Self-reliant, Empowered Villages Key to Realising Vision of Developed India: HIRD Director Dr. Chauhan

Sirsa, August 11, 2026: Dr. Virender Singh Chauhan, Director of Haryana Institute of Rural Development (HIRD), said that the vision of a developed India can be realised only when villages become self-reliant, empowered and firmly integrated with the mainstream of development. He called upon Panchayati Raj representatives to strengthen public participation and ensure effective implementation of government schemes so that villages emerge as models of development and good governance.

Dr. Chauhan was addressing a district-level Panchayat conference on the VB-G Ram G Act-2025 at the Panchayat Bhawan in Sirsa on Tuesday. The conference was attended by Panchs, Sarpanches, Panchayat Samiti members, Gram Sachiv and other Panchayati Raj representatives from across Sirsa district.

ADC and CEO Zila Parishad Arpit Singal, Municipal Council Chairman Shanti Swaroop and Zila Parishad Executive Engineer Krishna Kumar welcomed Dr. Chauhan.

Dr. Chauhan said the VB-G Ram G Act-2025 is an important step towards giving a new direction to rural development, with special emphasis on employment, transparency and creation of durable assets. He said the employment guarantee has been increased from 100 to 125 days, while provision has been made to ensure payment of wages weekly or within a maximum period of 15 days.

He urged Panchayat representatives to implement schemes effectively through greater public participation, transparency and the use of modern technology. He also visited the exhibition organised on the Act at the Panchayat Bhawan premises and described it as an effective initiative to provide Panchayat representatives with simple and accessible information about various provisions and schemes.

ADC Arpit Singal said Panchayat representatives play a crucial role in taking government schemes to the last mile and ensuring their benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.

Executive Engineer Krishna Kumar said Panchayats are the basic units of rural development and that better knowledge of government schemes would enable representatives to undertake development works more effectively according to the needs of their villages.

Programme Coordinator and VB-G Ram G in-charge Sunil Kumar said the conference aimed to provide Panchayat representatives with practical information about the provisions of the Act, their responsibilities and the effective implementation of rural development schemes.

Brijesh Dwivedi, Sunny Dahiya, Saurabh Arora from HIRD, officials from various departments, Gram Sachiv, Panchs, Sarpanches and Panchayat Samiti members were also present on the occasion.