When grassroots governance gets a masterclass: Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary addresses newly elected Panchayati Raj representatives as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Rural Development Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya and other dignitaries look on at the ‘Panchayat Sanskaran Workshop’ in Gandhinagar — Courtesy: Gujarat Information Department
- CM Bhupendra Patel launches one-day ‘Panchayat Sanskaran Workshop’ to strengthen grassroots governance and empower newly elected representatives
- ‘There is no shortage of funds for development works’: CM assures panchayat representatives of Government support for quality projects
- Listen to people, understand the rules, solve problems: Patel urges elected representatives to put citizens first
- Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary calls for a culture of continuous learning, dialogue and responsibility across the three-tier Panchayati Raj system
- Rural Development Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya links stronger villages to the vision of a developed Gujarat and a developed India
NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, SEPT 2
A stronger Gujarat cannot be built only from Gandhinagar—it has to be built from every village upward. Underscoring this grassroots-first approach, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday launched a one-day ‘Panchayat Sanskaran Workshop’ for newly elected panchayat office-bearers, calling for responsive leadership, a clear understanding of rules and uncompromising quality in development works.
Held at the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Secretariat in Gandhinagar in the special presence of Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, the workshop brought together 188 representatives, including 70 women representatives, from the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.
Organised by the G.V. Mavalankar Parliamentary Studies and Training Bureau of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Secretariat, the workshop seeks to strengthen the three-tier Panchayati Raj system and equip elected representatives to ensure that government schemes and development programmes reach the last person in the village effectively.
‘No shortage of funds for development’
Patel said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there is no shortage of funds or budgetary resources for development works, from villages to the State level.
He assured panchayat representatives that if they have proper planning, a sound understanding of rules and the determination to execute projects, the Government is fully committed to providing the funds required for development.
Drawing on his long public life since 1995, Patel stressed that elected representatives must give citizens a patient hearing when they approach them with grievances.
Instead of simply directing applicants to officials or avoiding difficult issues, representatives should first understand the facts themselves, study the applicable rules and then discuss the matter with officials. Such an approach, he said, can often lead to simple solutions to seemingly complicated problems.
Quality, not just quantity, must define village development
Patel called for roads, schools, panchayat buildings and other infrastructure created in villages to be durable and of high quality.
Development works must be built to last, he said, as quality execution strengthens public confidence in both elected representatives and the Government.
He emphasised that there should be no compromise whatsoever on quality, and only durable and high-standard works should be undertaken.
Referring to welfare initiatives such as Nal Se Jal and housing schemes, Patel said changes in elected representatives or political leadership at the panchayat level should not interrupt public-interest projects.
Even if an irregularity or mistake is detected in a project or contract and a legal inquiry is proceeding simultaneously, he stressed, essential facilities such as water and housing must not be stopped for ordinary citizens under any circumstances.
Reach the last beneficiary, not merely the last file
Patel said the pro-poor policies of the Central and State Governments have helped more than 250 million people move out of poverty.
He said the Governments remain committed to ensuring easy access to basic necessities such as food, education, healthcare and housing.
Even where assistance is required for purchasing land for a house, the Government is prepared to help, he said, urging panchayat representatives to be proactive in ensuring that welfare schemes reach the genuine beneficiaries.
The message was clear: effective grassroots governance is not merely about implementing schemes, but about ensuring that their benefits actually reach the people for whom they are intended.
‘Learning does not stop after winning an election’
Addressing the training session, Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary stressed the need to further strengthen the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure.
He urged elected representatives to cultivate a habit of continuous learning and perform welfare-oriented work within the framework of rules.
Winning an election or getting elected, he said, does not bring the learning process to an end; rather, responsibilities towards the people increase thereafter.
With public awareness rising, Chaudhary said, the Panchayati Raj system can be strengthened further if both citizens and representatives understand their rights as well as their duties.
He also called for developing a culture of constructive dialogue at the district and taluka panchayat levels, just as Parliament and the State Legislative Assembly function through democratic dialogue.
Effective communication among citizens, employees and administrative officials, he said, is essential to accelerate development.
In a democracy, he stressed, people and elected representatives must be equally conscious of their duties and responsibilities, rather than focusing only on rights.
‘How can the problem be solved?’ must be the mindset
Praising Patel’s proactive approach and people-centric style of governance, Chaudhary said public administration must be guided by a positive outlook focused on “how the problem can be solved.”
“Question ka samadhan kaise laaya jaaye”—how a solution can be found to a problem—should be the approach, he said, adding that this is something everyone can learn from the Chief Minister.
Government rules and circulars, Chaudhary pointed out, are intended to facilitate citizens and bring transparency to administration, not to obstruct development works.
Whenever an administrative obstacle arises, he said, it should be presented through the appropriate channel and resolved rather than allowed to stall development.
‘Prosperous villages, developed nation’
Rural Development Minister Kunvarji Bavaliya called upon all stakeholders to contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of creating ‘prosperous villages’ as the foundation of a ‘developed nation’.
He said the Government is committed to accelerating rural development and strengthening local self-government institutions.
While village panchayats had limited financial resources for development works in the past, he said, funds under development-oriented schemes are now being directly transferred to beneficiaries and panchayat accounts under the leadership of Narendra Modi and the guidance of Bhupendra Patel.
Highlighting achievements under various Rural Development Department schemes, Bavaliya said more than 4.5 million individual toilets have been constructed in Gujarat under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Under the GOBARdhan scheme, more than 14,000 biogas plants have been established to promote clean energy and environmental protection.
He also referred to Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and VB-GRAM G Yojana, among other initiatives, aimed at strengthening basic infrastructure and employment opportunities in rural areas.
Women at the heart of rural transformation
Bavaliya highlighted women’s empowerment as an important component of the State’s development journey, referring to initiatives such as Mission Mangalam and Lakhpati Didi.
Women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are being supported through zero-interest loan assistance, while facilities such as Gram Haats provide opportunities to market their products.
Opportunities to operate canteens at government offices and bus stands are also helping women become economically self-reliant.
In agriculture, initiatives such as Drone Didi, along with skill-based training, are connecting rural women with modern technology and new economic opportunities.
Training the grassroots for better governance
Assembly Secretary Chetan Pandya, in his welcome address, said the workshop organised by the Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar Parliamentary Bureau seeks to make the Panchayati Raj system more capable, transparent and result-oriented.
He said the ultimate objective is to take the fundamental principles and ethical values of parliamentary democracy to the last person.
The workshop covers subjects including decentralised district planning, the 16th Finance Commission and rural development schemes, besides providing guidance on local self-government and leadership.
The objective is to establish new standards of governance and administrative efficiency in rural areas through better coordination between local self-government institutions and leadership.
Technical sessions during the workshop will provide detailed guidance on Panchayati Raj, legal provisions, district planning, financial management and rural development schemes.
Gujarat Panchayat Parishad Acharya A. H. Ghasura will speak on ‘Development and Background of Panchayati Raj’; retired TDO P. B. Patel will explain important legal provisions of the Gujarat Panchayats Act; retired Joint Secretary Jaswant Gandhi will address decentralised district planning and the 16th Finance Commission; retired Additional Collector Prakash Modi will provide guidance on Panchayati Raj schemes of the State and Central Governments; and retired Assistant Development Commissioner J. A. Gohil will explain various rural welfare schemes.
The workshop was attended by Gujarat Panchayat Parishad president Vasantbhai Purohit, Assembly Secretary Chetan Pandya, Panchayat Department Additional Chief Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi, and newly elected presidents, vice-presidents and executive committee chairpersons of district and taluka panchayats from across Gujarat.
