Under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Government of Maharashtra has launched a significant initiative for village development. On September 17, 2025, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday and Marathwada Liberation Day, the launch of this state wide program titled ‘Mukhyamantri Samruddhi Panchayat Raj Abhiyan’ took place at Kingaon village in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The objective of this rural development scheme in Maharashtra is to foster a healthy competition among the Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and Zilla Parishads across the state to achieve holistic development of their villages, talukas, and districts ensuring good governance, economic self-reliance, and active participation of residents.
The realm of ‘Mukhyamantri Samruddhi Panchayat Raj Abhiyan 2025’ extends beyond mere government schemes; Besides placing special emphasis on social and economic empowerment alongside rural development and prosperity and ensuring that every villager can live with self-respect and self-confidence, the program stresses participation of residents in the implementation of the development programs in their localities. The program strives for inclusive development through women’s empowerment, strengthening Panchayats, and active participation of various stakeholders, such as women’s self-help groups, youth groups/mandals, cooperative societies, and Gram Sabhas. Notably, under the ‘Lakhpati Didi Yojana,’ women in the state are offered interest-free loans of up to ₹1 lakh through district cooperative banks, enabling them to start their own businesses. This scheme aims to make ten million women in Maharashtra self-reliant. For the effective implementation of this scheme, a credit society has been established in every village. The introduction of the ‘Mukhyamantri Samruddhi Panchayat Raj Abhiyan 2025’ will further bolster rural development. The model consolidates the three key rural development schemes in Maharashtra – the ‘Jalsamruddhi Gaon Mohim’ (Water Prosperity Village Campaign), MNREGA schemes, and Gram Panchayat award schemes – into a unified strategy.
To ensure the successful implementation of the ‘Mukhyamantri Samruddhi Panchayat Raj Abhiyan,’ the Devendra Fadnavis government has launched a major awards scheme across the state. A provision of ₹290.33 crore has been allocated towards creating 1,902 awards, which will be conferred across the different entities of local governance, such as Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and Zilla Parishads at the Taluka, District, Revenue Division, and State levels, based on a transparent evaluation process.
At the state level, the first, second, and the third position holding Gram Panchayats will get prize money of ₹5 crore, ₹3 crore, and ₹2 crore, respectively. In addition, substantial cash prizes will be awarded at the Taluka and District levels. Through this campaign, the state government aims to foster healthy competition for development among villages.
The seven pillars of rural development
To compete for award and prize money, a Gram Panchayat must actively prove its efficiency across seven laid down parameters, such as:
- A well-functioning panchayats
- Economic self-reliance
- Water-secure and clean villages
- Convergence of MGNREGA and other schemes
- Strengthening of village-level institutions
- Diverse sources of livelihood and social justice
- Public participation and collective effort in developmental activities.
Villages will be evaluated and assessed based on these parameters to qualify for awards. A 16-member high-level committee, chaired by the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, has been constituted at the state level to implement the campaign. Similarly, evaluation and monitoring committees have been formed at the taluka, district, and divisional levels. Preparations for the campaign began on August 1, 2025; actual implementation commenced on September 17, and the campaign will run until December 31, 2025.
Distributing Benefits of Government Schemes to Women’s Groups
Under the ‘Mukhyamantri Samruddhi Panchayat Raj Abhiyan’, Chief Minister Fadnavis personally distributed scheme certificates and benefits to members of the Vaishnavi Women’s Self-Help Group, the Bhairavnath Women’s Group, and local residents of Pimpalgaon Valan and Kingaon in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. By providing financial assistance to women’s self-help groups for starting goat-rearing and dairy businesses, as well as for purchasing residential land, and by distributing ‘ABHA cards’ and ‘Kisan ID cards’, the scheme empowered the women’s self-help groups to move on from depending on traditional micro-finance to sustainable, high-yield agricultural enterprises.
Through the ‘Mukhyamantri Samruddhi Panchayat Raj Abhiyan’, an effort is being made to
achieve comprehensive development in rural areas through efficient functioning of all levels of authorities and active participation of local people in the implementation of the related projects. The state government is confident that this movement will establish a new model of rural development in Maharashtra. Spearheaded by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, this initiative marks a significant step towards making rural areas strong, self-reliant, and prosperous. The government believes that through this campaign, every village will recognize its responsibilities, participate enthusiastically, and work diligently to realize the vision of a prosperous Gram Panchayat and a prosperous Maharashtra.