National Panchayati Raj Day to be marked in all gram panchayats

In a departure from norms, the National Panchayati Raj Day will be marked in all gram panchayats, as part of the government's 'Gramoday se Bharat Uday' Abhiyan, the Panchayati Raj ministry said in a statement on Friday.

It was so far celebrated only in Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Panchayati Raj Sammelan on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD) on April 24 in Jamshedpur.

A new mandate of the ministry of Panchayati Raj will be released along with the 'Devolution Index Report' by the prime minister on the occasion.

"So far, NPRD was celebrated in Delhi, but this year, as part of the 'Gramoday se Bharat Uday' Abhiyan, the National Panchayati Raj Day is being celebrated in all gram panchayats in the country (except in poll bound States), as gram sabhas are being held between 21-24 April 2016 nationwide," read the statement.

Around 3,000 panchayat representatives from all states of the country will participate in the programme.

The central government, in collaboration with state governments and panchayats, launched the 'Gramoday se Bharat Uday Abhiyan', which started on B.R. Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary on April 14.

--IANS

sid/sd/vm