Lok Sabha Question No. 1657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-28
Subject: Provision of Computers in Panchayats
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: P. KUMAR

## 1657. SHRI P. KUMAR:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government has allocated funds to the States including Tamil Nadu, for provision of computers in each panchayat during the last three years, if so, the details thereof, State and yearwise;

(b) whether Government has proposed any framework for providing effective use of technology at panchayat level, including targeted training modules for rural citizens; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1657 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.12.2017

## Provision of Computers in Panchayats

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) Under the erstwhile scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA), operationalised  from  2012-13  to  2015-16,  funds  were  provided  to  States  for  procurement  of computers upto 2014-15. In view of devolution of Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) grants to Gram Panchayats, funds were not sanctioned under RGPSA to States for procurement of computers w.e.f  2015-16.  Further,  under  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission  (FFC)  Award  Gram  Panchayats (GPs) are provided basic grants through States for providing basic services. Out of these grants 10% is allowed to be utilized by the GPs for incurring expending for meeting the cost of technical and administrative support towards Operation & Maintenance (O&M). The various activities permitted under O & M include purchase of computers and accessories as well as cost of AMC in GPs, which do not have any computer at present. Under FFC, GPs are also given Performance Grants through States. The Performance Grants can also be used for purchase of computers. The details of funds sanctioned  to  the  States  including  Tamil  Nadu  during  last  three  years  under  RGPSA  for procurement of computers and basic and performance grants under FFC  are given in Annexure-I and Annexure-II respectively.

(b) and (c): Under e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, a suite of  core  software  applications  has  been  developed  to  address  various  aspects  of  Panchayats' functioning  including  planning,  budgeting,  implementation,  accounting,  monitoring,  social  audit and  delivery  of  citizen  services  like  issue  of  certificates,  licences,  tax  collection  etc.  These applications  are  collectively  called  Panchayat  Enterprise  Suite  (PES).  Further,  some  States  have developed their own State-specific software applications for similar purposes. Under the National Capacity Building Framework (NCBF), 2014 developed by this Ministry, due emphasis has been given to the use of information technology for expanding the outreach and enhancing the quality of the various capacity building initiatives for Panchayati Raj Institutions. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been also implementing the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) to impart digital literacy in rural India by covering six crore rural households  (one  person  per  household).  Furthermore,  Department  of  Telecommunications  has undertaken BharatNet project for providing broadband connectivity to the Gram Panchayats in the country.

Annexure 1 referred to  in reply to part  (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1657 for 28.12.2017 regarding Provision of Computers in Panchayats

State/UT-wise  amount  sanctioned  under  e-enablement  (including  purchase  of  computers) component of erstwhile scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA)

| Sl No.   | States               | 2014-15 Rs. in Cr.   | 2015-16 2016-17                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|----------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh       | 6.53                 | of devolution of under not sanctioned States for of w.e.f. In view of devolution of grants under Fourteenth Finance Commission, funds have not been sanctioned to States for procurement of computers w.e.f. 2015-16 |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh    | -                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 3        | Assam                | 4.40                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 4        | Bihar                | 7.32                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh         | 8.00                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 6        | Gujarat              | 4.31                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 7        | Haryana              | 3.68                 | view                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 8        | Himachal Pradesh     | 7.64                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 9        | Jammu &Kashmir       | 6.19                 | grants Fourteenth                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 10       | Jharkhand            | -                    | Finance                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 11       | Karnataka            | 2.52                 | Commission, funds have                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 12       | Kerala               | 9.78                 | been                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| 13       | Madhya Pradesh       | -                    | procurement                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 14       | Maharashtra          | -                    | computers 2015-16                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 15       | Manipur              | -                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 16       | Odisha               | 5.61                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 17       | Punjab               | 0.40                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 18       | Rajasthan            | -                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 19       | Sikkim               | 0.70                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 20       | Tamil Nadu           | -                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 21       | Telangana            | 8.22                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 22       | Tripura              | 0.08                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 23       | Uttar Pradesh        | 40.00                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 24       | Uttarakhand          | 4.00                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 25       | Mizoram              | 0.48                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 26       | West Bengal          | 2.35                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 27       | Dadar &Nagar Haveili | 0.14                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 28       | Daman &Diu           | 0.18                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|          | Total                | 122.53               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |

Annexure 2 referred to  in reply to part  (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1657  for 28.12.2017 regarding Provision of Computers in Panchayats

Status  of  release  of  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission  grants  to  Rural  Local  Bodies  (Gram Panchayats) for the year 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.

(Rs. in crore)

|         |                   | 2015-16     | 2016-17          | 2016-17                 | 2016-17                        | 2017-18     |
|---------|-------------------|-------------|------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------|-------------|
| Sl. No. | States            | Basic Grant | Basic Grant (BG) | Performanc e Grant (PG) | Total release (BG& PG) 2016-17 | Basic Grant |
| (1)     | (2)               | (3)         | (4)              | (5)                     | (6)                            |             |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    | 928.41      | 1285.43          | 168.62                  | 1454.05                        | 737.72      |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh | 88.52       | 61.29            | 16.08                   | 77.37                          | 0.00        |
| 3       | Assam             | 584.80      | 404.88           | 106.22                  | 511.10                         | 0.00        |
| 4       | Bihar             | 2269.18     | 3142.08          | 0.00                    | 3142.08                        | 3630.39     |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh      | 566.18      | 783.98           | 102.84                  | 886.82                         | 905.81      |
| 6       | Goa               | 14.44       | 10.00            | 2.62                    | 12.62                          | 0.00        |
| 7       | Gujarat           | 932.25      | 1290.86          | 169.32                  | 1460.18                        | 745.735     |
| 8       | Haryana           | 419.28      | 580.57           | 76.15                   | 656.72                         | 670.80      |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh  | 195.39      | 270.56           | 35.49                   | 306.05                         | 312.60      |
| 10      | Jammu &Kashmir    | 367.72      | 0.00             | 66.79                   | 66.79                          | 0.00        |
| 11      | Jharkhand         | 652.83      | 903.96           | 118.57                  | 1022.53                        | 1044.450    |
| 12      | Karnataka         | 972.36      | 1368.20          | 179.46                  | 1547.66                        | 1580.179    |
| 13      | Kerala            | 433.76      | 600.61           | 78.78                   | 679.39                         | 693.96      |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh    | 1463.61     | 2026.62          | 265.84                  | 2292.46                        | 2341.57     |
| 15      | Maharashtra       | 1623.32     | 2247.77          | 294.84                  | 2542.61                        | 2597.10     |
| 16      | Manipur           | 22.25       | 30.80            | 4.04                    | 34.84                          | 0.00        |
| 17      | Odisha            | 955.52      | 1323.09          | 173.55                  | 1496.64                        | 1528.710    |
| 18      | Punjab            | 441.70      | 305.81           | 80.23                   | 386.04                         | 0.00        |
| 19      | Rajasthan         | 1471.95     | 2038.17          | 267.35                  | 2305.52                        | 1177.46     |
| 20      | Sikkim            | 16.04       | 22.20            | 2.91                    | 25.11                          | 12.825      |
| 21      | Tamil Nadu        | 947.65      | 1312.19          | 172.12                  | 1484.31                        | 758.06      |
| 22      | Telangana         | 580.34      | 803.58           | 105.41                  | 908.99                         | 464.235     |
| 23      | Tripura           | 36.24       | 50.18            | 6.58                    | 56.76                          | 28.99       |
| 24      | Uttar Pradesh     | 3852.60     | 5334.58          | 699.75                  | 6034.33                        | 3089.83     |
| 25      | Uttarakhand       | 203.26      | 281.45           | 36.92                   | 318.37                         | 325.19      |
| 26      | W. Bengal         | 1470.86     | 2050.51          | 268.97                  | 2319.48                        | 1184.59     |
|         | Total Release     | 21510.46    | 28529.37         | 3499.45                 | 32028.82                       | 23830.20    |

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