Gujarat Governor Devvrat briefs PM Modi on natural farming, rural welfare push
Synopsis
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat took his state's rural welfare agenda straight to the Prime Minister — covering poison-free natural farming, a Raj Bhavan-led power-saving drive, and village-level Gram Kalyan programmes. The meeting signals a hands-on gubernatorial role in translating policy into grassroots outcomes, with Gujarat positioning its model for potential national replication.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat met PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 25 June to review state welfare and development programmes.
A statewide campaign is under way to promote chemical-free, cow-based natural farming across Gujarat's farming communities.
A power-saving campaign is being run in mission mode across government offices, universities, municipalities and municipal corporations under Raj Bhavan directives.
Gram Kalyan programmes cover sanitation, education, healthcare, de-addiction, employment and animal husbandry at the village level.
The Governor shared direct feedback from rural community interactions, with responses described as positive by officials.
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday, 25 June to present a detailed account of the state's ongoing development and public welfare programmes, with natural farming, electricity conservation and rural uplift at the centre of the discussion. The meeting underscored Gujarat's push to mainstream chemical-free agriculture and strengthen grassroots welfare delivery.
Natural Farming at the Core
Governor Devvrat briefed the Prime Minister on the progress of a statewide campaign encouraging farmers to shift toward chemical-free, cow-based agricultural practices. The initiative, framed around the concept of 'poison-free natural farming', aims to reduce farmers' dependence on synthetic inputs while improving soil health and long-term agricultural sustainability.
According to officials present, the campaign has been gaining traction across farming communities in Gujarat, with awareness drives being conducted at the village level to promote sustainable practices. The Governor also highlighted efforts to build institutional support for the transition, including community-based outreach and farmer engagement programmes.
Power Conservation in Mission Mode
The Governor informed the Prime Minister about a power-saving campaign being run across the state in alignment with national energy conservation objectives. Acharya Devvrat said the initiative is being implemented 'in mission mode' across government offices, universities, municipalities and municipal corporations throughout Gujarat under directives issued through Raj Bhavan.
This comes amid broader national efforts to reduce energy consumption in public institutions, with state governments increasingly being called upon to lead by example in electricity efficiency.
Gram Kalyan: Village-Level Welfare Initiatives
A significant portion of the meeting focused on Gram Kalyan — a suite of village-level welfare programmes being organised across rural Gujarat. Governor Devvrat outlined activities spanning sanitation, tree plantation, environmental protection, education, value-based learning, employment generation, healthcare, de-addiction, animal husbandry and awareness of government welfare schemes.
He also noted that efforts are under way to reinforce social harmony in villages through community participation and collective activities, alongside the promotion of natural farming at the panchayat level.
Direct Feedback from Rural Communities
Governor Devvrat apprised the Prime Minister of feedback gathered during his direct interactions with villagers across different parts of Gujarat. According to the Governor, these on-ground engagements have elicited positive responses from rural communities regarding the welfare and development initiatives being carried out.
Officials described the meeting as part of a broader review process aimed at improving rural livelihoods, encouraging sustainable agricultural practices and strengthening the delivery of public welfare programmes across the state.
What Comes Next
The discussion is expected to feed into the Centre's ongoing review of natural farming policy and rural welfare frameworks. Gujarat's model of governor-led outreach and mission-mode implementation of conservation drives may serve as a reference point as the Centre looks to scale similar programmes nationally in the coming months.
Point of View
Energy conservation and Gram Kalyan bundled under a single gubernatorial push. The 'poison-free farming' framing aligns closely with the Centre's own Zero Budget Natural Farming agenda, suggesting this is as much a policy alignment exercise as a status update. The real question is whether the on-ground traction matches the positive feedback the Governor reports — independent agricultural data on chemical-input reduction in Gujarat remains sparse. If the model holds up to scrutiny, it carries genuine replication value; if it does not, the optics of a governor-led campaign risk overshadowing substantive delivery gaps.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat meet PM Modi on 25 June?
Governor Acharya Devvrat met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 25 June to brief him on Gujarat's ongoing development and public welfare programmes, focusing on natural farming expansion, electricity conservation and Gram Kalyan rural initiatives.
What is the natural farming initiative being promoted in Gujarat?
Gujarat is running a statewide campaign encouraging farmers to adopt chemical-free, cow-based agricultural practices — described as 'poison-free natural farming' — to reduce dependence on synthetic inputs and promote sustainable agriculture. Awareness drives are being conducted across farming communities at the village level.
What is the Gram Kalyan programme in Gujarat?
Gram Kalyan is a village-level welfare initiative being organised across rural Gujarat, covering sanitation, tree plantation, education, healthcare, de-addiction, employment generation, animal husbandry and awareness of government schemes, alongside efforts to promote social harmony through community participation.
How is Gujarat conserving electricity under the Raj Bhavan directive?
Under directions issued through Raj Bhavan, a power-saving campaign is being implemented in mission mode across government offices, universities, municipalities and municipal corporations throughout Gujarat, in line with national energy conservation objectives.
What is the significance of the Governor's direct interactions with villagers?
Governor Devvrat has been conducting on-ground visits to villages across Gujarat to gather first-hand feedback on welfare and development programmes. According to officials, these interactions have generated positive responses from rural communities, and the findings were shared with PM Modi during the meeting.
