Panchayati Raj Day: Jairam Ramesh credits Rajiv Gandhi for initiative

On National Panchayati Raj Day, Congress's Jairam Ramesh credited Rajiv Gandhi for the 73rd Amendment, which empowered panchayats and mandated 1/3rd reservation for women. He said the BJP had opposed the bill and attacked the Modi government.

Expressing greetings to the nation on the occassion of National Panchayati Raj Day, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that the then former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi insisted on the truly transformative Panchayati Raj initiative in 1993.

In a post on X, a Congress MP said that the extraordinarily detailed Articles 243-A to 243-O in the Constitution vastly empower panchayats and make them the foundations of the country's polity. "April 24th is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day. On this day in 1993, the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution was enacted. This introduced the extraordinarily detailed Articles 243-A to 243-O in the Constitution to vastly empower panchayats and make them the foundations of our polity. Today there are about 2.6 lakh gram panchayats, over 6,700 intermediate panchayats, and 673 zilla parishads," Jairam wrote in his post. April 24th is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day. On this day in 1993, the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution was enacted. This introduced the extraordinarily detailed Articles 243-A to 243-O in the Constitution to vastly empower panchayats and make them the foundations of… — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 24, 2026

National Panchayati Raj Day is observed every year on April 24 to commemorate the enactment of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1993, which gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions in India.

Congress Credits Rajiv Gandhi, Attacks BJP

Further launching a sharp attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he added that the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi ensured that one-third of the elected seats in Panchayati Raj institutions would be reserved for women. "This truly transformational initiative was due wholly to the insistence and persistence of Rajiv Gandhi. It was he who ensured that one-third of the elected seats in Panchayati Raj institutions would be reserved for women, including for women belonging to the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe communities. It was entirely his contribution that today there are around 32 lakh elected representatives in panchayati raj institutions, of whom about 15 lakh are women. This amendment (64th) had originally been introduced in mid-1989, but after passage in the Lok Sabha it could not pass in the Rajya Sabha because of the opposition of the BJP," Congress MP added.

Attacking the Modi government over the Women's Reservation Bill, he added that panchayats (and nagarpalikas that form Articles 243-P to 243-ZG) revival is far more urgent than simply increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha.

Slams Modi Government Over MGNREGA, Policies

"Article 243-D (6) also provides for reservation for OBCs in panchayat bodies. Many states have taken advantage of this provision. It was the Dr. Manmohan Singh government that had created the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in May 2004 and launched the historic MGNREGA in Feb 2006 that gave gram panchayats a pivotal role in planning and execution. MGNREGA was repealed in Dec 2025 by the Modi Govt," he added.

Jairam further added, "The further revival of panchayats (and nagarpalikas that form Articles 243-P to 243-ZG) is far more urgent than simply increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha to ensure personal political survival."

National Panchayati Raj Day 2026 Celebrations

Observed every year on 24th April, the day commemorates the enactment of the landmark 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, which gave constitutional status and legal recognition to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across India. The year marks 33 years of that defining milestone in India's democratic journey.

The theme for National Panchayati Raj Day 2026 is "Sashakt Panchayat, Sarvangeen Vikas" (Empowered Panchayats, Holistic Development). The national event will be graced by Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj SP Singh Baghel. Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Vivek Bharadwaj, along with other senior officials of the Ministry, will be present on the occasion.

Elected representatives of PRIs from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana will also participate in the event. It is observed with much fervour across the country at the State, District, Block and Gram Panchayat levels, wherein Gram Panchayats will hold Gram Sabha meetings, reaffirming the spirit of participatory democracy at the grassroots.

The day provides an occasion to recognise the role of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in accelerating progress towards Viksit Bharat. (ANI)

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