Lok Sabha Question No. 3499 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-10
Subject: Initiatives to Strengthen PRIs
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3499

ANSWERED ON 10.08.2021

## INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN PRIS

## 3499. SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of ongoing and planned initiatives to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the aspirational districts; and
- (b) whether the Ministry plans to develop mechanisms to monitor the implementation of such initiatives to promote competitive federalism, and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL)

(a) MoPR has been taking several steps for strengthening and development of the Panchayati Raj  Institutions  in  the  States  and  Union  Territories  including  aspirational  districts  through provisioning of financial and technical assistance under the schemes and programmes of the Government and issue of advisories from time to time. The various measures taken include incentivizing  the  States  which  have  devolved  more  functions,  funds  and  functionaries  to Panchayats, providing financial and technical assistance for capacity building of Panchayats under the erstwhile schemes of Capacity Building and on going scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan to enable them to perform the devolved functions effectively and efficiently. Ministry  has  also  assisted  States  in  strengthening  systems  of  budgeting,  accounting  and auditing, development of software applications to bring in transparency, accountability and efficiency  in  their  functioning,  and  in  formulation  of  detailed  guidelines  for  preparation  of participatory  Gram  Panchayat  Development  Plans  by  the  Gram  Panchayats  utilising  the resources available at their command.

Further, Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) has recommended Grants to the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in all the three tiers of Panchayats and Traditional Bodies in 28 States. The Recommended grants were Rs. 60,750 Crores for the interim period of 2020-21 and is Rs. 2,36,805  crore  for  the  Award  period  2021-26.  The  XV  FC  Grants  have  two  components; namely, Basic (Untied) Grants and Tied Grants. Untied grants can be used for felt needs under the 29 subjects enshrined in the XI schedule, except for salaries and other establishment costs. Tied  Grants  are  to  be  used  for  drinking  water,  rainwater  harvesting,  water  recycling  and sanitation  and  maintenance  of  ODF  status.  During  2020-21,  Rs.  60,559  crore  has  been disbursed to the RLBs in the States constituting 99.69 % of the allocation. During 2021-22, so far Rs. 8923.80 crore has been released to States of the Basic (Untied) Grants.

(b) Initiatives to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and the implementation of the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution in States and UTs including the aspirational district of the Country is reviewed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) from time to time through studies and discussions in review meetings with the States. Further, with a vision to digitalize Panchayati  Raj  Institutions  (PRIs)  for  empowering  rural  India,  Ministry  has  developed  a simplified work based accounting application- eGramSwaraj (egramswaraj.gov.in) to address various  aspects  of  Panchayat  functioning  including  planning,  budgeting,  implementation, accounting and monitoring to make them more transparent, accountable and effective as organs of decentralized self-governing institutions. Further, a Management Information System (MIS) for monitoring the progress of approved activities under the scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) has also been rolled out.

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