Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the prevailing global contagion has taught the country to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. “It is the biggest lesson leant from corona pandemic,” the Prime Minister said as he addressed ‘sarpanches’ and ‘Gram Panchayats’ on Friday observed annually as National Panchayat Day.
He launched a unified e-GramSwaraj portal and a mobile app on this occasion as part of a new initiative aimed at providing Gram Panchayats with a single interface to prepare and implement gram panchayat development plan (GPDP).
The Prime Minister, who interacted with the ‘Sarpanchs’ across the country via videoconferencing, said ''Villages, districts and States should be independent for the fulfilment of their own needs.''
The e-GramSwaraj portal and app will help in simplifying accounting application for Panchayati raj and will serve as a single platform to account for gram Panchayat's day to day activities. This app will ensure transparency in gram Panchayat's day to day working, efficient record keeping as the GramSwaraj app will be accessible to every villager.
Another major project is the ‘Swamitva Yojana’ launched by the Central Government. Under this project, household areas will be mapped via drones. Title deed will be given to property owners post mapping. Swamitva Yojana is already in its trial phase in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.
"There was a time when less than 100 hundred panchayats across the country were connected to broadband. Today, broadband has reached more than 1.25 lakh panchayats”, he said.
"Indian villages have become a subject of research for international scientists as well as scientists and researchers back home. You have given the 'Do Gaj doori' mantra to the world to combat COVID-19 without using lofty words like social distancing and lockdown.
“It is because of you that the world is discussing how India has managed to combat COVID-19," said Prime Minister on the new norms mandated by the one-month-long lockdown across the country.
“It is true that we are faced with obstacles and problems but resolve to keep moving forward with new energy, finding new ways to work, saving the country and advancing the country is strong,” Modi said and assured that the country would emerge stronger through the crisis.
Modi suggested that there should be a sanitisation campaign in villages to ensure minimal spread of coronavirus. The Prime Minister also urged the gram panchayats to make quarantine centres for people coming from cities and to help people with essential needs.
"Fake news around COVID-19 needs to be avoided and we need to be alert while posting anything on social media platforms. I am shocked to see that misinformation around what and what not to eat during this time is being spread at an unprecedented pace," said the Prime Minister.