PM Modi's development initiatives transformed villages: Sarbananda Sonowal

Guwahati, May 2 (IANS) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while campaigning for the Panchayat polls, said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s village development initiatives have transformed the rural infrastructure across the country.

Speaking at a poll rally at Maloibari in Kamrup district, Sonowal said the decade of development under PM Modi has seen a renewed focus on empowering villages through quality education, better infrastructure, and stronger local institutions.

“Education is the foundation of empowerment. Over the past 10 years, the Narendra Modi led NDA government has taken significant steps to ensure that the Yuva Shakti in even the most remote villages of Assam have access to quality learning, better schools, and opportunities to dream big,” Sonowal said.

“We have invested in school infrastructure, digital learning tools, scholarships, and teacher training. These are the building blocks of Viksit Bharat.”

The Union Minister further noted that initiatives like NEP 2020 reforms are paving the way for inclusive and modern education across the country, especially in rural and tribal areas.

“By upgrading school facilities, ensuring free uniforms, books, mid-day meals, and integrating technology into classrooms, we are not just creating better access to education but also helping shaping the minds of the students—we are building confident citizens who can take Panchayati Raj institutions forward. They are our future and one that is most important to realise the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’,” Sonowal added.

He further said: “PM Modi has ensured that the middle-man politics of Congress is routed completely off the system. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is the one of the many cures for cancer of corruption sowed by decades of corrupt, inefficient and mis-governance by the Congress. Funds are now reaching the grassroots, directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries. Local institutions are involved in planning and executing development projects. Education, healthcare, infrastructure—all are now within reach of rural families.”

The Union Minister stressed that these interventions are not just statistics on paper but real benefits changing the lives of rural children, women, farmers, and youth.

“Through scholarships, digital classrooms, and support for girl child education, we are ensuring no one is left behind. The Modi government’s commitment to Nari Shakti has ensured greater representation of women in Panchayati Raj institutions, empowering them to lead decision-making at the grassroots.Through schemes like Ujjwala Yojana, Poshan Abhiyan, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, women across rural Assam are becoming agents of change in their communities,” Sonowal added.

--IANS

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