Maharashtra Chief Minister launches second phase of the Chief Minister Samruddha Panchayat Raj Campaign; awards presented to top-performing local bodies under the first phase
Nashik, October 2026 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has urged elected representatives, government officials and villagers to work together to achieve comprehensive and sustainable rural development, with a special focus on water conservation and drought mitigation under the Chief Minister Samruddha Panchayat Raj Campaign 2.0.
Emphasising the need to overcome the drought situation this year, Fadnavis called for measures to conserve every drop of water, desilt village ponds, repair check dams and undertake extensive water conservation projects. He assured that the state government would provide the necessary funds for these initiatives.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the Chief Minister Samruddha Panchayat Raj Campaign: Mega Convention of People's Representatives, organised by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. The event included the award ceremony for the 2025-26 campaign, the launch of the 2026-27 edition and a Sarpanch Conference on Overcoming Drought and Building Prosperous Villages.
The programme was held at the Youth Festival Ground in Nashik in the presence of Legislative Council Chairman Prof. Ram Shinde, Guardian Minister Girish Mahajan, School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jaykumar Gore, Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal, elected representatives, senior officials and sarpanches from across Maharashtra.
Campaign to accelerate rural transformation
Fadnavis said the Chief Minister Samruddha Panchayat Raj Campaign was an important initiative aimed at mobilising collective efforts to accelerate village development.
The earlier Jalyukt Shivar campaign had demonstrated that coordinated efforts by elected representatives, officials and villagers could bring about positive transformation in rural areas. Drawing on this experience, the state government had allocated substantial funds for the Samruddha Panchayat Raj Campaign.
Congratulating the elected representatives, officials and villagers of district councils, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats that had performed exceptionally well, he said their collective commitment to village development was commendable.
The campaign had improved essential infrastructure, including roads, toilets, CCTV surveillance systems, water supply facilities and other basic amenities.
Fadnavis also announced that he would personally visit the award-winning gram panchayats, along with the 12 gram panchayats that made it to the final shortlist, to inspect their development works.
Water management essential to tackling drought
The Chief Minister said excessive rainfall at the beginning of the season, followed by an extended dry spell, had damaged kharif crops across the state.
The government had initiated 12 categories of relief measures in drought-affected talukas. It would make every possible effort to address the situation and, wherever necessary, take decisions beyond the prescribed norms to ensure adequate assistance to farmers.
He stressed that drinking water must receive the highest priority and that available water resources should be used judiciously. Water for people and livestock must be safeguarded, while appropriate arrangements should be made for the rabi cropping season.
Fadnavis called on gram panchayats and villagers to undertake desilting of village ponds, repair check dams, implement water conservation measures and construct water-harvesting structures on a large scale.
He urged local communities to take the initiative in harvesting rainwater and ensuring that it percolated into the ground. The state government would extend the necessary assistance for these activities.
Convergence of schemes to create jobs
The Chief Minister said water conservation works would be undertaken by integrating various government schemes through the G RAM G scheme. These initiatives would increase water storage capacity while generating employment opportunities for rural labourers.
The government would also formulate plans to improve fodder availability so that farmers were not forced to sell their livestock during the drought.
Protecting livestock, he said, was essential to sustaining the agricultural economy and ensuring that farmers could resume normal agricultural activities when conditions improved.
Government stands firmly with farmers and rural workers
Fadnavis assured that the government would ensure that no citizen went hungry during the drought.
Eligible ration cardholders would receive the necessary foodgrains, while farmers would be provided access to the benefits of various government schemes.
He said the government's responsibility was to support farmers, strengthen the rural economy and stand by citizens during periods of crisis.
The second phase of the Chief Minister Samruddha Panchayat Raj Campaign will place particular emphasis on drought mitigation and preventive measures. Gram panchayats will be encouraged to take the lead in desilting ponds, implementing water conservation projects and protecting available natural resources.
The campaign's scoring system will also be strengthened to encourage local bodies to undertake these activities and improve their performance.
Campaign drives rural development: Minister Jaykumar Gore
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Jaykumar Gore said prosperous villages would provide a strong foundation for realising the vision of a developed India.
During the first phase of the campaign, 5,644 gram panchayats across Maharashtra participated in the initiative. The campaign also facilitated the creation of 69.13 lakh Ayushman cards.
By integrating various government schemes, local bodies facilitated housing benefits, assistance to persons with disabilities, installation of CCTV systems, construction of roads and toilets, development of gyms and implementation of water-recharge projects.
A total of 2,706 kilometres of roads had been completed across the state. The campaign also focused on improving farm access roads, promoting solar energy, increasing the collection of property and water taxes, and strengthening the operational efficiency of gram panchayats.
Gore said the second phase would be implemented more effectively to empower villages and make them self-reliant and prosperous.
Top-performing local bodies honoured
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presented awards to district councils, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats that excelled during the 2025-26 campaign.
In the district council category, Nashik, Pune and Sangli secured the first, second and third positions, respectively.
In the panchayat samiti category, Nashik, Khalapur in Raigad district, and Rahata in Ahilyanagar district received the first, second and third prizes, respectively.
Among gram panchayats, Adachiwadi in Purandar taluka of Pune district secured first place.
Khamshet in Guhagar taluka of Ratnagiri district and Ladud in Baglan taluka of Nashik district jointly received the second prize. Uti Budruk in Ausa taluka of Latur district and Kotwalbardi in Nagpur district jointly received the third prize.
Representatives of the award-winning local bodies were felicitated at the event.
Focus on good governance and sustainable development
Rural Development Department Secretary Dr Chandrakant Pulkundwar outlined the achievements of the campaign's first phase, highlighting initiatives promoting good governance, administrative efficiency, public participation, social harmony and environmentally sustainable development.
He urged approximately 28,000 gram panchayats across Maharashtra to participate actively in the second phase and work towards improving their performance under the Panchayat Progress Index.
Water conservation expert Prof. Dr Purushottam Wayal and veteran water conservation activist and Padma Shri awardee Popatrao Pawar also addressed the gathering.
Principal Secretary Eknath Dawale and YASHADA Deputy Director Dr Mallinath Kalashetty were felicitated by the Chief Minister for their significant contributions to the successful implementation of the campaign's first phase.
The event was attended by MLAs Gokul Gite, Prof. Devyani Pharande, Dilip Bankar, Dr Rahul Aher, Advocate Rahul Dhikle, Hiraman Khoskar, Dilip Borse, Saroj Ahire, Nitin Pawar and Vivek Kolhe, among other dignitaries.
Nashik Deputy Mayor Vilas Shinde, District Collector Ayush Prasad, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Omkar Pawar, Additional Chief Executive Officer Pratibha Sangamnere, YASHADA Deputy Director Mallinath Kalashetty, sarpanches, elected representatives, rural development officials and citizens from across the state were also present.
