CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday exhorted people in all villages to make grama sabha meetings a platform for constructive exchange of views and that those who attended the meeting on Monday should tell others to take part in the next meeting. The chief minister made this call while addressing the meetings through video conference.
“During grama sabha meetings, participants should discuss only the topics relating to overall growth of the village panchayats. They should enquire about the schemes being implemented by the government for the growth of village panchayats. Besides, officials should ensure the participation of women and members of SC/STs in large numbers in these meetings. Their views should be given importance in the grama sabha. The views of all should be recorded in the minutes book,” the chief minister said.
The meetings should discuss topics like renovating water sources, keeping the environment clean, etc. The DMK government is functioning with a motto that all districts and all sectors should grow. Stalin also said that growth of urban areas alone would not suffice and growth of rural areas is also important. He said the number of days grama sabha meetings take place has been increased to six.
“October 2 is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who said India lives in its villages and dreamt about grama swarajya. This government will strive for making all villages self-reliant and with all facilities,” Stalin added. Governor RN Ravi and Stalin paid floral tributes to the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi placed in the Government Museum in Egmore.
The chief minister, in a message on X (formerly Twitter), paid rich encomiums on the contributions of Gandhi and recalled Periyar EV Ramasamy’s call for naming the country as Gandhi Desam as a mark of respect to the Father of Nation. The governor inaugurated Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations and Khadi rebate sales at Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan in Chennai.