The current COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up challenges that we have never faced earlier, PM Narendra Modi said in his address to panchayats across the country. Modi, in his speech via video conferencing on National Panchayati Raj Day, launched a unified e-Gram Swaraj website that provides gram panchayats with a single interface to prepare and implement their development plans. He also a mobile app today.

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's address:

Coronavirus Pandemic has made a big impact on the way we live and the way we work.

Coronavirus has sent so many challenges our way, but we must always learn from the situation we are in life.

Coronavirus has also given us a lot to think about and taught us a lot about the way we act.

The coronavirus pandemic makes it clear that we have become self-reliant if we want to survive.

Villages must become self-sufficient and self-sustaining entities to survive future challenges.

Rest of the country has a lot to learn from rural India.

Work is being done for the past 5-6 years to ensure internet and mobile connectivity is available throughout the nation.

The villages in India have given the mantra of - 'Do gaj doori ' to define social distancing in simpler terms, to fight coronavirus pandemic.

Now, broadband has reached more than 1.25 lakh panchayats. Not only that, the number of common service centres in villages is also crossing three lakh.

The new app and the e-gram swaraj website will help in keeping us well-informed. It will also help you do your record-keeping, and in getting loans from banks.