Panchayats Are an Effective Medium for Socio-Economic Upliftment: CM Dr. Yadav

Bhopal, Sept 2025 : Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has stated that Panchayats are an effective medium for improving the socio-economic standard of living. Active participation of Panchayati Raj institutions and transparency in their functioning are essential for the effective implementation of welfare schemes and development activities. Development activities should be carried out in all Panchayats after assessing the availability of basic facilities for all citizens.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav further directed that cleanliness must be ensured in all villages before the upcoming festivals. He said that Gram Panchayats should also take the initiative to make Bhandaras(community feasts) and religious events during festivals free from plastic waste.

CM Dr. Yadav was reviewing the programs and schemes of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department at the Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Panchayat & Rural Development Minister Shri Prahlad Patel, Minister of State for Panchayat and Rural Development Smt. Radha Singh, Chief Secretary, Shri Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary, Smt. Deepali Rastogi and other departmental officials.

Organise Activities for Training and Capacity Building

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav emphasised that to meet village-level needs, priorities, and sustainable development goals, participatory planning and effective implementation of schemes at the local level are essential. He also directed that training and capacity-building programs be organised for Panchayat representatives and grassroots employees.

Considering the ongoing urban expansion in the state, he instructed that special arrangements should be made for infrastructure development and management in villages and Gram Panchayats located near cities.

Documentation of Self-Sustainable Gaushalas

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed that houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana be designed considering climate suitability and summer conditions. He emphasised that the design of PM Awas in rural areas must retain a distinct identity. The Chief Minister instructed that the management of self-sustaining gaushalas be documented so other districts can follow such models. He said, “Gaushala management should also be linked with religious institutions and community philanthropy”. Groups where all members have become lakhpatis should be presented as role models across the state. Efforts should also be made to connect SHG activities with MSMEs and large industries.

Traditional Housing Techniques Under Study

The meeting reviewed activities under the MP Rural Road Development Authority, PM Awas Yojana (Rural), MGNREGA, Livelihood Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission. Madhya Pradesh ranks first in the country in PM Awas Yojana (Rural) completion, with 39.05 lakh houses finished out of 49.42 lakh sanctioned. To ensure local suitability, the School of Planning and Architecture is studying traditional housing techniques.

The Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign and other water conservation efforts have yielded strong results. Housing works generated 324 lakh person-days under the labour budget, while Jal Ganga created 350 lakh person-days with wages of Rs. 826 crore. Madhya Pradesh also ranks first in providing employment to Scheduled Tribe families.

Achievement in ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’

Districts including Singrauli, Khandwa, Betul, Dewas and Agar-Malwa have performed well under the ‘Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam’ scheme. A plantation with fencing along the Narmada Parikrama Path is protecting saplings. Currently, 85 gaushalas are being run independently by 11 institutions without financial aid. Under the PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana, 5,393 new water harvesting structures have been built. River rejuvenation on Khandwa’s Ghoda Pachhad and Ratlam’s Maleni rivers has ensured water availability till April–May. Improved water management is supporting cluster-based vegetable farming, enabling farmers to earn 15–20% higher income.

Expansion of Livelihood Mission to E-Commerce Platform

The Livelihood Mission has connected 30 lakh families with agriculture and livestock activities, and 11 lakh families with non-agricultural livelihoods. Under the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, 11.26 lakh women have achieved success. Livelihood Mission activities have also expanded to e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart.

News Atal Seva Sadans and E-Service Centers

Construction of new Atal Seva Sadans is underway to provide office buildings for Panchayats, along with the establishment of Atal E-Service Centers at the village level. Work is ongoing to ensure access roads and facilities at the village cremation grounds. A 100% UPI-based payment system has been implemented across all Gram Panchayats, while an online tax collection system has been operational since 2021. Panchayats are extending support for the implementation of the ‘Adarsh Saur Gram’, ‘PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity’ Scheme. Updates were also presented on ‘PM Poshan Shakti Nirman’, ‘Mukhyamantri Dugdh Praday Yojana’, ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and ‘Rural Engineering initiatives’.