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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while marking National Panchayati Raj Day in Madhubani, Bihar, on Thursday, reiterated the government’s focus on strengthening Panchayats and connecting the entire country with Bihar’s rich cultural and developmental narrative.
Paying tribute to poet and national figure Ramdhari Singh Dinkar on his death anniversary, PM Modi began by stressing the importance of Panchayats in India’s progress.
The Prime Minister stated, “Today, on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Day, the entire country is connected with Mithila and Bihar. Today, the foundation stone and inauguration of projects worth thousands of crores of rupees related to the development of the country and Bihar have been laid here. These various works related to electricity, railways and infrastructure will create new employment opportunities in Bihar.”
Empowering Panchayats For Progress
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of strong villages as the cornerstone of India’s development, the Prime Minister highlighted the Panchayati Raj system as rooted in this very principle.
“Over the past decade, officials have taken continuous steps to empower Panchayats. Technology has played a significant role in strengthening Panchayats, with over 2 lakh Gram Panchayats connected to the internet in the last decade,” PM Modi asserted.
More than 5.5 lakh Common Service Centres now operate in rural areas, offering easier access to vital documents like birth, death, and land certificates.
PM Modi further shared that authorities have constructed 30,000 new Panchayat Bhawans, complementing the new Parliament building, and allocated over Rs 2 lakh crore to Panchayats in the last decade for village development.
One major concern for Gram Panchayats – land disputes – tackled through the digitisation of land records, which, the Prime Minister said, is already resolving longstanding issues.
Focus On Representation & Social Justice
Turning to representation, PM Modi noted the significant participation of women and marginalised communities in local governance in Bihar, describing it as genuine social justice.
The Prime Minister also spoke of the new law granting 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, a move aimed at increasing women’s representation across the nation.
On the housing front, 15 lakh poor families, including 3.5 lakh in Bihar, have received approvals for new homes, with nearly 10 lakh families – rural and urban – receiving financial aid.
The Prime Minister said that the past ten years have been transformative for infrastructure, with over 12 crore rural households now having access to tap water, more than 2.5 crore households electrified, and cooking gas reaching millions.
PM Modi further highlighted, “Even in challenging regions like Ladakh and Siachen, where providing basic facilities is difficult, officials have established 4G and 5G mobile connections, reflecting the nation’s current priorities.”
In healthcare, PM Modi noted that AIIMS institutions – once exclusive to metros – are expanding, with one now established in Darbhanga.
Additionally, the number of medical colleges has nearly doubled in a decade, with Jhanjharpur getting a new college.
Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Across The Nation
Over 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs opened nationwide, including 10,000 in Bihar, to ensure accessible healthcare.
Speaking on connectivity, the Prime Minister pointed to ongoing metro projects in Patna and improved airport infrastructure in Darbhanga and Patna.
PM Modi said these projects were paving the way for job creation in the region.
Highlighting a local success story, PM Modi announced that the Makhana Research Centre, accorded national status.
Makhana, deeply linked to Mithila’s culture, has now earned global recognition as a superfood with a GI tag.
A new Makhana Board, announced in the Union Budget, will likely boost farmers’ incomes and take Bihar’s makhana to international markets.
Additionally, the government is setting up a National Institute of Food Technology and Management in Bihar to help the youth launch ventures in food processing.
The state is also witnessing growth in fisheries, with the extension of Kisan Credit Card benefits to fisherfolk.
Projects worth hundreds of crores under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana are underway.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi laid the foundation stones and inaugurated various development projects in Bihar, valued at over ₹13,480 crore.
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