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi, Women and Child Development Minister Shruti Choudhry, Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Dr. Krishan Middha, and Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Rajesh Nagar were also present at the event.
During the event, the address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Madhubani, Bihar was broadcast live for the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions who were present.
Panchayati Raj Institutions Accelerate Grassroots Development – CM
Addressing the gathering, Nayab Singh Saini said that Panchayati Raj Institutions are a vital link in democracy that give a new momentum to development. When the Panchayati Raj system was granted constitutional status, the objective was to empower villages and ensure their development through panchayats. He said that the soul of this nation lies in its villages. Haryana has had a proud tradition of panchayats since Vedic times, where ‘Panchs’ have been given the status of ‘Panch Parmeshwar’. Hence, their responsibility is immense. Panch Parmeshwar must work with this spirit to ensure the holistic development of villages, said the Chief Minister.
He said that 50 percent of the panchayat representatives present at this programme are women, which is a symbol of women empowerment—an empowerment that will give a new boost to the development of our villages. He added that this samaroh is not just an event, but a pledge toward the holistic development of villages.
Panchayat Representatives Should Pledge to Develop Villages on Socio-Economic Parameters Including Education, Healthcare, Sanitation, and Women Empowerment
The Chief Minister said that panchayat representatives should work with the resolve that ‘Mera gaon, meri panchayat poore Haryana mein, poore zile mein number one aaye. Yeh sankalp lein ki mere gaon ka ek bhi baccha school se dropout na ho.’ (My village, my panchayat should be the number one in the entire district and the entire state of Haryana. Everyone must ensure that not a single child in their village drops out of school and that every child receives the right to education, he said.)
Nayab Singh Saini said that everyone in the village should have access to proper healthcare facilities. He urged the representatives to commit themselves to advancing villages on parameters like education, healthcare, sanitation, women empowerment, and overall socio-economic development.
Panchayat Representatives Should Play a Role in Making Villages Drug-Free
The Chief Minister appealed to panchayat representatives to pledge for a drug-free village. He urged that every representative should take a vow to eliminate drug use from their respective villages. He said that if anyone is found consuming drugs or involved in drug trafficking, the information should be reported to the government via the MANAS portal. The identity of the informant will be kept confidential. He emphasized that we must work together to make our villages drug-free.
Nayab Singh Saini said that during the Panchayat Conference held on July 12, it was announced that there would be no shortage of funds for development in the panchayats. Since then, Rs 3,566 crore has been transferred to the accounts of panchayats. He assured that there will be no dearth of funds for development works in the future as well.
He further said that in the direction of making every village self-reliant, the government has connected each village with the internet. Initiatives like tap water in every home, Har Khet ko Pani, 24-hour electricity under the Mhara Gaon-Jagmag Gaon scheme, and health facilities for every individual under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana have been implemented.
Rs 583 crore transferred to Panchayat accounts as 'Gap Fund' last year
The Chief Minister said that some sarpanches had informed him that they did not have sufficient funds, and taking swift action on the same he had directed the department officers that panchayats with a total grant of less than Rs 20 lakh should be provided with additional funds as a 'gap fund,' so that each panchayat has at least Rs 21 lakh available. As a result, Rs 583 crore was directly transferred to panchayat accounts last year.
He further shared that the government has established 948 e-libraries, 281 indoor gyms, 453 street lights in villages, and 349 Mahila Chaupals to improve the quality of rural life. Additionally, the Phirnis (village lanes) of 316 villages have been paved.
The Chief Minister assured that these facilities will be expanded to all villages, and every village's phirni will be paved. He also said that Rs 118.47 crore has been directly transferred to the accounts of panchayats for the repair of 2,930 SC and BC chaupalas in the state.
He emphasized that the goal is for panchayats to create plans based on the needs of their villages, bring transparency to panchayat operations, and work together with the rural community to realize the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.
Panchayat Representatives Should Work with Honesty and Lead Villages on the Path of Development – Krishan Lal Panwar
Development and Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said that training programmes have been organized for panchayats, as a result of which the working of the panchayats in the state have become more swift and village development is continuously being strengthened. He emphasized that panchayat representatives must work honestly and advance their villages on the path of development.
He said that the Chief Minister had assigned all ministers a 100-day target. During these 100 days, the Panchayati Raj Department set a goal to open e-libraries in 1,000 villages in the first phase. Additionally, it was decided to establish Mahila Sanskritik Kendras in 1,000 villages. The rejuvenation of ponds across Haryana is also underway. There are approximately 19,000 ponds in the state, out of which the department has identified 6,000 ponds. In the first phase, 2,200 ponds are being restored, said Krishan Lal Panwar.
He further shared that as per the Chief Minister's announcement, boundary walls, sheds, and paved paths will be constructed for cremation and burial grounds across the state. Furthermore, three-karam-wide pathways in agricultural fields will also be paved. Roads are being constructed across the state, leading to a network of roads being laid down throughout Haryana. By June 30, no road in the state will remain in poor condition, said Krishan Lal Panwar.
The Chief Minister Realized the Vision of ‘Haryana Ek, Haryanvi Ek’ and Brought the Concept of Gram Swaraj to Life – Dr. Amit Agrawal
Earlier, Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayat Department, Dr. Amit Agrawal, welcomed and honored the Chief Minister and other dignitaries. He said that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, with the vision of Haryana Ek – Haryanvi Ek, has brought the light of development to every village. Under his able leadership, the concept of Gram Swaraj is becoming a reality, and villages are no longer focused solely on agriculture—they are becoming centers of innovation, self-employment, and prosperity.
The Chief Minister has consistently worked towards village development, rural empowerment, and strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions. Due to the government's policies, Haryana’s panchayats are now becoming digital, transparent, and setting new standards of accountability, said Dr. Amit Agrawal.
He further said that through this programme, the Chief Minister has envisioned that Panchayati Raj representatives should also be given social responsibility. Representatives should be established as social leaders, focusing not only on development projects but also on eliminating social problems and evils in society, said Dr. Amit Agrawal.
Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Dr. Saket Kumar and former Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gian Chand Gupta also remained present on this occasion.