Lok Sabha Question No. 4998 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: E-Panchayat Mission Mode Project
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh

## GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4998

ANSWERED ON 01.04.2025

## E-PANCHAYAT MISSION MODE PROJECT

†4998. Shri Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to State:

(a) the number and percentage of post offices and gram panchayats in Maharashtra where computer and internet connections are available;

(b) the details of steps taken by the Government to digitalise panchayat institutions and offices;

(c) the annual budget allocation and final expenditure with regard to e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project during the last three years;

(d) the status of achievements in e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project; and

(e) the immediate steps taken by the Government to digitalize all the gram panchayats and rural areas of Washim-Yavatmal cultural areas of Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

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

(a) Panchayat being State subject, providing computers for Gram Panchayats (GPs) is primarily the responsibility of States. However, under the revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) scheme approved for implementation from 01.04.2022 to 31.03.2026, has been supplementing the efforts of all States/UTs with focus on NE States, towards supporting functioning of GPs by providing computers as proposed by States/UTs in their Annual Action Plan and approved by Central Empowered Committee on a limited scale. As reported by Maharashtra State in their Annual Action Plan, 27,006 (96.73%) out of 27,917 Gram Panchayats (GPs) are equipped with computers.

The BharatNet project is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications to connect all Gram Panchayats across the country with high-speed broadband connectivity. As per the data available on the BharatNet UNMS dashboard, 24,778 (88.75%) out of 27,917 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under the BharatNet project.

Further, as per the information provided by the Department of Posts, computer and internet connectivity is available in all 2,224 post offices of the Maharashtra Circle,

achieving 100% coverage.

(b) Under the Digital India initiative, the Ministry is implementing the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP), which has significantly enhanced transparency, efficiency, and governance at the grassroots level. The eGramSwaraj application, developed as part of the e-Panchayat MMP, has facilitated digital planning, accounting, monitoring, and online payments at the Panchayat level. The integration of eGramSwaraj with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) enables real-time payments to vendors and service providers, ensuring seamless fund flow and reducing delays. In FY 2024-25, 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), and over ₹58,000 crores have been transferred through the eGramSwaraj-PFMS interface. State wise adoption of eGramSwaraj during current FY is given at Annexure-I .

Additionally, the Ministry has integrated eGramSwaraj with the Government eMarketplace (GeM) to bring transparency to Panchayat procurement. This integration allows Panchayats to procure goods and services through GeM via the eGramSwaraj platform, promoting the 'Vocal for Local' initiative. Further, applications developed by the Ministry like Meri Panchayat has endeavored to bring transparency in Panchayat Governance by making information on planning, activities and progress of works in Panchayat accessible to public. Similarly, Panchayat NIRNAY is an online application aims at bringing transparency and better management in conduct of Gram Sabhas by Panchayats.

Further, an application of 'AuditOnline' has been developed for online audits of Panchayat accounts and their financial management. AuditOnline for transparent auditing of Central Finance Commission funds utilization for strengthen financial management of Panchayats launched in April 2020. For audit year 2022-23, 2.58 lakh Audit Plans have been created and 2.57 lakh Audit Report have been generated by PRIs.

Furthermore, to attain the vision of Digital India, the BharatNet project is being implemented by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats in the country. So far, out of a total of 2.68 lakh Gram Panchayats/ Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs), 2.18 lakh GPs/TLBs have been made service-ready for providing high-speed internet services under the BharatNet project. To further improve digital connectivity, the Amended BharatNet Programme was approved by the Cabinet on 04.08.2023 for the upgradation of the existing network of BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II and the creation of a network in the remaining Gram Panchayats.

- (c) Under e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project funds are being provided to National Informatics Center Services Inc. (NICSI) for central level support for maintenance of ePanchayat applications. The year wise annual expenditure on E-Panchayat Mission Mode Project for last three years is as under.

| Financial Year   |   Budgeted estimates (B.E) |   Revised Estimates (R.E) |   Actual Expenditure |
|------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------|
| 2021-22          |                         20 |                     11.71 |                11.71 |

| 2022-23   |   20 |    15 |    15 |
|-----------|------|-------|-------|
| 2023-24   |   20 | 16.28 | 16.03 |

(d) It is envisaged to encourage all the Gram Panchayats to utilize the various functionalities of eGramSwaraj and other applications under e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP). As on date, 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat (GP), 5,952 Block Panchayat and 546 Zilla Panchayats have prepared and uploaded their Development Plans for 2024-25 on eGramSwaraj application. Further, 2.56 lakh GPs have adopted eGramSwaraj for the purpose of accounting in the current year 2024-25 out of which 2.44 lakh GPs initiated online payments through eGramSwaraj- PFMS interface.

(e) The Ministry constantly engages with the States through virtual and physical training and enablement for States to adopt the eGramSwaraj application. Review meetings, workshops, hand-holding sessions, video conferences and visits by senior officials to States is undertaken regularly to review progress. A National Project Management Unit (NPMU) also coordinates/facilitates the implementation of this project. All States, including Maharashtra, are making efforts to implement e-Panchayat MMP, based on their available resources. Furthermore, all Gram Panchayats under the Washim and Yavatmal Zilla Panchayats have been onboarded onto eGramSwaraj.

***

Annexure-I Annexure referred to in reply to part (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.

## 4998 answered on 01.04.2025 regarding 'E-Panchayat Mission Mode Project'

## State wise adoption of eGramSwaraj at Panchayat level during FY 2024-25

| S.N o   | Tot al Nu mb er of Vill age Pa nch aya ts & Eq uiv   | Vill age Pa nch aya t on boa rd   | Vill age Pa nch aya ts & Eq uiv ale nt Wit h On line   | Tot al Nu mb er of Blo ck Pa nch aya ts & Eq uiv   | Blo ck Pa nch aya t on boa rd   | Blo ck Pa nch aya ts Wit h On line Pa ym ent   | Tot al Nu mb er of Zil a Pa nch aya ts & Eq uiv   | Zil a Pa nch aya t on boa rd   | Zil a Pa nch aya ts Wit h On line Pa ym ent   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 1       | 13328                                                | 13296                             | 12970                                                  | 660                                                | 660                             | 642                                            | 13                                                | 13                             | 13                                            |
| 2       | 2108                                                 | 2106                              | 222                                                    | 0                                                  | 0                               | 0                                              | 27                                                | 25                             | 8                                             |
| 3       | 2662                                                 | 2197                              | 2176                                                   | 191                                                | 191                             | 189                                            | 30                                                | 29                             | 27                                            |
| 4       | 8054                                                 | 8054                              | 8045                                                   | 534                                                | 534                             | 530                                            | 38                                                | 38                             | 38                                            |
| 5       | 11596                                                | 11594                             | 11516                                                  | 146                                                | 146                             | 146                                            | 27                                                | 27                             | 27                                            |
| 6       | 191                                                  | 190                               | 93                                                     | 0                                                  | 0                               | 0                                              | 2                                                 | 2                              | 2                                             |
| 7       | 14656                                                | 14599                             | 13890                                                  | 248                                                | 248                             | 248                                            | 33                                                | 33                             | 33                                            |
| 8       | 6226                                                 | 6222                              | 5914                                                   | 143                                                | 143                             | 134                                            | 22                                                | 22                             | 22                                            |
| 9       | 3615                                                 | 3614                              | 3540                                                   | 81                                                 | 81                              | 81                                             | 12                                                | 12                             | 12                                            |
| 10      | 4345                                                 | 4345                              | 4329                                                   | 264                                                | 264                             | 262                                            | 24                                                | 24                             | 24                                            |
| 11      | 5954                                                 | 5954                              | 5937                                                   | 238                                                | 232                             | 126                                            | 31                                                | 31                             | 28                                            |
| 12      | 941                                                  | 941                               | 941                                                    | 152                                                | 152                             | 152                                            | 14                                                | 14                             | 14                                            |
| 13      | 23011                                                | 23009                             | 22980                                                  | 313                                                | 313                             | 310                                            | 52                                                | 52                             | 52                                            |
| 14      | 27917                                                | 27894                             | 26737                                                  | 351                                                | 351                             | 307                                            | 34                                                | 34                             | 34                                            |
| 15      | 3180                                                 | 161                               | 123                                                    | 0                                                  | 0                               | 0                                              | 12                                                | 6                              | 4                                             |
| 16      | 6817                                                 | 0                                 | 0                                                      | 2241                                               | 0                               | 0                                              | 3                                                 | 3                              | 0                                             |
| 17      | 842                                                  | 842                               | 832                                                    | 0                                                  | 0                               | 0                                              | 0                                                 | 0                              | 0                                             |
| 18      | 1289                                                 | 186                               | 0                                                      | 0                                                  | 0                               | 0                                              | 0                                                 | 0                              | 0                                             |
| 19      | 6794                                                 | 6794                              | 6793                                                   | 314                                                | 314                             | 314                                            | 30                                                | 30                             | 30                                            |
| 20      | 13237                                                | 13222                             | 9775                                                   | 152                                                | 151                             | 114                                            | 22                                                | 22                             | 19                                            |
| 21      | 11211                                                | 11207                             | 10837                                                  | 361                                                | 353                             | 351                                            | 33                                                | 33                             | 33                                            |
| 22 23   | 199 12525                                            | 199 12525                         | 195 12519                                              | 0 388                                              | 0 388                           | 0 388                                          | 6 36                                              | 6 36                           | 6 36                                          |
| 24      | 12991                                                | 12768                             | 12636                                                  | 572                                                | 540                             | 508                                            | 32                                                | 32                             | 32                                            |

| 25    | 1194    | 1185    | 1174    |   75 |   75 |   75 |   9 |   9 |   9 |
|-------|---------|---------|---------|------|------|------|-----|-----|-----|
| 26    | 7795    | 7794    | 7743    |   95 |   95 |   95 |  13 |  13 |  13 |
| 27    | 57691   | 57691   | 57609   |  826 |  826 |  818 |  75 |  75 |  75 |
| 28    | 3339    | 3339    | 3338    |  345 |  345 |  345 |  22 |  21 |  21 |
| Total | 26370 8 | 25192 8 | 24286 4 | 8690 | 6402 | 6135 | 652 | 642 | 612 |