Three Gujarat sarpanches invited as special guests for Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi
The sarpanches of Bhimasar in Kutch, Akhod in Bharuch, and Sultanpur in Navsari - villages honoured as 'Model Villages of Rural Development' and 'ODF Plus Model Villages' - have redefined rural governance by blending urban-level facilities with community-led initiatives.
Bhimasar's woman sarpanch, Daiben Humble, has transformed her village into a clean, green, and self-sustaining community with door-to-door waste collection, a full sewage system, and the 'Green Bhimasar Project', which encourages every family to plant 10 trees.
She also developed the 200-acre 'Vraj Bhumi Farm' to grow fodder for cattle and generate local employment, and has won 13 national awards for her visionary leadership.
In Sultanpur, sarpanch Shashikant Patel has strengthened both infrastructure and social welfare, introducing a Rs 5,000 grant for families on the birth of a girl child, rewarding households with the best kitchen gardens, and installing Braille signage in public toilets - the first such initiative in Gujarat.
The village has achieved 100 per cent compliance with Swachh Bharat Mission norms. Akhod's sarpanch, Narendra Singh Solanki, has championed water conservation and cleanliness through a nano effluent treatment plant that recycles wastewater for agriculture, deepened existing ponds, and constructed new ones. The village also ensures piped water to every household and meets all ODF Plus standards.
In Gujarat, the sarpanch plays a central role in rural governance, acting as the elected head of the gram panchayat and the bridge between villagers and government authorities. Their responsibilities range from implementing state and central welfare schemes to ensuring basic infrastructure like roads, water supply, sanitation, and waste management.
They oversee education and health initiatives, promote women's empowerment, manage village funds, and encourage community participation in development projects. In many cases, Gujarat's sarpanches have gone beyond routine duties, introducing innovations in cleanliness, renewable energy, water conservation, and social welfare, turning their villages into models of sustainable, inclusive growth.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
14 minutes ago
- United News of India
Sanjay Raut calls Fadnavis "Joker of Politics" over graft allegations
Mumbai Aug 17 ( UNI) Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) MP Sanjay Raut today launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging that while Fadnavis has handed over prime plots in Mumbai, including Dharavi, to industrialist Gautam Adani, he ironically accuses Shiv Sena of corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). "After U.S. President Donald Trump, Fadnavis is the joker of politics," Raut remarked. Fadnavis, while attending the Parivartan Dahi Handi event at Mumbai's Jamboree Maidan, has said that change in the upcoming municipal elections is inevitable, claiming that corruption under Shiv Sena's long rule in the BMC will be exposed and development will prevail. Responding to this, Raut countered that during Shiv Sena's tenure, deposits worth Rs 90,000 crore were safely placed in banks. He alleged that corruption occurred under the BJ-led government, with leaders from Fadnavis's side "misappropriating" these funds. "Those indulging in corruption are within your cabinet. Don't shield the thieves, crooks, and looters around you. Otherwise, Maharashtra will not forgive you," Raut warned Fadnavis. He further alleged that while the state treasury is empty and no clarity exists on who has been awarded which projects, commission worth 25% from contracts totalling ₹2 lakh crore has reached people close to Fadnavis. UNI SP SSP
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
Find suitable land & I will set up IT park through MIDC in Solapur: Fadnavis
Kolhapur: Chief minister , speaking at Dahitane in Solapur while inaugurating a housing project of 1,348 units to be handed over to workers from the economically weaker section on Sunday, said that an Information Technology Park will be established in Solapur through the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Fadnavis said, "There is a demand to take steps to bring employment to Solapur. If you go into IT companies based in Pune and ask how many of them are from Solapur, half of them will raise their hands. Most of the people working in IT companies are from Solapur. If we bring such companies to Solapur, then we can give employment to the local youths on a large scale. Therefore, I am asking the district guardian minister, collector, and municipal corporation to find the best location for setting up an IT Park in Solapur. I will ensure the IT Park is set up through MIDC. We will bring IT companies to the IT Park." He further said that Solapur was once known as an 'Audyogik Nagari' (industrial town). "On one hand, we have started the airport, and the road connectivity is better now. Once Solapur was an industrial town, for some reasons the industries declined. We will bring back the industries slowly to restore the status," added Fadnavis. Fadnavis also promised to make drinking water available to each house in Solapur city every day. "Everyone will get drinking water every day to their house. We are going to change the internal water distribution system of Solapur city for which state govt has approved an Rs 850 crore scheme," he said. The CM lauded the 'Solapur Model' of housing for the weaker sections, saying the quality of the construction is on par with private apartments. "The beneficiaries will have to pay the bank loan equal to what they used to pay as rent in the rented accommodation. In such a way, we have developed the housing schemes for the weaker sections. In the next two years, 30 lakh houses will be ready in Maharashtra and will benefit 1.5 crore people. We will install solar energy units on each housing unit so that the tenants get electricity free of cost. We aim to make 'Beghar Mukt Maharashtra', with every person having a roof over their head," Fadnavis said.
Deccan Herald
31 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Dog whistling mars PM's I-Day speech
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 12th Independence Day address from the Red Fort, dwelt on a wide range of topics relating to national security. He also spoke about the economy, law and justice, and the needs of the youth, explaining his government's policies and actions. .It is the prime minister's prerogative to speak to the nation about his concerns, hopes and expectations on one of the most important days in the national calendar. He looked back with pride and conviction on the achievements of his government and not so convincingly about the failures of others, and cast a long look on the country's bright and viksit future. .He also flagged some imagined concerns, couching them in political and communal terms, and giving them an urgency and importance they did not deserve. Prime ministers sometimes fail to rise above their politics even when they speak from the national rostrum. .Modi rightly lauded the armed forces for Operation Sindoor and their commitment to the defence of the country, and warned its adversaries against hostile and unfriendly actions. He spoke of the need to make the country self-reliant, and underlined the importance of his Make in India, Vocal for Local and 'aatmanirbharta' policies, particularly in the economy and defence sectors. .The idea has a special resonance in the wake of the May hostilities with Pakistan and the tariff war unleashed by US President Donald Trump. Modi announced a plan to develop an indigenous defence system, called Sudarshan Chakra, expected to be deployed by 2035. He also promised a Rs 1 lakh crore Rozgar Yojana for the young, invoked the symbolism of naari shakti, and cited the achievements of the country in various fields. The promises included next generation GST reforms, to be rolled out by Diwali, to reduce the tax burden and make goods and services cheaper. .The prime minister announced the launch of a high-powered Demography Mission to address what he called a deliberate conspiracy to change the demography of the country. No proof of such a conspiracy was given and the announcement is in line with the politics of communal dog whistling that the Hindutva groups have been pursuing. .It is no surprise that Modi also praised the RSS and its activities. The theme of infiltration has been used in the past electorally and politically and his announcement indicates that it will be pushed to the front in the coming days. The move goes beyond justified concerns over illegal immigration and aims to create a polarising narrative against some sections of society.
