'Devise village development plans with five-year vision'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged panchayats (village councils) to devise concrete development plans with a five-year vision to affect positive changes in their area.

Speaking at a function here to mark the National Panchayati Raj Day, the prime minister hailed the contribution of women in the functioning of panchayats across the country, and called for ending the practice of "sarpanch pati" - the husband of female sarpanch (village council head)" - that exercises undue influence.

Modi called on the panchayat members to inculcate a sense of pride for their village that required a firm resolve, rather than any budgetary provision.

"Mahatma Gandhi said that India lives in the villages. We need to think of how to develop our villages," Modi said at a conference on National Panchayati Raj Day here.

"There must be a mindset of 'gaurav' and 'samman' towards our villages. We must be proud of our villages," he said.

Education of children in the village and their vaccination, Modi said, should be paid special attention by panchayat members, said an official statement.

The prime minister also urged the panchayat members to motivate all government officials in their village to spend at least one hour a week with school children of the village.

Saying that in any village, the dreams of the people are big, Modi added: "In every village, think about what you can achieve in the next five years for your village."

Emphasizing on the need for education, the prime minister said: "School dropouts should worry us. Any child dropping out of school in the village is a cause of concern. Everyone must get education."

Modi gave away the Annual Devolution Index (states) Awards, and E-Panchayat Awards and congratulated the Zila Parishads as well as Gram Panchayats who were also felicitated on the occasion.

Minister for Panchayati Raj Chaudhary Birender Singh and Minister of State Panchayati Raj Nihal Chand were also present on the occasion.