Lok Sabha Question No. 3483 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-17
Subject: Scheme under Panchayati Raj
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Smt. Malvika Devi, Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3483

ANSWERED ON: 17.12.2024

## SCHEME UNDER PANCHAYATI RAJ

## 3483. SMT. MALVIKA DEVI: SHRI UMMEDARAM BENIWAL:

Will the Minister of Panchayati Raj be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps being taken and schemes provided by the Government under Panchayati Raj in Odisha;
- (b) the details of schemes being implemented by the Government in the Panchayats of Rajasthan;
- (c) whether the Government has provided the list of works under Panchayati Raj for the development of villages;
- (d) the total number of funds allocated and utilized during the last five years in Rajasthan, particularly in Barmer and Jaisalmer, district-wise;
- (e) the details and objectives of the scheme being implemented by the Government for development of small villages in the country;
- (f) the details of the status of development in the States of the country including Rajasthan, State-wise; and
- (g) whether the Government has any proposal regarding the Panchayati Raj Elections come under one nation one election?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (PROF. S.P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a)& (b) Panchayat, being 'Local Government', is a State Subject and part of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Accordingly, Panchayats are set up and operated through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. For realization of Panchayati Raj system in the Country, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken continuous steps to provide assistance to the States & Union Territories and reviews their performance from time to time, through studies, review meetings, field visits, video conferencing, Information Technology applications, Common Review Missions (CRM) etc.

This Ministry has also launched eGramSwaraj (https://egramswaraj.gov.in), a userfriendly web-based portal, which aims to bring in transparency in the decentralised planning, progress reporting, financial management, work-based accounting and details of assets created. Further, for ensuring timely audit of Panchayat accounts i.e. receipts and expenditures of Gram Panchayats, this Ministry has rolled out an online application-AuditOnline (https://auditonline.gov.in). This application not only facilitates the

auditing of Panchayat accounts but also provides for maintaining of audit records. This application streamlines the process for audit inquiries, draft local audit reports, draft audit paras etc. and thus ensure proper maintenance of accounts by Panchayats to improve transparency and accountability. These interventions are meant for all States/UTs including the State of Odisha and Rajasthan.

This Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is implementing the Revamped Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) with the main objective of capacity building and training of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and their functionaries to develop their governance capabilities for leadership roles to enable the Gram Panchayats to function effectively and to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals through Localization at grassroot level. Also, the Central Components of revamped RGSA viz; Incentivization of Panchayats (IoP) and Mission Mode Project on e-Panchayats (MMPePanchayat) schemes are implemented by the MoPR. Under IoP scheme, Awards including financial incentives are given to best performing Panchayats in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public good. Under e-Panchayats (MMPePanchayat) scheme, various e-governance projects are funded towards digitalization of Panchayats to bring in efficiency, accountability and transparency in the functioning of the PRIs for their overall transformation. All these three schemes are implemented for all the levels of Panchayats in all States and Union Territories of India including the States of Odisha and Rajasthan.

(c) Article 243G of the Constitution of India empowers the Legislature of a State to make provisions, by law, for the devolution of power and responsibilities upon Panchayat at appropriate level, subject to such conditions, as may be, specified with respect to the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice and implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as may be entrusted to them including those in relation to matters included in the Eleventh Schedule. The State legislatures are to consider the 29 subjects illustratively set out in the Eleventh Schedule for devolution to the Panchayats.

In line with above, Panchayats make their own plans using the resources at their command, convergence of resources from other schemes and programmes under Central and State Governments and financial resources provided by the Finance Commissions of both Centre and States etc. for various developmental works in their jurisdiction.

(d) to (f) In addition to the funds provided under the schemes of Ministry of Rural Development for development of villages including the small villages, under fourteenth and fifteenth Central Finance Commissions, a total of Rs.16,792.90 crore was allocated for the rural local bodies in Rajasthan of which Rs.16,200.31 crore has been utilised for the development of the villages during the last five years. The district-wise allocation and releases are made by the State Government concerned including the Government of Rajasthan for its Districts including the districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer.

Under Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) award, Rs. 2,00,292.20 crore had been allocated to the Gram Panchayats (GPs) constituted under Part IX of the Constitution in 26 States including Rajasthan for the award period 2015-16 to 2019-20 for delivering basic services including water supply, sanitation including septic management, sewerage and solid waste management, storm water drainage, maintenance of community assets, maintenance of

roads, footpaths and street-lighting, and burial and cremation grounds, and any other basic service within the functions assigned to them under relevant legislations. The grant provided under Fourteenth Finance Commission award were utilized by the Gram Panchayats towards providing basic services based on their needs.

Further, currently Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Grants are provided to the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in all three tiers of Panchayats and Traditional Bodies in 28 States. XV FC Grants have two components; namely, Basic (Untied) Grants and Tied Grants. The Basic (Untied) grants can be used for felt needs of basic facilities under the 29 subjects enshrined in the 'Eleventh Schedule' of the Constitution of India, except for salaries and other establishment costs. The Tied Grants are to be utilised for basic facilities, specifically, for drinking water and sanitation.

(g) No proposal in this regard is pending in this department. However, as per the information available on the website (https://onoe.gov.in) of One Nation One Election, the High-Level Committee constituted in the matter has, inter alia, recommended, that in the second step, elections to the Municipalities and Panchayats will be synchronised with the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies in such a way that the Municipalities and Panchayats elections are held within 100 days of holding elections to the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies.

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