Only tough times teach us hard lessons, says PM Modi in address to sarpanches on Panchayati Raj Day

National

National Panchayati Raj Day 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with Sarpanchs from across the nation on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Day. Prime Minister also inaugurated the e-Gram Swaraj portal and launched the Swamitva Scheme on the occasion.

Addressing Sarpanchs via video conference, Prime Minister Modi said, “Now, broadband has reached more than 1.25 lakh panchayats. Not only that, the number of common service centers in villages is also crossing three lakh”. Further elaborating on the e-Gram Swaraj portal the Prime Minister said that it is a step towards complete digitization of Gram Panchayats and in the future, it will become the single platform that will keep the records of all the works taken up by the Gram Panchayats. He added that tough times teach us hard lessons.

“All the details of the development works, the fund allocated for them, all this data will be available on the portal. And through this platform the villagers will be able to access all the data on their mobile phones which will enhance transparency,” the Prime Minister said. He also launched the ‘Swamitva Scheme,’ which will ensure the demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas with the use of the latest surveying methods including the use of drones.

Also Read: Coronavirus update: Spike of 1,684 cases with 37 deaths in last 24 hours, total cases cross 23,000 with toll at 718

Interacting with Sarpanchs across the country through Video-Conferencing on Panchayati Raj Divas. https://t.co/irKVx4lKN6

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2020

Despite limited resources and difficulties amid coronavirus crisis, citizens are taking on this challenge instead of succumbing to difficulties,” he said. Prime Minister Modi said that there are problems but the work is going on to save and take the country forward with a new commitment, energy, and ways. He said that the biggest lesson that the coronavirus crisis has taught the country is to become self-reliant. “The corona crisis has given us its biggest message, that we have to become self-reliant. Villages, districts and states at their levels as well the country should be self-dependent for their needs. This has become very essential,” he said

Modi had also changed his profile pictures on social media with one from the address to the nation, sporting the gamcha covering his mouth and nose. Earlier, in an interaction with the Chief Ministers of various states, Modi was seen wearing a homemade mask. Modi’s decision to ditch commercially made masks on several occasions is being seen as an attempt to make a point about how everyone can easily take precautions during the coronavirus crisis.

India’s total number of coronavirus positive cases has climbed to 23,077 including 17,610 active cases, 4,749 cured/discharged/migrated and 718 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today.