District Identity Should Drive Development Under Panch Gaurav Programme: Rajasthan Chief Secretary

Jaipur, July 2026: Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas on Friday said that the Panch Gaurav Programme is one of the state government’s flagship initiatives aimed at making each district’s unique identity the foundation of its development. He stressed the need to preserve, promote, brand and widely publicise each district’s distinctive strengths—including local products, agriculture, tourism, sports and forest resources—to strengthen local economies, generate employment and establish a strong identity for every district.

Chairing a review meeting at the Secretariat, the Chief Secretary directed District Collectors and nodal departments to treat 2024-25 as the base year and set measurable targets and performance indicators for the selected Panch Gaurav projects. These targets should include short-term goals for 2026-27, medium-term goals for 2029-30, and long-term objectives up to 2047, enabling effective monitoring and evaluation of the programme’s progress.

He instructed officials to ensure the effective implementation of the vision laid down by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for the Panch Gaurav Programme. Srinivas called for the preparation of long-term district development plans, greater public participation, effective branding of identified products and tourist destinations, and wider promotion of the initiative through local fairs, government events, brochures and other publicity platforms.

Emphasising convergence among various government schemes and departments, the Chief Secretary said coordinated efforts would be key to the programme’s success. He directed officials to maximise the use of funds available under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), Members of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development Scheme (MLALADS), District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and partnerships with industry organisations.

He also instructed departments to issue administrative and financial approvals for all sanctioned works under the 2026-27 programme within the prescribed timelines and ensure that allocated funds are utilised only for approved, purpose-driven development projects.

During the review, Srinivas interacted with District Collectors from high-performing districts to understand innovative implementation practices. He directed that successful models and best practices be replicated across other districts to ensure uniform, result-oriented implementation throughout Rajasthan.

The Chief Secretary also issued sector-specific directions to various departments. The Sports Department was asked to strengthen the identification and training of sporting talent down to the Gram Panchayat level. The Industries Department was directed to accelerate value addition, branding and marketing of district-specific products. The Forest Department was asked to focus on the conservation and promotion of selected plant species, while the Agriculture Department was instructed to encourage local agriculture and horticulture activities. The Tourism Department was directed to continuously improve tourist facilities and visitor experiences across the state.

Srinivas further instructed all District Collectors to ensure timely verification of programme-related data, maintain data consistency, and regularly update information on designated online portals. He said the progress of every district would be monitored continuously through periodic reviews.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Industries and Commerce) Shikhar Agrawal, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest, Environment and Climate Change) Anand Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Sports and Youth Affairs) Praveen Gupta, Principal Secretary (Agriculture and Horticulture) Manju Rajpal, Secretary (Planning and Statistics) Dr. Ravi Kumar Surpur, Secretary (Tourism, Art and Culture) Suchi Tyagi, along with senior officials from various departments. District Collectors from across Rajasthan participated in the meeting through video conferencing.