Felicitation ceremony:Gujarat CM allocates Rs 35 crore grants

In a grand state-level felicitation ceremony held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on Friday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel lit the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate a significant event honouring a celebration democratic empowerment at the village level and women-led governance. The event witnessed the presence of 4,876 newly elected Sarpanches and 600 members of Mahila Samaras Gram Panchayats from across the state.
While speaking at the occasion Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel,emphasized Gujarat’s commitment to strengthening grassroots governance by virtually allocating over Rs 35 crore in grants to 761 Samaras Gram Panchayats and addressing 4,876 newly elected Sarpanches and 600 members of Mahila Samaras Gram Panchayats. Drawing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, he highlighted how the politics of development has empowered village Sarpanches with full authority for all-round progress under the concept of Gram Swaraj. Calling the elected representatives pillars of village development, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that their efforts would lead villages to secure A+ grades in the Government of India's Panchayat Advancement Index. He urged them to prioritize cleanliness, education, and holistic well-being, while also announcing a substantial Rs 1,200 crore grant provisioned for various development works across the state’s Panchayats. He further reaffirmed his vision of achieving a developed Gujarat through empowered villages, contributing ultimately to the realization of a developed India.

મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રીના વરદ્હસ્તે આ અવસરે ગ્રામ પંચાયતની ચૂંટણી 2025 માં જાહેર કરાયેલ રાજ્યની 56 મહિલા સમરસ ગ્રામ પંચાયત સહિત કુલ 761 સમરસ ગ્રામ પંચાયતોને સમરસ ગ્રામ પંચાયત યોજના અંતર્ગત કુલ ₹35 કરોડની પ્રોત્સાહક અને વિશિષ્ટ રકમ ડિજિટલી ફાળવવામાં આવી હતી. મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રીએ મહિલા… pic.twitter.com/E4obRA4OyR

— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) July 4, 2025

During the ceremony, CM Patel presented certificates to Sarpanches leading in nine thematic categories of the Panchayat Advancement Index, celebrating notable achievements:
•Juvanpar (Devbhumi Dwarka): Poverty-Free Village
•Nakhda (Gir Somnath): Healthy Village
•Kanial (Ahmedabad): Child-Friendly Village
•Rasnol (Anand): Water-Sufficient Village
•Nava Bhunindra (Panchmahal): Clean & Green Village
•Trambovad (Anand): Self Sufficient Infrastructure
•Dantol (Panchmahal): Socially Secured Village
•Narpura (Vadodara): Good Governance
•Chhogala (Panchmahal): Women Friendly Village
Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil attended the event. The ceremony further highlighted the strong financial commitment with Rs 1,236 crore allocated under various incentive schemes to support rural development.
District-level Highlights in Samaras Governance:
Bhavnagar district led with 103 Samaras Gram Panchayats, followed by Mehsana (90), Patan (70), Banaskantha (59), and Jamnagar (59). In women-led Panchayats, Mehsana topped the list with 9, followed by Patan (7), Bhavnagar (6), Banaskantha (6), and Vadodara (4).

(State Correspondent)