Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for ending the “sarpanch-pati” culture in panchayats, the practice of husbands of women sarpanches exercising undue influence. Addressing the National Panchayat Raj Day functions here, he asked the local representatives to stress on poverty alleviation and promotion of education in villages.

Recalling a political event in which someone told him that he was an SP (sarpanch-pati), Modi said, “This business of SP is going on. law has empowered women. When law has given them the rights, they

should also get an opportunity. Bring to an end this SP culture. They (women) should be given the opportunity. They should be promoted.”

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, the PM said, “India lives in the villages. We need to think of how to develop our villages. Even in the remotest village, the dreams of the people are big. Think about what you can achieve in the next five years for your village.”

Referring to his visit to an all-women Gram Panchayat in Gujarat when he was Chief Minister, Modi said that the sarpanch told him there that her motto was to ensure that no one remains poor in the village.

He urged Panchayat members to work with a five-year vision with concrete development plans to bring about positive changes in their villages. Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Chaudhary Birender Singh said seats for panchayat representatives belonging to women, SC and ST should be reserved for two terms (10 years) instead of the current one term of five years.

lauding the Prime Minister’s initiatives, Singh said the panchayats have been provided 3.5 times more money under the 14th Finance Commission in comparison to what they were given earlier, which will enable them to get a whopping Rs 2,00,292 crore money in the next five years.