Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday flagged off a delegation of elected Panchayat representatives from the Bastar division for a training-cum-study tour to Maharashtra under the National Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.
The Chief Minister formally sent off the delegation from his residence, wishing the members a safe and productive journey. Two buses carrying the representatives were flagged off on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, CM Sai said the exposure visit would help Panchayat representatives understand best governance practices adopted in other states, which could be replicated to strengthen rural development initiatives in Chhattisgarh. He described the tour as a multi-purpose exercise aimed at learning through interaction, dialogue, innovation, and cultural exchange.
The Chief Minister encouraged the representatives to actively share Chhattisgarh’s experiences, especially those from Bastar, including tourism potential, cultural heritage, people-centric welfare schemes, transparent governance, and good administrative practices with counterparts in Maharashtra.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma also extended his best wishes to the delegation, stating that such exposure visits play a crucial role in making the Panchayati Raj system more effective, progressive, and development-oriented.
Under the Government of India’s National Gram Swaraj scheme, elected district Panchayat members from the Bastar division will study Maharashtra’s Panchayati Raj system during the visit scheduled from January 18 to January 23, 2025, with Mumbai as the base. In the first phase, 60 Panchayat representatives and nodal officers are participating in the programme.
The itinerary includes training sessions as well as visits to model Panchayats known for innovative governance. Similar study tours will be organised in phases for Panchayat representatives from other divisions of the state.
MLAs Lata Usendi and Motilal Sahu, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Neelu Sharma, Director of Panchayat and Rural Development Department Priyanka Mahobia, and senior government officials were present during the flag-off ceremony.
