PM Modi stresses on good governance, public participation for rural development

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid out the Centre's comprehensive plans towards the development of rural India, and mentioned a number of pointers towards achieving the goal of doubling the income of the farmers by 2022.

Prime Minister Modi was addressing a gathering to commemorate the birth anniversaries of political leader Jayaprakash Narayan, and his close friend and Sangh Parivar veteran Nanaji Deshmukh.

Focussing on the implementation of government schemes in rural areas, Prime Minister Modi said that the work should be completed in a set time and it must be ensured that that there is no diversion or dilution.

"The work should be outcome-based and not output-based," added the Prime Minister, and elaborated that the work should not be measured by the amount of budget invested on it, but by the results it has produced.

"If our efforts are comprehensive and time-bound, our development rate will speed up so much that it will also change the life of our rural man," Prime Minister Modi said.

Observing that the rural people want to live the urban lifestyle, Modi said that villages should have same facilities as the cities.

"This will inspire people to live in rural areas, and when people live there it will add to rural development; when a teacher will live in a village, he will bring education for all," the prime minister added.

Emphasis on good governance was a major focus of the Prime Minister's address.

Prime Minister Modi further said that people, even in the remote parts of the country, should have what is guaranteed by their right, adding that the government has enough resources to help them achieve it.

"The nation doesn't lack the resources; the lack is of good governance," he remarked, adding that development is visible in states that practise good governance.

To ensure good governance, the Prime Minister gave the example of the DISHA initiative that was presented at the event.

Prime Minister Modi informed that through this, every administrative activity can be centrally monitored, which will be linked to all Indian villages.

He said that desired results can be guaranteed, if the vision of the Central Government, state governemant, Ministers of Parlaiment (MPs), and district units are on the same line, and claimed that DISHA was a step towards the same.

"Through DISHA, the government of India has actively linked the representatives of people," he added.

He also stressed on public participation towards ensuring good governance.

"Democracy can only be successful if there's public participation. There should be a two-way channel of communication, where guidelines can flow from above and correct information can be communicated from below," Prime Minister Modi said.

To achieve public participation, the Prime Minister also introduced a mobile application which, he claimed, can keep district administration on their toes.

"Now a village person can convey correct information above, and direct guideline can be sent from above. This will put pressure on district units to implement work."

To boost the rural economy, Prime Minister Modi urged all to buy the products of rural people.

"Things that our rural people produce should be inculcated and promoted as a fashion statement in urban areas," he said, and added, "City should become market place for villages."

"We have already taken the resolve. Now, if every village and every villager takes the resolve to give to their villages, and their village gives back to this nation, then I have complete faith that in 2022, 75 years after independence, we will achieve the dreams of rural India we have harboured since independence," the Prime Minister concluded.