tate Panchayat and Rural Development and Labour Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Thursday said the ‘Viksit Bharat G-Ram Ji’ initiative will strengthen transparency, accountability and good governance in gram panchayats. He said the scheme will ensure better planning, effective implementation and greater public participation in rural development. The launch programme of the Government of India’s (GoI) new initiative was held at Manas Bhavan. The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Sumitra Valmiki, MP Ashish Dubey, MLA Ajay Vishnoi, MLA Santosh Barkade, Zila Panchayat President Asha Mukesh Gontia and others. Addressing the gathering, Patel said the programme was not just about launching a new scheme but about improving the functioning of panchayats. He said village representatives now have a greater responsibility to ensure transparency, proper implementation of schemes and measurable results. The Minister said panchayats should ensure that every eligible family receives basic facilities such as housing, drinking water, drainage and community infrastructure. He also stressed the need to prepare advance plans for water conservation, pond construction, canal improvement and other labour-intensive works, particularly if rainfall remains below normal.

 

Patel said panchayat audits will now be conducted online and workers’ attendance will be recorded through face authentication to prevent fake muster rolls and other irregularities. He added that panchayats would be graded on the basis of their performance, and future funding would depend on their achievements and timely submission of utilisation certificates. He also called for scientific rainwater harvesting, recharge of dried hand pumps and protection of water bodies. Stressing the importance of environmental conservation, he said plantation drives should focus on the survival and maintenance of saplings rather than merely planting them. Speaking on the occasion, Rajya Sabha MP Sumitra Valmiki said the initiative would improve transparency in rural development and help curb corruption. She said the scheme had been designed after addressing shortcomings in earlier programmes and would provide greater benefits to workers and villagers. MLAs Ajay Vishnoi, and Santosh Varkade highlighted various features of the scheme, including timely wage payments, welfare measures for workers and better planning of development works. Collector Raghvendra Singh proposed the vote of thanks. A large number of public representatives, sarpanches, panchayat officials and citizens attended the programme.