Government Allocates ₹22,000 Crore for District Planning; Villages Must Use Funds Wisely: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Inauguration of ‘Chief Minister’s Prosperous Panchayati Raj Campaign’ Workshop

Pune, Sept 2025: The Maharashtra government has allocated a massive ₹22,000 crore under the district annual planning for the current year, with a significant portion of this funding reaching villages directly through Zilla Parishads. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar emphasized that Gram Panchayats must use these funds in a transparent and efficient manner to ensure holistic development of villages. “The soul of India lies in its villages. If villages prosper, the nation will prosper,” Pawar said while inaugurating the Chief Minister’s Prosperous Panchayati Raj Campaign workshop at Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch in Pune.

Present on the occasion were Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane, MP Medhatai Kulkarni, MLAs Shankar Mandekar and Babaji Kale, Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Zilla Parishad CEO Gajanan Patil, Additional Collector Suhas Mapari, Deputy CEO Shrikant Kharat, Bhushan Joshi, former IAS officer Dr. Mallinath Kalshetti, along with several experts and dignitaries from across the state.

Ajit Pawar announced that the state government will launch a 100-day campaign from September 16, coinciding with Marathwada Liberation Day, under which every village will be expected to prepare and implement its own development plan. For this initiative, the government has set aside a reward fund of ₹245.20 crore, with competitions at the state, divisional, district, and Panchayat Samiti levels. Villages that excel in cleanliness, sustainable development, green initiatives, and programs for women and child welfare will be honored.

He added that the campaign is based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of “Leave No One Behind”. The key components include building good governance-oriented Panchayats, strengthening them financially, creating water-rich and green villages, integrating MGNREGA with other schemes, empowering village-level institutions, ensuring livelihoods and social justice, and fostering mass movements through public participation.

“Today, villages are receiving substantial funds from the government. It is the responsibility of Gram Panchayats to spend them appropriately, prioritize according to local needs, and maintain high quality of works. Transparency and people’s trust are essential for meaningful rural development. Through this campaign, every village will get the opportunity to become self-reliant, self-sufficient, and a model village,” Pawar said.

He also highlighted that under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s leadership, the government has already successfully implemented a 100-day action program and a 150-day digital reform program, which made governance more people-centric. The current campaign is expected to bring about significant changes as well.

Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane stated that governance always keeps the common man at the center. Through this campaign, Sarpanches and Gram Panchayats will have the opportunity to work for villages with the welfare of ordinary citizens in mind. “People only remember those who work for them—so do the best for your village,” he urged.

Bharane also informed that the state government has approved the distribution of financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme for 92.36 lakh farmers in Maharashtra, sanctioned by CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and Deputy CM & Finance Minister Ajit Pawar. The funds will soon be distributed.

The workshop’s objective was outlined by Zilla Parishad CEO Gajanan Patil, who said it was aimed at ensuring effective implementation of the campaign. Sarpanches, Deputy Sarpanches, Gram Panchayat officers, and officials at the taluka and district levels were invited. The sessions focused on enhancing the efficiency of Panchayati Raj institutions, ensuring effective fund utilization, and promoting sustainable development in rural areas.