Sri Vijaya Puram, October 6: Local residents, elected representatives and government officials discussed development priorities, welfare schemes and community issues at special Gram Sabhas held across 70 Gram Panchayats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on October 2, bringing grassroots participation into local planning on Gandhi Jayanti.
The meetings were organised under the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC), implemented through the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). Pradhans, representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, government officials and residents took part in the proceedings across the panchayats.
A key focus of the meetings was the preparation of the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), with participants identifying local development priorities according to community needs. The discussions were intended to place local requirements at the centre of planning at the panchayat level.
The Gram Sabhas also discussed various government schemes and welfare programmes, with the sessions aimed at improving awareness among residents and helping facilitate access to available benefits at the grassroots level.
Community concerns extended beyond development planning, with participants discussing cleanliness and sanitation, waste management and the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign. The meetings also covered digital and cyber safety, awareness of the new criminal laws and other matters of local importance.
The special meetings brought together elected Panchayati Raj representatives, officials and residents on a common platform to discuss issues affecting their communities. The observance on Gandhi Jayanti placed the Gram Sabha at the centre of discussions on participatory democracy, community ownership and inclusive development.
With Gram Panchayats serving as the focal point for planning and implementing development initiatives, the proceedings provided a platform for communities to identify priorities and discuss measures linked to local governance and public welfare.
