Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday urged representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institution to take Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare schemes to the last mile.
Presiding over a meeting of PRI representatives from Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh, he said they can be the most important messengers of Prime Minister Modi's people-centric initiatives and programmes as they are directly in touch with the grassroot people.
"Panchayats are continuously being empowered under Modi," said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel.
The minister said the PRI representatives being elected representatives, know who are the most needy among the lowest strata of the society and can ensure that the benefits reach them without any vote bank consideration.
He said Modi symbolises grassroot level democracy which is liberated from any dynasty politics as he himself has risen from the grassroots.
The minister said the prime minister's faith in PRIs and grassroot level democracy is evident from the fact that after 70 years, it was due to his intervention that Jammu and Kashmir district development council (DDC) elections were held for the first time.
Singh emphasised the need for time-bound completion of development programmes and underlined the need for adoption of newer technologies and innovations for faster completion of projects without compromising with any quality, a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.
He said when Modi took over in May, 2014, almost half of the country's population was deprived of facilities like toilets, housing, vaccination, electricity connection and bank accounts.
Singh said with 'Sabka Prayas', the Centre has been able to bring many schemes closer to 100 percent saturation during the last eight years.
There is a new resolve to make India a frontline state in the world in the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal, the statement said.
He told the PRIs to always keep in mind Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for maximising the reach and utilisation of government schemes in rural India so that no one is left out.
Singh said the Modi government has reiterated on many occasions that there would be no shortage of funds for any of the central schemes.
-With PTI Input
