Chouhan chairs India’s 1st 'National Rural Development' conference

India’s first National Rural Development Conference began in the national capital on Sunday, bringing together Rural Development Ministers, senior government officials, policymakers and experts from across states and Union Territories to create a coordinated roadmap for transforming villages under the vision of “Viksit Gram, Viksit Bharat”.
The two-day conference, chaired by Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium in Pusa, aims to strengthen cooperation between the Centre and states while reviewing the progress of key rural development initiatives.The conference marks the first dedicated national platform focused exclusively on rural development, where representatives are discussing ways to improve grassroots planning, enhance implementation and share successful models that can be adopted across different regions.Addressing the gathering, Chouhan said the focus is on turning the vision of developed villages into reality by improving planning at the Gram Panchayat level, ensuring efficient use of resources and creating stronger coordination between governments. He emphasised that rural transformation requires collective efforts from both the Centre and states.

VIDEO | Delhi: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan says, "Today, officials from Rural Development Departments across the country have gathered here. Different groups of officers will sit together to discuss better implementation, reforms… pic.twitter.com/Qw0HGoZFuc

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According to media reports, the discussions during the conference will focus on major rural schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission, rural skill development programmes and the National Social Assistance Programme.Participants will also deliberate on strengthening village-level planning under the VB-GRAMG Act, 2025, along with strategies for improving rural housing, road connectivity, livelihoods, social security and skill development.A key focus area will be women’s economic empowerment, with discussions around the Lakhpati Didi initiative, expansion of Self-Help Groups and promoting entrepreneurship opportunities for rural women and youth.Technology-driven governance will also feature prominently, with delegates exploring the use of digital platforms, Artificial Intelligence and real-time monitoring tools to improve transparency, accountability and delivery of government schemes in villages.
The conference will provide a platform for states to showcase innovative rural development models and exchange ideas on improving the impact of welfare programmes at the grassroots level.The concluding day of the conference on Monday will include ministerial and plenary sessions, where states will present recommendations before a future action plan for rural development is finalised. Chouhan is expected to highlight the key outcomes and outline the next steps for accelerating village development.Several publications covering areas such as water security, Gram Development Plans, rural livelihoods, women’s empowerment and successful grassroots initiatives will also be released during the event as reference material for states and Gram Panchayats.