Praise for Rajasthan's Rural Development Performance

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, has praised Rajasthan’s performance in the implementation of rural development schemes. During a meeting with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Thursday at the Agricultural Building in New Delhi, Chouhan acknowledged the state’s exemplary work and congratulated the Chief Minister for his leadership in this regard. He assured the Chief Minister that the Ministry of Rural Development would provide full support to Rajasthan’s progress.

Chouhan also approved a proposal for an advance grant of ₹126 crore for Rajasthan under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and instructed officials to complete the process of fund approval. Additionally, he agreed to sanction housing approvals under the fourth phase of the scheme.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed his gratitude to Chouhan for the support. Both leaders had an in-depth discussion about various rural development topics, including the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gramin Kaushal Yojana, and the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). Chouhan displayed a positive attitude toward the proposals presented by the Rajasthan government.

Chouhan also lauded Rajasthan’s innovative efforts under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eliminate poverty in the country. He highlighted the state’s initiative to set a target of covering 5,000 villages in the state budget as a commendable move.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Rajasthan has been allocated a target of building approximately 24 lakh houses. Around 20 lakh of these homes have already been completed, and the remaining homes for eligible beneficiaries are in progress. 

The Union Minister also praised Rajasthan’s performance under the PMGSY and congratulated the state for making significant progress toward the target of creating "Lakhpati Didis" (wealthy women). Currently, four lakh women have been made “Lakhpati Didis,” and the state aims to reach a target of 25 lakh women. Chouhan also acknowledged the state’s initiative to introduce "Solar Didis" and promote tourism-related work, which would boost the state’s economy.

Chouhan further announced that under the Rural Self-Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) scheme, ₹2 crore per building would be allocated, with the state government providing land. Additionally, the wages and materials pending under MGNREGA will be cleared in April.

The Minister also emphasized the need to finalize the appointment of a Lokpal for MGNREGA and to complete the social audit as per the directions during the previous Congress government. 

Chouhan assured that any proposals for the Innovation Fund of ₹30 crore would be approved immediately. He emphasized that Rajasthan is rapidly progressing on the path of development, and the Ministry will provide full support to further accelerate this growth.

As the largest geographical state in India, Rajasthan’s rural development initiatives are crucial to its overall growth, and the collaboration with the Central Government will likely give a significant boost to these efforts.