New Delhi/Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya participated in the National Rural Development Conference held at the C. Subramaniam Auditorium in the Pusa Campus, New Delhi. The conference was organized by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, and brought together policymakers, public representatives, senior officials, experts, and women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from across the country.
Before the formal inauguration of the conference, Maurya visited an exhibition showcasing products created by women from Self-Help Groups across India. The exhibition was inaugurated in the presence of Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The Deputy Chief Minister interacted with women entrepreneurs and reviewed a diverse range of products, including handicrafts, processed food items, traditional artworks, organic products, and other self-employment-based goods. Appreciating their efforts, he said that Self-Help Groups have emerged as a powerful force for women’s empowerment while simultaneously contributing to the growth of the rural economy.
Rural Self-Reliance Key to a Developed India
Addressing the gathering, Maurya stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rural India is steadily advancing on the path of self-reliance, technological innovation, and inclusive development. He noted that government welfare initiatives and innovative rural development programmes are creating new livelihood opportunities and strengthening the socio-economic position of women, farmers, youth, and marginalized communities.
He emphasized that a prosperous and empowered rural India forms the foundation of the vision of a developed India, adding that sustainable progress can only be achieved when villages become economically strong and socially inclusive.
Discussions on Key Rural Development Priorities
The conference featured extensive deliberations on several critical aspects of rural development, including the National Rural Livelihood Mission, empowerment of Self-Help Groups, digital innovation, skill development, rural infrastructure, employment generation, sustainable development, and strategies to further strengthen the rural economy.
Experts, policymakers, and development practitioners shared their experiences and recommendations on improving rural governance and enhancing livelihood opportunities across the country.
Uttar Pradesh Committed to Rural Transformation
Maurya highlighted that the Uttar Pradesh government, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is giving top priority to rural development. He pointed to ongoing efforts to expand rural infrastructure, improve road connectivity, empower Self-Help Groups, create employment opportunities, and uplift economically weaker sections of society.
He expressed confidence that national forums such as the Rural Development Conference serve as valuable platforms for sharing best practices among states and generating innovative solutions to accelerate rural transformation.
The event was attended by Union Ministers of State for Rural Development Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Kamlesh Paswan, rural development ministers from various states, senior government officials, policy experts, representatives of Self-Help Groups, and other distinguished guests.
