150 women panchayat leaders have been invited to Delhi to attend the event at the Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation. (Getty)
Sarpanch and members from five states – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh have shown outstanding performance and innovation in implementing government schemes
In a nod to grassroots leadership, the Narendra Modi government has invited 150 women sarpanches – who have excelled in three priority government programmes – to attend a meeting in Delhi, News18 has learnt. Independence Day Celebration.
The jury leaders are selected from a list of “achievers” recognized by the Prime Minister's Public Administration Awards. Sarpanch and members from five states – Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh have shown outstanding performance and innovation in implementing government schemes.
“The decision to call in 150 women sarpanch is a two-way outreach initiative by the government and underlines its commitment to nurturing and recognizing political leadership at the panchayat level,” a senior official involved in the process said.
“It aims to actively encourage women's participation in politics and administration in rural areas, whether as sapanj or panchayat members. This decision is in line with the Modi government's broader campaign to promote Nari Shakti,” he added.
The move also looks like an effort by the Modi government to launch a targeted Panchayat outreach initiative after the recent defeat in more than 50 rural Lok Sabha constituencies. By inviting women, the government is reaffirming its commitment to grassroots leadership and the Nari Shakti movement. This effort not only recognizes and recognizes these leaders, but also seeks to rebuild and strengthen ties with rural areas, emphasizing a renewed focus on women's empowerment and strengthening rural governance.
Modi's push
The Panchayati Raj Ministry has invited women Panchayat leaders from five states to Delhi. To promote innovation and efficient implementation of government schemes, the Modi government has launched the Prime Minister's Awards programme. 1,288 panchayat chiefs were selected from these states to achieve saturation of the “Priority Sector Scheme under the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration”.
Among these “achievers”, 150 women panchayat leaders have been invited to Delhi to attend the program at the Red Fort, where the Prime Minister is addressing the nation. The event is part of the ministry’s outreach program emphasizing service delivery to remote villages across states. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), directly under the Office of the Prime Minister, is responsible for supervising and monitoring these projects and their progress.
“This initiative highlights the government's commitment to strengthening local governance and ensuring that basic services reach every nook and cranny of the country,” said a senior official involved in the programme. However, it is also seen as an outreach at the Panchayat level Plan. The government hopes to cultivate and empower women leaders to participate in grassroots politics and participate in rural management.
