Shivraj Singh Chouhan Emphasizes Prime Minister’s Vision for Poverty-Free Villages at NIRDPR Meeting

Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving poverty-free villages across India. Speaking at the 66th General Council meeting of the National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) in Rajendra Nagar, Telangana, Shri Chouhan emphasized the government’s commitment to rural development and improving the quality of life in villages.

Shri Chouhan highlighted that the dream of a poverty-free village is central to the Prime Minister’s agenda, stressing that no one in rural areas should remain impoverished and that employment opportunities should be available to all. He referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj, noting that rural development hinges on robust infrastructure, including good schools, panchayat and community buildings, healthcare facilities, and proper road connectivity. Shri Chouhan praised initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the Jal Jeevan Mission as key drivers of rural infrastructure improvement.

The Union Minister also lauded the Ministry of Rural Development’s success in empowering women through the Livelihood Mission, which has impacted the lives of 10 crore women across the country. He announced that the Prime Minister has set a new goal to increase the number of “Lakhpati Didis” from 1 crore to 3 crore, underscoring the importance of capacity building and training in rural development.

During the meeting, two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) for collaborative Ph.D. programs. Additionally, Shri Chouhan launched an online course for Gram Rozgar Sevaks (GRS) and inaugurated the PMAY-G Model House at the Rural Technology Park on the NIRDPR campus. The house, built with sustainable materials and innovative construction techniques, was showcased as a model for affordable rural housing.

Shri Chouhan was joined by other dignitaries, including Union Ministers of State for Rural Development Shri Kamlesh Paswan and Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, as well as officials from the Ministry of Rural Development. The visit concluded with the planting of saplings and a tour of the Mud Block making unit at the Rural Technology Park.