The Rajasthan government on Wednesday organised a public outreach programme in Nand Gram Panchayat of the Mandawa Assembly constituency in Jhunjhunu district, where state in-charge minister and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot interacted directly with villagers and distributed benefits under multiple government schemes as part of the “Gramin Rath” campaign.
Addressing the programme, Gehlot said the “Gramin Rath” was not merely a vehicle but a “mobile government office” intended to deliver government services directly to rural households. He said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that eligible beneficiaries do not have to visit government offices repeatedly to access their entitlements.
Gehlot said Rajasthan was moving towards a new phase of development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, adding that the government’s priority was implementation of schemes on the ground.
The minister said schemes from 13 major departments had been brought together on a single platform under the campaign to provide multiple services at one location and reduce the need for villagers to visit different offices.
During the programme, beneficiaries received assistance and documents related to several government schemes. These included cheque distribution for permanent housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, assistance for mothers and children under the Annaprashan scheme, crop insurance claim documents for farmers, land lease allotments for villagers, and distribution of tricycles to persons with disabilities.
Bharatiya Janata Party district president Harshini Kulhari said each Gramin Rath vehicle had been equipped with a suggestion box to allow villagers to submit grievances and development-related suggestions directly to the administration for further action.
Former Member of Parliament Narendra Kumar presented a report card on development works undertaken in the Mandawa region. He said road connectivity, electricity supply, water services and other basic infrastructure had seen continuous improvement in the area.
Jhunjhunu District Collector Dr Arun Garg said the campaign was being carried out through special LED-equipped vehicles travelling across villages to publicise government schemes. He said the vehicles were visiting three to five villages daily.
According to the district administration, the campaign has so far reached 216 panchayats and more than 40,000 people have been informed about government schemes. Local artists and video clips are also being used to spread awareness during the outreach programme.
Several senior officials attended the event, including Zila Parishad CEO Kailash Yadav, Additional CEO Ramniwas, CMHO Dr Chhotelal Gurjar, Assistant Director of the Social Justice Department Pawan Poonia, and senior officials from the electricity, water and education departments. Officials provided updates on the implementation and progress of various schemes.
After the programme, Gehlot left for Nawalgarh to participate in the next phase of the Gramin Rath campaign. The state government said the objective of the campaign was to expand direct delivery of government services and scheme benefits to a larger number of villages across Rajasthan.
