Panchayat elections should not cause bitterness in villages, says Murmu

Murmu said, “In a society where there is mutual cooperation and trust among people, flourishes more.” She mentioned a Gujarat government scheme, Samras Gram Yojana, under which panchayats that elect their representatives unanimously are awarded. “The idea behind this scheme was that there be peace and harmony in the village and the bitterness caused by elections can be avoided,” Murmu said, adding, “I believe that a village is an extension of family”.

The village is a basic unit and if it is developed then the entire nation is developed, she said. All community work should be done with mutual agreement as much as possible, she said.

The President observed that despite the rapid urbanisation over the past few decades, the majority of the population still lives in villages. Even those who live in cities are somehow connected to villages, she said.

The President further said that villagers should be able to decide the development model of a village and the implementation. Panchayats are not just a means of implementing government programmes and initiatives, but also a place to encourage new leaders, planners, policy-makers, and innovators, she said.

Highlighting that of more than 31.5 lakh elected representatives of local rural bodies, 46 per cent are women, she said the participation of women is very important for the holistic development of a society.

In his speech, Giriraj Singh said there are 21 states that have made 50 per cent reservation for women in the 3-tier panchayats. He urged the remaining states to provide reservation for women beyond the 33 per cent constitutional provision in the panchayats.

Patil appreciated the awardee panchayats for their “valuable, remarkable and outstanding achievements”. Patil said that national award is the endorsement of the exemplary work done by panchayats and the best practices should be replicated by other panchayats.

Kulaste extended best wishes to all well-performing panchayats.