Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised the need for bridging the gap between cities and rural areas by ensuring that all modern day facilities reach even the far off places.<br/><br/>Addressing a function on the culmination of 10-day 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday' campaign at Jamshedpur in Jharkhand yesterday, Mr. Modi said, the country's progress depends hugely on the development of villages. He called for strengthening democracy at the grassroots level, saying gram sabhas are as important as Parliament.<br/><br/>The Prime Minister asked the gram panchayats to play an active role in developmental activities, taking advantage of the immense resources and schemes of the government.