Deepak Dwivedi & Parth Nadapara
In a significant shift in India’s governance approach, Raj Bhavans – once largely ceremonial institutions – are increasingly evolving into proactive centres of public engagement. This transformation aligns with the broader vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a Viksit Bharat @2047, where governance is expected to be accessible, accountable, and deeply connected with citizens at the grassroots.
Leading this transition is Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, whose initiative ‘Har Saptah, Ek Tehsil’ (One tehsil every week) is emerging as a distinctive model of rural outreach and participatory governance in the state.
A structured outreach
Under this programme, the Governor visits a different tehsil each week, engaging directly with local communities through structured interactions, public meetings, and on-ground reviews. Unlike conventional administrative visits, the initiative combines governance with community immersion – featuring village dialogues, shared meals, and overnight stays.
The campaign, also referred to as ‘Aao Chalen Gaon Ki Ore’, reflects a deliberate attempt to bridge the gap between policy formulation and ground-level implementation. It places emphasis on direct communication, enabling authorities to better understand local challenges and respond with targeted interventions.
According to official interactions, Governor Devvrat has so far covered 17 districts and more than 38 villages, with participation in multiple local events. Each visit typically involves interaction with 4,000 to 6,000 citizens, where awareness is created about Government schemes and feedback is gathered on implementation gaps.
The initiative aims to eventually cover all 267 tehsils in Gujarat, indicating a long-term, state-wide engagement strategy inspired by earlier grassroots governance models.
Social Inclusion focus
A key feature of the programme is its emphasis on social harmony and inclusion. During village visits, the Governor interacts closely with families across social groups, including Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. Sharing simple meals and engaging in informal conversations has been positioned as a symbolic and practical step towards strengthening trust, dignity, and social cohesion.
Environmental sustainability forms an integral part of the outreach. The initiative promotes tree plantation drives under the theme ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, with local stakeholders assigned responsibility for long-term maintenance.
In parallel, awareness sessions on natural farming practices such as Jeevamrit and Ghan Jeevamrit are conducted to encourage farmers to adopt eco-friendly and cost-effective agricultural methods.
The programme also supports the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission by encouraging villages to adopt cleanliness as a sustained community practice rather than a one-time campaign. Public participation is emphasised, and sanitation workers are formally acknowledged during events to reinforce their contribution.
Overnight village stays
One of the distinguishing aspects of the initiative is the Governor’s overnight stay in villages, typically in Government schools or Panchayat Bhawans. These stays enable extended interaction through evening Gram Sabhas, where issues such as healthcare, education, substance abuse, women’s empowerment, and youth opportunities are discussed in an open forum.
This approach allows for real-time assessment of local conditions and fosters a more responsive governance mechanism.
The outreach places strong emphasis on natural farming, with large-scale farmer interactions organised at the tehsil level. Discussions focus on reducing dependence on chemical inputs, improving soil health, lowering costs, and enhancing long-term productivity.
Additionally, the Governor engages with livestock-rearing families, highlighting the role of animal husbandry in augmenting rural incomes and strengthening the local economy.
Digital amplification
The initiative has also leveraged digital platforms to extend its reach. Over the past six months, more than 100 videos and posts related to rural development and natural farming have been shared across social media platforms, collectively reaching millions of users.
This digital outreach has helped position the programme as a replicable model beyond Gujarat.
Governor Acharya Devvrat’s initiative presents a structured and scalable model of governance, where administrative leadership actively engages with citizens, monitors implementation at the grassroots, and promotes inclusive development.
The evolving “Lok Bhavan” approach signals a broader institutional shift – one that prioritises field engagement over formality. As India advances towards its long-term development goals, such models may offer valuable insights for strengthening governance frameworks across states.
In essence, the Gujarat experiment underscores a simple but powerful principle: when governance reaches the people, development becomes more effective, participatory, and sustainable.
Governor Devvrat has so far covered 17 districts and more than 38 villages, with participation in multiple local events. Each visit typically involves interaction with 4,000 to 6,000 citizens,