Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today held a meeting with Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi to review the implementation of Viksit Bharat GRAMG and other rural development programs in the state.
The two leaders discussed the encouraging outcomes of village-level implementation and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening participatory, transparent and sustainable rural development. During the meeting, Shri Chouhan and Shri Sharma reviewed the progress of Gram Sabha-led planning, transparent utilisation of public funds and the Gram Chaupal model, which have helped accelerate rural employment generation, creation of durable community assets and holistic development of villages across Rajasthan.
Both leaders congratulated each other on the effective implementation of rural development programs in the state. Shri Chouhan expressed satisfaction over the progress of rural development and employment generation programs in Rajasthan. He said the Government is implementing a bottom-up development model, where planning begins at the village and Gram Panchayat level, ensuring that development works reflect local priorities and requirements.
Through Gram Sabhas, villagers themselves identify and prioritise projects that address local needs while creating durable public assets for long-term rural development. Referring to the implementation of the Viksit Bharat GRAMG initiative, the Union Minister said that ₹445 crore has already been released to Rajasthan under the scheme, of which nearly ₹200 crore has been utilised.
He stated that the proposed second instalment of ₹180 crore will be released once the currently sanctioned funds are substantially and timely utilised. Shri Chouhan also highlighted Rajasthan's leadership in implementing the Viksit Bharat GRAMG. He noted that Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat meetings are actively determining village-specific development priorities, with an estimated ₹12,000 crore expected to be invested annually in rural development works across the state.
He said the program is not only generating employment for rural workers but is also creating durable assets that will strengthen the rural economy over the long term. The Union Minister also commended the Rajasthan Government for its performance under the PM Micro Irrigation Scheme.
He said the state had efficiently utilised the entire sanctioned allocation within the stipulated timeframe, making it eligible for additional financial assistance in the future. He further noted that under MGNREGA, comprehensive reconciliation of expenditure on both wages and material components is being undertaken to ensure complete financial transparency and eliminate any outstanding liabilities.
Chief Minister Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma thanked the Union Government for its continued support and said that Central schemes have significantly strengthened employment generation and infrastructure development in rural Rajasthan. He affirmed that the State Government is giving priority to works identified by Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats and has placed people's participation at the centre of rural planning and implementation.
The meeting also highlighted the Chief Minister's Gram Chaupal initiative as an effective model of participatory governance. Shri Chouhan noted that Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma personally visits villages in the evening to interact separately with women, youth, farmers and public representatives, and continues his field visits the following day to assess local conditions, understand people's concerns and ensure timely resolution of issues.
He said this approach demonstrates that rural development and agriculture are being monitored directly at the grassroots, ensuring that government programmes are implemented not merely on paper but effectively in villages and agricultural fields.
Praising the Rajasthan Government's approach, Shri Chouhan said that Gram Sabha-based planning, transparent fund utilisation, efficient implementation of micro-irrigation programmes and the Gram Chaupal initiative together have positioned Rajasthan as a model for rural development.
He expressed confidence that sustained implementation of these initiatives would accelerate the state's journey towards comprehensive and well-planned development of every village.