Development of villages of the State is imperative for overall progress and prosperity of the State. Saying this at a peasants' rally at Chowkidinghi play ground here today, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, keeping this in mind, the State Government accorded priority on village development. He also stated that his Government had taken a number of projects through the panchayat raj system for development of education, health, agriculture and road communication in rural sector. The Chief Minister stated that construction of a number of bridges and works to upgrade roads in villages during the Congress rule would certainly develop rural Asom. Coming down heavily on the Asom Gana Parishad, Gogoi said that no developmental work had been done by the AGP during its ten-year rule in the State. "It was the Congress which shared works with the panchayats by holding panchayat polls in the State,' the Chief Minister claimed. The rally, organized by the Dibrugarh District Congress Committee in association with the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), was chaired by former MP Pabon Singh Ghatowar. Inaugurating the open meeting, APCC president Bhubenswar Kalita, said as agriculture played a significant role in the State's economy and development, the Government should accord top priority on this sector. The meeting was also attended by Prithivi Majhi, Planning and Development Minister, Ms Pranati Phukan, Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, MLAs of seven Assembly constituencies of the district and others. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister inaugurated a marketing centre for self-help groups built by the District Rural Development Agency, and a newly constructed gate of Chowkidinghi play ground. He also laid the foundation stone of the second synthetic tennis court at Chowkidinghi play ground.