Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav stressed on Wednesday the need to strengthen Panchayati Raj institutions to ensure organised rural development and the effective implementation of public welfare programmes across the state. He directed officials to prepare a comprehensive action plan for the development and efficient management of large and semi-urban gram panchayats, particularly those located near expanding urban centres.

Chairing a review meeting of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department at the State Secretariat, CM Dr Yadav assessed the progress of several flagship schemes, including the Chief Minister Vrindavan Gram Yojana, the Rural Roads Development Authority, the VBG Ram Ji Yojana, the State Rural Livelihood Mission and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin).

The meeting was attended by Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Patel, Minister of State Radha Singh, Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal and senior departmental officials.

Action plan sought for fast-growing gram panchayats

CM Dr Yadav said gram panchayats situated near towns require more effective planning and administration to keep pace with rapid development. He instructed officials to formulate a structured roadmap to ensure systematic expansion of roads and other essential infrastructure in these areas.

The Chief Minister also announced that the Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign would be conducted on a much larger scale next year to strengthen water conservation efforts across Madhya Pradesh.

Push for dairy farming and self-help groups

Highlighting the importance of agriculture-linked livelihoods, CM Dr Yadav said dairy farming remains one of the most effective ways to enhance farmers' income. He directed officials to promote cattle rearing under the Chief Minister Vrindavan Gram Yojana and encourage the formation and expansion of cow protection and dairy committees at the village level.

He also praised the modern construction of several district and janpad panchayat buildings, describing them as model institutions for Panchayati Raj governance.

The Chief Minister further instructed the department to connect well-performing self-help groups with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to generate sustainable employment and strengthen rural entrepreneurship.

Madhya Pradesh tops rural road development

Officials informed the Chief Minister that Madhya Pradesh has secured the top position in the country for quality control and maintenance of rural roads. The state also ranked first nationally in completing the highest length of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

The review revealed that drone technology is being used to assess the maintenance condition of rural roads, enabling faster and more accurate monitoring of infrastructure.

Under the VBG Ram Ji Yojana, nearly 1.24 lakh development works are currently underway across the state, providing daily employment to around 2.62 lakh labourers. Workers have collectively received wages amounting to ₹18.20 crore.

Officials also noted that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi had praised Madhya Pradesh's water conservation initiatives during an episode of Mann Ki Baat, citing the construction of 1,500 ponds in Sidhi district and the development of Amrit Sarovars in Narsinghpur as exemplary models.

Online services expanded to over 10,500 gram panchayats

The department informed the Chief Minister that Vrindavan Gram selections have been completed in all 208 rural Assembly constituencies. Five-year development plans have already been prepared for 135 villages across 33 districts.

Digital governance has also expanded significantly, with online citizen services now available in 10,554 gram panchayat buildings. Through these services, 53,813 building permits have been issued, while ₹3.81 crore has been collected online through taxes and user fees.

As part of a pilot Solar Village initiative, all 76 gram panchayats under Ujjain Janpad Panchayat are implementing renewable energy-related activities.

Housing schemes gather pace

The review further highlighted significant progress under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). Since December 2023, more than 1.62 million rural houses worth ₹19,440 crore have been sanctioned across Madhya Pradesh, of which over 819,000 homes have already been completed.

Similarly, under the PM Janman Awas Yojana, around 148,000 houses have been completed out of nearly 189,000 homes sanctioned since December 2023.

CM Dr Yadav reiterated that strengthening local governance, expanding rural infrastructure and ensuring transparent implementation of welfare schemes remain central to the state government's vision of inclusive and sustainable rural development.