Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday inaugurated the two-day Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan in New Delhi, asserting that the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” cannot be realised without developing India’s villages. Calling villages the “soul and strength of the country”, Chouhan said the conference is aimed at translating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision into action through coordinated efforts by the Centre and states. The inaugural session was attended by Union Ministers of State Kamlesh Paswan and Chandrashekhar Pemmnasani, along with senior officials and experts from across the country.
Describing the event as a collective effort of “Team India, Team Rural Development”, Chouhan said the conference was not a ceremonial exercise but a strategy to strengthen rural India. He stressed that the focus should not only be on designing welfare schemes but also on ensuring that benefits reach every eligible beneficiary without delays, corruption or bureaucratic hurdles. “Viksit Bharat will not be possible without Viksit Gaon,” he said.
The minister highlighted the need for reforms in the implementation of flagship rural development programmes, including MGNREGA, PMAY-G, PMGSY, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). Referring to irregularities in MGNREGA during his tenure as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Chouhan said corrective measures are being implemented, including increasing guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days, while ensuring funds are utilised effectively for durable rural assets.
He said the conference would deliberate on the government’s newly introduced Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar & Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-GRAM-G), which seeks to integrate employment generation, rural housing, roads, livelihoods, skill development and social security under a unified framework. Chouhan also stressed the importance of the ongoing physical verification of beneficiaries under PMAY-G, warning that excluding any eligible poor family from the housing scheme would be a serious injustice.
Emphasising women’s empowerment, Chouhan said the government aims to increase the number of “Lakhpati Didis” to six crore by promoting entrepreneurship beyond traditional activities such as papad and pickle-making. He called for greater participation of rural women in food processing, agribusiness, services and digital enterprises to strengthen the rural economy.
The minister also underlined the transformative role of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in improving connectivity and market access for villages, while stressing timely and transparent delivery of pensions under NSAP. He urged officials to treat rural development as a mission rather than a routine administrative responsibility and called on states to carry forward the outcomes of the conference to every village.
The first day of the conference focused on implementation reviews, policy reforms, technology adoption, artificial intelligence and financial management across key rural development schemes. On Monday, Rural Development Ministers from all states and Union Territories will join the deliberations to finalise a collective roadmap for accelerating rural prosperity and advancing the goal of a developed India.
