The Quality Council of India (QCI), in collaboration with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Panchayati Raj organised the Sarpanch Samvaad National Quality Conclave at 1QCI, World Trade Centre, New Delhi today centered around the theme ‘Viksit Gram se Viksit Bharat’. Union Minister of Jal Shakti  Shri C.R. Patil inaugurated the conclave in the presence of senior dignitaries including Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj; Shri Ashok K. K. Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti; and Shri Jaxay Shah, Chairperson, QCI.

The conclave marked a historic milestone of successfully onboarding over 60,000 Sarpanchs from across India onto the Sarpanch Samvaad mobile application, creating a first-of-its-kind digital community of grassroots leaders. It brought together 75 distinguished sarpanchs from across 22 states, who engaged in meaningful discussions on five thematic areas drawn from the Localised Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) during a workshop organised on the previous day.

In his inaugural address, Shri C.R. Patil, emphasized that the Sarpanch Samvaad has shown how digital platforms can unite and empower them to share solutions that matter at the grassroots. Our next goal is to bring all 2.5 lakh Sarpanchs onto this platform, so that every village can progress together on the pillars of Swachhata and Suraksha, driving India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047,Union  Minister added.

Sharing his perspective, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, highlighted the role of capacity building and said, “through e-governance and ICT tools like E-Gram Swaraj, PAI, and Sabha Saar, the Ministry is working to strengthen grassroots governance. To build truly Viksit Gram Panchayats, we must strengthen Village Water and Sanitation Committees, adopt e-governance for transparency, and embed Gunvatta in every initiative.”

Reflecting  on the occasion, Shri Ashok K. K. Meena,  Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, observed, “Sarpanch Samvaad is not just a digital platform—it is a movement to strengthen village leadership. By enabling knowledge exchange and peer learning, it empowers Sarpanchs to make their villages Open Defecation Free, Swachh, and Sujal. Technology, quality assessment, and digital governance are key to achieving this.”

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jaxay Shah, Chairperson, QCI, said, “Today, we have connected over 60,000 Sarpanchs through this initiative, but our journey does not stop here. I have set a goal for my team to connect an additional 75,000 Sarpanchs by this October, and to reach 1,00,000 Sarpanchs by the birthday of our beloved late former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he added.

In addition to the collaboration between DDWS, Ministry of Jal Shakti pursuant to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) demonstrating shared commitment to advancing water and sanitation-led development at the grassroots level, the conclave highlighted key challenges, and best practices and way forward that were eloquently discussed during the previous-day’s workshop.

A significant outcome of the conclave was an announcement of the rollout of a 100-Day Good Governance Challenge on the Sarpanch Samvaad mobile application, from September 17, 2025, to December 25, 2025 (Good Governance Day). This challenge will mobilise Sarpanch-led campaigns across the country, reinforcing the Panchayats’ role as catalysts of national progress.

The conclave concluded with reflections and a commitment to documenting and disseminating best practices through the Sarpanch Samvaad mobile application, ensuring continuous peer learning and sustained momentum in Panchayat-led development.

About QCI

The Quality Council of India (QCI) is a premier autonomous body set up by the Government of India to establish and promote quality standards across all sectors of the economy. QCI operates through its constituent boards and divisions to conduct independent third-party assessments of products, services, and processes, fostering a culture of quality that touches the life of every citizen. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, serves as its nodal point.

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MAM/AK/SMP

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