Last Updated on June 30, 2026 3:42 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
By S. N. Verma / New Delhi
Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday chaired a meeting of rural development ministers and senior officials from 29 states and Union Territories during the second day of the two-day “Gramodaya Se Rashtrodaya” National Rural Development Conference at the Pusa campus in New Delhi.
The conference focused on reviewing ongoing rural development programmes, strengthening coordination between the Centre and states, and discussing strategies to advance the government’s vision of “Developed Village, Developed India.”
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan described villages as the foundation of India’s development and said that achieving the goal of a developed nation would require sustained investment in rural infrastructure, livelihoods and public services.
The conference brought together rural development ministers, senior bureaucrats and policy-makers from across the country. Union Ministers of State for Rural Development Dr. Chandrashekhar Pemmasani and Kamlesh Paswan, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, and other state representatives were among those in attendance. Officials said the meeting provided a platform for states and the Centre to exchange experiences and discuss implementation challenges.
During the meeting, Chouhan announced that the “Viksit Bharat Gram” (VB-GRAM) programme would be rolled out nationwide from July 1, with an interim allocation of ₹95,682 crore. According to the minister, the initiative is intended to replace the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) implementation framework. He urged state governments to complete administrative formalities to facilitate the programme’s rollout.
The minister also launched the “Lakhpati Didi Dashboard” and the “SHE LEAPS” digital platform, initiatives aimed at supporting women’s self-help groups through improved monitoring, digital services and financial inclusion. He said the government has prepared a roadmap to expand bank credit to women’s self-help groups over the next five years as part of its target of increasing the number of women earning sustainable incomes under the Lakhpati Didi initiative.
Highlighting weather-related concerns, Chouhan said the Centre has identified 14 states that may receive below-normal rainfall during the current season. He asked state governments to strengthen water conservation measures and prepare contingency plans, including generating additional rural employment if required.
The Union Minister announced that the ‘Viksit Bharat – VB-GRAM-G’ scheme will be implemented across the country from July 1, replacing the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). He informed the conference that an interim approval of ₹95,682 crore has already been granted for the implementation of the new programme. Urging state governments to complete all required procedural formalities without delay, Shri Chouhan said timely compliance would ensure smooth rollout of the scheme and uninterrupted delivery of its benefits to rural households across the country.
The conference also discussed greater coordination among the Centre, state governments, panchayats and local communities in implementing rural development programmes. Chouhan said effective cooperation among all levels of government would be essential to improving rural livelihoods and infrastructure.
The Sammelan concluded with the felicitation of winners of the logo design, quiz and digital content competitions organised under the VB-GRAM-G initiative. The awards were presented by Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Several publications focusing on new ideas, innovative models and emerging approaches in rural development were also released during the event, underscoring the government’s commitment to encouraging innovation, recognising young talent and promoting fresh thinking in the rural development sector.
The event concluded with the presentation of awards to winners of logo design, quiz and digital content competitions related to the VB-GRAM initiative, along with the release of publications highlighting rural development practices and policy initiatives.