Year End Review 2024: Ministry of Panchayati Raj

Ministry of Panchayati Raj

Posted On: 04 JAN 2025 4:47PM by PIB Delhi

Introduction                          

Year 2024: A Landmark Year for the Ministry of Panchayati Raj – Strengthening Grassroots Governance, Fostering Inclusive Growth

The year 2024 has been a transformative period for the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, marked by groundbreaking initiatives, innovative technological integrations and an unwavering commitment towards empowering grassroots democracy. The Ministry’s efforts in 2024 exemplify a holistic approach towards grassroots governance, marked by technological integration, environmental sustainability, linguistic inclusivity, and community participation. With each initiative, the Ministry  is not only fulfilling its mandate but also laying the groundwork for a ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’, wherein empowered Panchayats serve as the bedrock of India’s rural transformation. As the Ministry continues to drive change at the grassroots level, it reinforces the vision of building transparent, accountable and resilient Panchayati Raj Institutions, contributing meaningfully to inclusive growth and sustainable development across rural India. The details of important activities carried out and progress made during the year 2024 are as follows:

1. Strengthening Panchayat Infrastructure: A Key Focus Area  

In 2024, the Ministry placed significant emphasis on strengthening Panchayat infrastructure and enhancing service delivery mechanisms through Panchayati Raj Institutions. The objective is to ensure efficient local self-governance for rural citizens, enabling Panchayats to fulfill their constitutional mandate as empowered units of local self-governance.

To address long-standing infrastructure deficits, the Ministry adopted a saturation approach in the year 2024. Funds were sanctioned for the construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans in 4,604 locations, ensuring that all Gram Panchayats (GPs) with a population of more than 3,000 will have dedicated office premises. Significant progress has been made in the States such as Arunachal Pradesh, where 661 GP Bhawans have been sanctioned, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 617, Uttarakhand with 612, Maharashtra with 568, Haryana and Punjab with 500 each, Gujarat with 412, Karnataka with 258, Assam with 178, Tamil Nadu with 146, and Uttar Pradesh with 100. This concerted effort ensures that all Gram Panchayats in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim will now have their own office premises.

In addition to infrastructure development, the Ministry has also prioritized digital empowerment of Panchayats by sanctioning 31,003 computers for Gram Panchayats that already have established office buildings. Punjab has been allocated 8,034 computers, Chhattisgarh 5,896, Uttarakhand 3,760, Jharkhand 2,066, Bihar 2,000, Telangana 1,640, Tamil Nadu 1,594, Andhra Pradesh 1,422, Haryana 1,363, Maharashtra 945, Assam 687, and Arunachal Pradesh 400.

These initiatives represent a transformative step towards modernizing Panchayat infrastructure, bridging the digital divide, and enhancing administrative efficiency at the grassroots level. The Ministry’s focused efforts under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) are aligned with its core objective of strengthening decentralized governance and improving implementation efficiency, ensuring that Panchayats across the country are well-equipped to serve as robust pillars of local self-governance​

2. Weather Forecasting at the Gram Panchayat Level: A significant step towards enhancing grassroots resilience against climate challenges​

Among the many milestones, Weather Forecasting at the Gram Panchayat Level stood out as a pioneering step towards rural climate resilience. Launched on 24th October 2024 in  New Delhi, by Union Ministers Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Dr. Jitendra Singh and  MOS Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, in collaboration with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this initiative now provides localized five-day and hourly weather forecasts to over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across India. This effort, aligned with the Government’s 100 Days Agenda, enhances agricultural productivity, mitigates climate risks, and empowers rural communities with timely weather intelligence.

3. Twenty-two (22) languages e-GramSwaraj : AI-Powered Linguistic Inclusivity with Bhashini

All Rural local bodies in India function on a digital platform called eGramSwaraj which enables them to plan, budget, implement and make payments seamlessly. This portal was only available in English. During 2024, the Ministry took a monumental step towards inclusivity through the integration of AI-powered tools under the Bhashini initiative, and the integration of eGramSwaraj with Bhashini was launched by the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj on 14^th August, 2024. This integration allows eGramSwaraj to provide services in 22 scheduled languages of India through Bhashini’s AI-powered translation, making local-language accessibility a reality for users across India. By overcoming linguistic barriers, this initiative promotes inclusive participation among Panchayat officials and citizens, improving service delivery and empowering Panchayats to address community needs more effectively, driving progress in rural governance.

The Ministry also introduced voice-to-voice translation tools for conferences and seminars, enabling content to be delivered seamlessly in native languages. This innovation was showcased prominently during the People’s Plan Campaign 2024 – Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas, where live broadcasts in eight regional languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, and Telugu, were conducted successfully on 30^th September 2024.

Similarly, at the Panchayat Sammelan on Ease of Living held in Hyderabad on 22nd October 2024, live-streaming was expanded to 11 languages, with further enhancements demonstrated during the Agra Sammelan on 19th November 2024. These efforts not only promote accessibility but also counter linguistic barriers, fostering an inclusive approach to rural governance.

Furthermore, in line with the government’s emphasis on linguistic inclusivity, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched its Hindi website on 30th September 2024 during Hindi Pakhwada celebrations. This move significantly enhanced accessibility for Hindi-speaking users, with the website’s default homepage opening in Hindi, ensuring wider outreach and user-friendly navigation for rural stakeholders.

4. Initiatives for Women led Development

Capacity Building of Women Elected Representatives: While training modules were available for all elected representatives, there was none tailored to the specific needs of Women Elected Representatives (WERs). During 2024, the Ministry has taken initiative to develop comprehensive Training Modules for the Women Elected Representatives of Panchayats for effective delivery of their roles & responsibilities. The two-day module aims to enhance the capacity of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayats in delivering roles and responsibilities, focusing on leadership skills, conflict management, digital literacy, financial literacy, and service delivery.

Committee on Proxy representation: An Advisory Committee has been constituted on 19.09.2023, under the chairmanship of Shri Sushil Kumar, Secretary, Government of India (Retd.), to examine the issues of Women Pradhans being represented by the male members of their families and also examine other issues related thereto. This Committee has been constituted in pursuance of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Order dated 06.07.2023 in the case of W.P. (C) No. 615/2023 as well as to consider the remedy sought by the petitioner vide its representation dated 09.08.2023 sent to this Ministry. The Report of the Committee is expected in January 2025.  Its recommendation will enable policy interventions to empower women’s representation and eliminate the ills of proxy representation.

Model Women-friendly Gram Panchayats in collaboration with UNFPA: The Ministry took an initiative during 2024 to create Model Women Friendly Gram Panchayats in an attempt to promote Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) accelerating women rights, entitlements and empowerment in all States/UTs in collaboration with UNFPA. Under this One Gram Panchayat per District would be identified and made as Women Friendly Gram Panchayat (WFGP). A National Level Training Workshop in Pune, Maharashtra, was held in November 2024, in collaboration with UNFPA, to develop a cadre of Master Trainers who would develop WFGP models and train stakeholders at all levels. States/UTs are selecting Model Gram Panchayats per District to transform them into Women Friendly Gram Panchayats. State-level Master Trainers will provide training to District and Block-level Master Trainers, while regional workshops will be held to enhance capacity of PRIs on various strategies and key parameters.

5. Empowering Tribal Communities

PESA Training Manuals on 7 topics / issues: Recognizing that capacity building of tribal leadership in PESA States had been a neglected area. This Ministry has prepared, in collaboration with the PESA States & Civil Society Organisations, seven training manuals on key PESA subjects- (1) Strengthening of Gram Sabha; (2) Minor Forest Produce; (3) Minor Minerals; (4) Customary Mode of Dispute Resolution; (5) Control over Money Lending; (6) Enforcement of prohibition & regulating/restricting the sales & consumption of intoxicants; and (7) Prevention of alienation of land. The Ministry launched these training manuals on key PESA subjects in a National Conference on PESA Act on 26th September, 2024 at New Delhi. States have been asked to translate these training manuals into prominent tribal languages.

Centre of Excellence with Central Universities proposed: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has decided to form Centres of Excellence in Central Universities to institutionalize the efforts to implement a multi- pronged strategy to realize the objectives of PESA for our tribal communities. Towards this initiative, this Ministry communicated with the Department of Higher Education to seek information about National Level Universities having Tribal Studies Departments & Universities engaged in Tribal Studies. In response, the Department of Higher Education provided a list of 16 Universities. The Request for Proposal for the ‘Formation of Centre of Excellence in a Central University was circulated to 16 Central Universities. In response, the Ministry received 08 proposals from 08 Central Universities. The Ministry has sought the financial commitment of the respective State Governments (i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) of the shortlisted Universities and will finalize the University in due course.

6. Implementation of the PESA Act in 2024

During 2024 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj made substantial efforts to strengthen the implementation of the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA Act). The Ministry organized a series of impactful workshops and conferences, marking 2024 as a milestone year for PESA implementation.

The First Regional Conference was held on January 11–12, 2024, at YASHADA, Pune, Maharashtra. It covered PESA States including Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. This was followed by the Second Regional Conference on March 4–5, 2024, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, targeting the States of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Telangana.

A significant highlight was the National Conference on PESA, convened on September 26, 2024, at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. The conference witnessed the launch of the PESA–GPDP Portal and seven specialized training modules aimed at enhancing Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) in Scheduled Areas. These modules were designed to address critical aspects such as Minor Forest Produce, land alienation prevention, and customary dispute resolution, promoting actionable implementation of the Act.

To culminate the year, a National Workshop on PESA Act was organized on December 24, 2024, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, coinciding with the inaugural celebration of PESA Day. This first-of-its-kind initiative was aimed at raising awareness and strengthening the governance framework in Scheduled Areas. Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring effective implementation of the PESA Act.

In line with these efforts, the Ministry encouraged all PESA States to conduct awareness campaigns and capacity-building activities on December 24, 2024. The States were also advised to translate the comprehensive training modules into local languages, ensuring accessibility and effectiveness at the grassroots level. The Ministry’s initiatives reflected a consolidated approach to empower the tribal population and institutionalize self-governance in Scheduled Areas.

7. Making Panchayats Financially Atmanirbhar

Training Module on Own Sources of Revenue: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmadabad (IIM-A), is developing a training module on Own Source Revenue (OSR) to empower Gram Panchayats (GPs) towards becoming ‘Atma NirbharPanchayats’ – self-reliant and sustainable. The initiative aims to help GPs achieve localized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) without depending on external support. As part of the training module, a workbook will be developed covering Panchayat information, OSR generation strategies, planning and execution.

NIPFP commissioned for formulating viable financial models for PRIs: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has initiated a study on the “Preparation of Viable Financial Model for Generation of Own Source Revenue,” conducted by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), to create replicable models for Panchayats. This effort aims to enhance local financial autonomy and sustainable revenue generation at the grassroots level.

Digital Portal Samarth for OSR being pilot tested in States:The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has developed the Samarth Portal, with an aim to facilitate effective collection, monitoring and evaluation of Own Sources of Revenue, both tax and non-tax. Currently, the application is in the pilot stage wherein, pilot is being conducted in a few GPs in Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh.

Model Rules for OSR being framed: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is developing Model Rules for Own Source Revenue (OSR) to assist states, as several states currently lack rules to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in generating their own revenue. These rules would provide a standardized framework for States to build on, helping PRIs improve their financial independence and sustainability.

8. Finance Commissions’ Conclave on “Devolution to Development”

In a significant stride towards fortifying rural governance and reshaping India’s local governance financial framework, a day-long Finance Commissions’ Conclave on “Devolution to Development” was organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in New Delhi on 14^th November 2024.The conclave, a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening fiscal decentralization and financial empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Chaired by Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairperson of the XVI Finance Commission, and attended by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, MoPR, and members of the XVI Finance Commission including Shri Ajay Narayan Jha, Ms. Annie George Mathew, Dr. Manoj Panda, and Dr. Soumyakanti Ghosh (joining virtually), the event saw participation from over 150 delegates across 22 States. This included current and former Chairpersons of State Finance Commissions (SFCs), SFC Members, Member Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, State Finance Department officials, and experts from academia and research institutions.The conclave served as a landmark platform to build consensus on enhancing fiscal decentralization, strengthening financial empowerment, and promoting sustainable Own Source Revenue (OSR) generation by Panchayats, thereby laying the foundation for more accountable and self-reliant local governance.

9. Exhibitions and National Showcases – Promoting Smart Panchayats

In the realm of public engagement and showcasing rural innovations, the Ministry actively participated in major national exhibitions throughout the year. At the Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show 2024, held from 9th to 12th January 2024, the Ministry presented the ‘Smart Panchayat’ model, highlighting initiatives like the SVAMITVA Scheme, solar-powered Panchayat Bhawans, digital tax payments and Common Service Centres (CSCs) for rural service delivery.

Later, during India Water Week 2024, held from 17th to 20th September 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, the Ministry showcased sustainable water management practices implemented by Panchayats across the country. A notable success story included Kothar Gram Panchayat in Uttarakhand, which developed an innovative water storage and distribution system to address rural water scarcity.

The Ministry’s excellence in public engagement was further recognized at the 43rd India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2024, held from 14th to 27th November 2024, where it was awarded the Bronze Medal for Excellence in Display under the Empowering India category. With a daily footfall of 15,000 to 20,000 visitors, the Ministry’s pavilion showcased key initiatives like the SVAMITVA Scheme, Meri Panchayat App, and Gram Manchitra’s geospatial tools, leaving a lasting impression on urban and rural audiences alike.

10. National Panchayat Awards 2024: Celebrating Excellence in Local Governance

The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Panchayat Awards upon 45 awardees, selected across various categories, recognizing their exemplary contributions to the themes of sustainable and inclusive development in New Delhi on 11th December 2024. The National Panchayat Awards (NPA) 2024 recognized 42 outstanding Panchayats and 3 Institutions across 15 States/ Union Territories.

Key Highlights of National Panchayat Awards 2024:

• 42 Panchayats and 3 Institutions honoured for their exceptional contributions to local governance and sustainable development.
• 27 Panchayats received the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) across 9 thematic categories.
• 9 Panchayats were awarded the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar for their aggregate performance across all themes.
• 3 Panchayats each were recognized with Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar and Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar for initiatives in renewable energy and carbon neutrality, respectively.
• 3 Institutions received the Panchayat Kshamta Nirmaan Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar for their role in strengthening Panchayat governance.

Notable Achievements:

• 41% of awardee Panchayats were headed by women representatives, showcasing inclusive leadership.
• Participation from 1.94 lakh Gram Panchayats (77%) across 31 States/UTs, reflecting a collective commitment to achieving Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).
• Collaboration with 14 Central Ministries/Departments, underscoring a transparent and integrated selection process.

The National Panchayat Awards continue to serve as a cornerstone for grassroots democracy, motivating Panchayats to strive for excellence in governance, sustainable development, and community empowerment.

11. SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Implementation

SVAMITVA Scheme was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24^th April 2020 with a resolve to enable economic progress of Rural India by providing “Record of Rights” to every rural household owner. The scheme aims to demarcate inhabited (Abadi) land in rural areas through the latest surveying drone-technology, is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, State Panchayati Raj Departments and Survey of India. The scheme covers multifarious aspects viz. facilitating monetisation of properties and enabling bank loan; reducing property related disputes; comprehensive village level planning, assuring the rural local government a good source of revenue would be the stepping-stone towards achieving Gram Swaraj in true sense and making rural India Atmanirbhar. The duration of implementation of the scheme is 2020-21 to 2025-26. (The scheme has been extended for one year to FY 2025-2026)

Achievements under the SVAMITVA Scheme during the year 2024

1. As on, 12^thDecember 2024, drone flying has been completed in 3.17 lakh villages.
2. Drone flying has been saturated in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Delhi and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
3. Scheme has been saturated in Haryana, Uttarakhand, Puducherry, Goa, Tripura, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands.
4. About 2.19 crore property cards have been prepared for 1.49 lakh villages. 

12. Capacity Building and Training-Implementation of scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

1. Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), under which the Annual Action Plans comprises of admissible activities of the scheme of 32 States/UTs have been approved during 2023-24.

2. Ministry of Panchayati Raj has released an amount of Rs.639.38 crore during 1^stJanuary, 2024 to 12^th December, 2024 to the States and UTs under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for the admissible activities, which includes Capacity Building & Training (CB&T), Institutional strengthening for CB&T, Gram Panchayat Bhawans (GPB), Computers for GPB, etc.

3. As per the mandate of the Ministry, around 25.67 lakh participants have been provide training during 1^stJanuary, 2024 to 12^th December, 2024 under RGSA for Capacity Building of Elected Representatives, Functionaries and other Stakeholders of Panchayats to strengthen Panchayati Raj Intuitions (PRIs) for effective grassroots level governance.

4. Scheme of RGSA also provides support to the States/UTs for creation of basic infrastructure of Gram Panchayats like Gram Panchayat Bhawans (GPB), Computers for GPB on limited scale. During 2024-25, around 7266 GP Bhawan have been approved, which includes GP Bhawan in the GPs under Vibarat Village Programme. 37656 number of computers have also been approved under RGSA during 2024-25.

5. Leadership/ Management Development Program (MDP) through Institutes of Excellence (IoE)

Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken initiatives to re-orient the training of Panchayats, as mandated under revamped Rashtriya Gram SwarajAbhiyan (RGSA) and has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad (IIM-A), IIM- Bodh Gaya, IIM-Jammu, IIM- Amritsar, IIM- Rohtak, IIM-Shillong, Institute of Rural Management –Anand (IRMA) and IIT Dhanbad for conducting Leadership/ Management Development Program (MDP). So far, 5 MDPs have been conducted, which has been attended by around 190 ERs and officials of PRIs. Under the scheme of RGSA, the States/UTs can also sign MoU with the Institutes of Excellence (IoE) in their own States or nearby States to develop such kind of programmes for the Elected Representatives and Functionaries of Panchayat.

6. Faculty Development Programmes (FDP)

The quality of training for PRIs largely depends on the competency, efficiency and proficiency of the Faculties and Trainers of the training institutions. Hence, regular skill upgradation and enhancing the quality of Faculty Members is quite imperative to achieve the mandate of quality CB&T at ground level. Accordingly, Ministry has initiated Faculty Development Programmes (FDP) for the Faculty Members, Master Trainers, Thematic Experts of SIRD&PR and other PRI Training Institutions through various SIRDs. 4 FDPs have been conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha and Asaam covering for 220 participants from different States/UTs.

7. Refresher training in Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA)

Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken various initiatives to transform the rural landscape and launch of several portals and applications for effective e-Governance at grassroots level. Therefore, to provide suitable orientation of such initiatives, 5 days residential refresher training is being organized in Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi under RGSA for State and District level officials of RGSA/ Panchayati Raj Department. So far, 5 such refresher trainings have been organised in IIPA covering around 278 participants from different States/UTs.

8. Projects approved under Nirbhaya Funds

The Empowered Committee of Nirbhaya Fund of Ministry of Women & Child Development has approved the 2 projects namely “Freedom from Violence: Capacity Building of Elected Women Representatives on Legal Provisions on Safety and Security of Women” and “Sensitization of Men towards women related issues including Safety and Security of Women” amounting to Rs. 752.26 crore

1. 13. International representation

1. Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) co-hosted a side event at the 57^thsession of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD-57) titled ‘Women in Local Governance in India Lead the Way’ at United Nations Headquarters, New York. A 5-member team led by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj including three Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of PRIs attended the event and shared valuable insights from the Panchayati Raj Institutions, focusing on strategies for promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment through poverty eradication and inclusive development in India.

2. Ministry of Panchayati Raj represented India in Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review held during 19 – 21 November, 2024 in Bangkok. A Women Elected Representative of Taluka Panchayat of Gujarat also attended the Conference along with the officer of the Ministry.

1. 14. Major Workshops / write-shop/ trainings

1. Three Day National Workshop on Theme 7: Socially Just and Socially Secured Panchayat was organized at Patna, Bihar during 10-12 September 2024. Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj inaugurated the program and the session was also graced by several dignitaries, including Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel (Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj), Shri Samrat Chaudhary (Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar), Shri Vijay Kumar Sinha, (Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar) and Ministers from Departments of State Government of Bihar. Approx. 900 participants from 32 States/UTs across the country attended the National Workshop.

2. National level write-shop was organised in collaboration of Ministry of Tribal Affairs during 20-21 June, 2024 in National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj for the finalization of training materials for joint trainings on PESA and Forest Right Act (FRA).

3. One Day National Workshop on People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) 2024-25 (Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas) was organized on 30^th September 2024 in Delhi to roll out the process of preparation of Panchayat Development Plan (PDP) of 2025-26. More than 400 participants from States/UTs, other Ministries, NGOs etc. attended the Workshop. In order to enhance the vibrancy of PPC to prepare the participatory and convergent PDP for the year 2025-26 special efforts were made to make this campaign more effective, such as a call from the Hon’ble Prime Minister to all Panchayat representatives through a letter to prepare an effective PDP. Union Minister of Panchayati Raj and Union MoS of Panchayati Raj, the Chief Ministers of 4 States, and Panchayati Raj Minister of Bihar delivered messages via video to enhance community participation. The PPC Guidelines released in regional languages along with Hindi and English.

4. Ministry of Panchayati Raj in collaboration with the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation organized Training of Trainers for 200 Master Trainers on Water Security Plans and Water Budgeting during 28-29 November, 2024 in Maharashtra Environmental Engineering Training and Research Academy (MEETRA), Nashik Maharashtra. These Master trainers will spearhead the process for preparation of Water Security Plans and train, support and guide the trainers in cascading mode and various other stakeholders at all levels including Gram Panchayats.

5. Three days National level Training Workshop was organised for the State level Master Trainers at YASHADA, Pune, Maharashtra in collaboration with UNFPA during 4-6 November 2024 to create Model Women Friendly Gram Panchayat. The objective of the workshop is to create a cadre of Master Trainers for providing mentoring support to PRIs and District/ Block level Master Trainers in developing Women Friendly Gram Panchayat.

6. Service Delivery Workshops: Two workshops titled “Panchayat Sammelan on Ease of Living: Enhancing Service Delivery at the Grassroots” were conducted in Hyderabad and Agra. Attended by representatives from 14 states, these workshops facilitated the sharing of best practices in service delivery. Sessions explored leveraging technology, including NIC’s Service Plus platform, AI, and Digital Public Goods (DPGs), to streamline rural governance. Insights from NIRD&PR’s benchmarking framework added valuable strategies for improving Panchayat-level governance.

7. National Workshop on Gram Panchayat Spatial Development Plan (GPSDP)

1. A “Cross Learning cum Interactive National Workshop on Gram Panchayat Spatial Development Plan (GPSDP)” was held in Bhopal on 22nd & 23rd February 2024.
2. During the workshop, MoPR initiated a dialogue with the Institute, States, T&CP Dept. and GPs on the prepared 34 GPSDPs. The workshop aimed at mutual learning about various aspects of the prepared plans through interaction with the Institutes that have prepared the GPSDP, States, Town & Country Planning Dept. and Gram Panchayats. It helped in understanding the various issues and will further help in deriving focused action towards the implementation of the GPSDP.

Awards and Recognition

14. Special Gram Sabha

1. Special Gram Sabha-cum-Orientation/Training Programme on 2nd October, 2024: In a landmark initiative, Special Gram Sabha cum-Orientation/Training Programme was organised on 2nd October, 2024 in 750 Gram Panchayats as part of 75 years of Indian Republic, wherein the senior citizens, aged 75 years and above were invited to narrate the story of historic milestone in the nation’s journey. In the said Gram Sabha, over 1.25 lakh people’s participated including 18000 Senior Citizens. These Senior Citizens were felicitated during the Gram Sabha and shared the stories of developmental milestones achieved by the Nation.  The Special Gram Sabha cum-Orientation/Training Programme include interactive sessions where senior citizens shared their memories of the evolution of Panchayats, from the first Panchayat elections to current governance practices, which was followed by discussions that focus on existing gaps in local governance and future goals and training on Panchayat Development Index and Gram Panchayat Development Plan.
2. Special Gram Sabha-cum-Orientation/Training Programme during 15-26 November 2024: To commemorate Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, the birth anniversary of the revered tribal leader Birsa Munda, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj organized Special Gram Sabha-cum-Orientation/Training Programme during 15-26 November 2024 in Gram Panchayats / villages having substantial tribal population. The Ministry has paid homage to BirsaMunda by engaging with tribal communities to strengthen their role in rural governance through Capacity Building & Training on Panchayat Extension in Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act and Forest Rights Act (FRA). Special Gram Sabha-cum-Orientation/Training Programme were held in 23749 Gram Panchayats of 27 States/UTs wherein over 23 Lakh participants were provided orientation / training during the Gram Sabha.  Additionally, as part of the “EkPedMaaKe Naam” campaign, 6 lakh tree saplings were planted during the programme to promote environmental sustainability.

15. Training modules:

1. Ministry has been preparing a module in collaboration of Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad to provide training to the Elected Representatives and officials of Panchayats to generate Own Source of Revenue (OSR) by the Panchayat to make them self-sufficient/ AtamNirbhar.
2. Ministry has also been working with the State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR) to prepare a training module with the focus on the training of Women Elected Representatives considering specific challenges faced by them while working in Panchayats.A write shop was organised during 28-29 November, 2024 to design training modules that address real issues & enhance the effectiveness of women’s leadership in grassroots governance.

16. eGramSwaraj: e-Financial Management System

eGramSwaraj, a Simplified Work Based Accounting Application for Panchayati Raj now available in 22 Indian languages, assists in enhancing the credibility of Panchayat through inducing greater devolution of funds to PRIs. Some of the salient features existing in eGramSwaraj Application are:

• Workflow Enabled
• Assets available on Gram Manchitra GIS
• Supports multi-tenancy, multiple tenants in the same instance and
• Strong Authentication Mechanism based on open-source technologies\
• eGramSwaraj-PFMS integration- Automation of accounting done by the Panchayats under XV Finance Commission grants.
• eGramSwaraj-GeM interface –Facilitates the Panchayats in procurement of items/services through GeM at standardized rates and seamless payment through eGS-PFMS interface, thus establishing a transparent procurement system.

Current progress of the adoption of e-GramSwaraj(including eGramSwaraj-PFMS&eGS-GeM Interface):

17. Audit Online

As a part of the critical institutional reform, XV FC has stipulated that the audited reports of Panchayat accounts need to be made available in the public domain, as an eligibility criteria. “AuditOnline” application facilitates carrying out online audit of Panchayat accounts pertaining to Central Finance Commission Grants.

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