New Delhi: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, is launching its outreach efforts in Gujarat with an Outreach Workshop on the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme on June 9, 2026, in Gandhinagar.
Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj sources said that outreach program will feature presence of several key officials, including Ministry of Panchayati Raj Secretary Shri Vivek Bharadwaj.
Joint Secretary Smt. Mukta Shekhar, and Gujarat Government representatives Shri Dhananjay Dwivedi (Principal Secretary, Panchayat, Rural Housing and Rural Development Department) and Dr. Gaurav Dahiya (Additional Development Commissioner). Senior state officers, panchayat representatives, and officials from HUDCO and NABARD will also attend.
The workshop will use a hybrid format. Local eligible panchayats near Gandhinagar will attend in person, while distant panchayats will stream the event live via video conferencing from their offices. This outreach is designed to connect the ministry directly with block and gram panchayat leaders throughout Gujarat to explain the framework, vision, and goals of the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme.
The agenda includes a speech on the programme’s vision by the Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, an informative presentation on national policy targets and technical roadmaps, a live demonstration of the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Portal, and an interactive question and answer segment. Additionally, representatives from HUDCO and NABARD will speak to confirm their institutional backing.
Managed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme aims to foster financial independence in local governments. Through a national challenge system, panchayats can propose revenue-generating ideas that utilize unused assets and local opportunities. Selected proposals will receive technical guidance from the ministry to turn them into viable, bankable projects funded by public-private partnerships, corporate social responsibility funds, bank loans, and existing government schemes. Gram Sabha approval is required throughout the planning stages to maintain community ownership.
To qualify for the challenge, gram panchayats must have a minimum own source revenue of 50 lakh rupees, while block panchayats need at least 1 crore rupees. Both must have a remaining tenure of at least three years. NABARD and HUDCO have partnered with the ministry to offer expertise in rural development and assist with financing. Ultimately, the programme aims to establish self-reliant, economically stable panchayats to serve as a foundation for a self-reliant India.