Ease of living in villages will stop exodus: MoS SP Singh Baghel

New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) An improved service delivery and ease of living will stop exodus from villages, Union minister S P Singh Baghel said on Tuesday as he inaugurated a conclave of the Panchayati Raj Ministry on "Ease of Living: Enhancing Service Delivery at Grassroots".

According to an official statement, the Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj also stressed on ending the 'sarpanch pati' system — a practice in which the husband of an elected woman sarpanch wields the actual power.

"Our panchayats are not just administrative units, but catalysts of change. Through digital empowerment and innovative service delivery, we are reimagining rural development as a collaborative, inclusive journey," Baghel said at the conclave held in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

He called for ending the practice of 'Pradhanpati' and said it “undermines women's leadership in Panchayats".

The MoS emphasised the transformative role of Panchayats in rural development.

"Through digital empowerment and innovative service delivery, we are redefining rural development as an inclusive and participatory journey," he said.

He urged Panchayats to utilise the e-Gram Swaraj portal and Meri Panchayat app for providing weather forecasts to citizens.

Addressing rural migration concerns, Baghel emphasised that improved service delivery and ease of living would stem the exodus from villages.

"Smart villages will enhance people's living standards," he noted, encouraging Panchayats to generate Own Source Revenue (OSR) and learn from best practices across states. He advocated for multi-purpose community halls in villages to improve facilities and boost Panchayat income. PTI AO AO TIR TIR