Gandhinagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked the Panchayati Raj elected representatives in Gujarat to carry out at least 75 village upliftment tasks by August 15, 2023, when the nation will be celebrating the 75th year of freedom. He was addressing more than 1.25 lakh elected representatives gathered in Ahmedabad.

The PM congratulated the villages of Gujarat as well as the country for sustaining during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I congratulate the people of the villages for tackling the Covid-19 situation very wonderfully. The awareness and preparedness shown by the villages of Gujarat as well as country, prevented the global pandemic from entering. I also bow down to the smallest of the farmers, who during such challenging times, continued producing, harvesting food for the country," said Modi.

The prime minister asked the elected representatives gathered in Ahmedabad to carry out work for the upliftment of villages.

"I am only asking each of you to carry out small works which you can do. Can you carry out programmes to celebrate the birthday of the village school? Where the leaders of the village and other communities come together at the school and carry out the birthday celebrations, carry out work required in the school? asked the PM.

Modi said that he wanted to see at least 75 such works of village upliftment by August 15, 2023, when the entire nation will be celebrating 75 years of the country's freedom.

"This is the land of Bapu and Sardar. Bapu always talked about self reliant villages. When we are celebrating the 'Azadi Ka Amrit' mahotsav let us show that we are committed to fulfil Bapu's dream and other freedom fighter's dream," added the PM.

The PM asked the gathering consisting of village Sarpanches, Tehsil panchayat and district panchayat elected representatives to celebrate the birthday of villages too and for this involve all the former village inhabitants who had prospered in and outside the villages.

He also asked them to opt for natural farming.

"Each village should select at least 75 farmers who will opt for natural farming, preferably all those in adjoining farms. I also ask you to plant 75 tree saplings to create a park or common garden in the village, where children can play, elders can sit and when any visitor enters the park, they get impressed," Modi said.

The prime minister is in his home state Gujarat on a two-day visit for a host of programmes of public welfare. Earlier in the day, a huge crowd from Ahmedabad airport to the state BJP headquarters 'Shri Kamalam' welcomed him.