Use GIS, Hindi to Give Rural Development a New Direction: HIRD Director Dr Chauhan

Nilokheri, September 23, 2026: Modern technology and effective use of Hindi can give a new direction to rural development by making government schemes more transparent, need-based and accessible to people, said Dr Virender Singh Chauhan, Director, Haryana Institute of Rural Development (HIRD).

He was speaking at the valedictory session of a two-day training programme on “Role of GIS in Rural Development and VGPP Planning” at the HIRD. Dr Chauhan said GIS-based mapping, data analysis and monitoring can help officials identify the actual needs of villages and plan development works more accurately.

Calling upon government officials and employees to use Hindi fully in public communication and official correspondence, he said simple and accessible Hindi would help people better understand government schemes and programmes. He also administered a pledge to promote the use of Hindi, with participants and institute staff signing in support of the initiative.

Dr Chauhan said the real benefit of training would come only when the knowledge gained was applied in the field. Technology, he added, should be used from planning and implementation to monitoring to ensure better utilisation of resources and proper prioritisation of development works.

“Rural development is not limited to construction; it is about creating facilities according to the needs of villagers,” he said, stressing the importance of transparency and technology at every stage.

Programme coordinator and Assistant Professor Kamaldeep Sangwan said participants were trained in practical applications of GIS, mapping, data analysis and monitoring of rural development projects.

Dr Chauhan said officials and employees were not merely implementers of government schemes but change-makers in rural development, as their decisions directly affect villages and rural communities. He distributed certificates to the participants and congratulated them on completing the training.

Assistant Professors Sushil Mehta and Sandeep Kumar, Gurubinder Singh of the National Institute of Rural Development, Additional Block Programme Officers Sandeep, Mandeep, Balwan and Krishan, besides institute officials, staff and trainees, were present.