Tripura declares all Panchayats disability-friendly, CM bats for more development

In a major push for inclusive and empowered rural governance, Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Saturday declared all Panchayats in the state as disability-friendly. 

Marking the occasion of National Panchayat Day, the state also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIM Shillong to provide leadership training to Panchayat officials.

Speaking at an event held at Gram Swaraj Bhawan in A.D. Nagar, Agartala, Dr. Saha announced that Tripura has climbed to the 7th position in the Central Government’s Panchayat Devolution Index, a significant leap from its earlier 13th position in 2015.

"Tripura has emerged as a frontrunner in strengthening grassroots governance. We have set an example in empowering the Panchayat system, as reflected in our performance across various parameters and the seven National Panchayat Awards we received last year," Dr. Saha said.

The Chief Minister emphasised the state’s inclusive approach, stating, "All Panchayats are now disability-friendly, and we are continuously taking steps to support our divyangjan (persons with disabilities)."

The MoU signed with IIM Shillong aims to enhance the capacity of Panchayat leaders through advanced training in leadership and management, aligning with the state’s mission to modernise and strengthen local governance.

“Action is better than words. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi always says that the development of villages is key to the development of the nation. In line with this vision, we distributed offer letters to Panchayat executives last year as part of our initiative to bolster the Panchayati Raj system,” Dr. Saha added.

He encouraged award-winning Panchayat representatives to continue their efforts and serve as role models for others, while crediting the real transformation of the Panchayati Raj system to the Modi government since 2014.

Highlighting recent infrastructural achievements, the Chief Minister noted that the state has built 44 new Panchayat Bhavans, four District Panchayat Resource Centres, and eight Panchayat Learning Centres in the past two years.

“With the majority of our state being rural, rural development must remain our top priority for achieving holistic progress,” he concluded, urging officials and elected members to remain committed to grassroots upliftment.