Lok Sabha Question No. 1312 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-03
Subject: Strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1312

ANSWERED ON: 03.12.2024

## STRENGTHENING THE PANCHAYATO RAJ INSTITUTIONS

## 1312. SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of Panchayati Raj be pleased to state:

(a) the progress made in the areas of strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) providing them essential services at the grassroot level and empowering them to the developmental programmes effectively;

(b) the measures taken by the Government to increase the financial resources of the PRIs which includes transfer of funds from the State and Central Government and the implementation of the recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission;

(c) the initiatives taken to improve the capacity building of the members and officials of the PRIs particularly in the areas such as financial management, project implementation and social audit; and

(d) the steps taken to ensure the participation of women, marginalized communities and other weaker groups in the decision-making process of PRIs?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

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

(a) Panchayat being a State subject, empowering and strengthening them is the responsibility of the State Governments. This is a continuous process. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has been supplementing and complementing the efforts of the State Governments in this direction. Enabling the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to prepare and execute need-based Panchayat Development Plans, particularly preparation of nearly 100% Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) for development of the Gram Panchayats, capacity building of elected representatives, providing digital interventions like eGramSwaraj and AuditOnline like applications, integration of eGramSwaraj with e-Payment module- Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and Government e-Market Place (GeM) application for ensuring efficiency, accountability and transparency in the functioning of PRIs and public dealings; e-enablement of delivery of various public services; incentivising the best performing PRIs in delivery of public

services through effective planning and execution are some of the major policy driven progress made by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj towards the goal of strengthening the PRIs.

(b) In addition to the grants provided by the Central Finance Commission and the State Finance Commissions Awards from respective State Governments, the capacity of Panchayats to mobilize their own sources of revenue is being strengthened through various training programs.

(c) The MoPR has been implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) with the main objective of capacity building and training of the Elected Representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and their functionaries. Courses on financial management, project management, social audit etc. are offered to them.

These programs are being organised in collaboration with Institutes of Excellence (IoE) and other institutes of national repute, including Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), to build the leadership capabilities of PRI officials, thereby strengthening grassroots governance and ensuring sustainable rural development. This is in addition to the present arrangement of training in State Institute of Rural Developments & Panchayati Raj (SIRDPR) and National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).

In this regard, the Ministry has signed MoUs with six IIMs (Ahmedabad, Shillong, Amritsar, Jammu, Bodhgaya, Rohtak), IIT Dhanbad, and the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) for conducting Leadership/Management Development Programs (MDPs). So far, 193 participants including 38 Elected Women Representatives have been trained through five MDPs conducted at four IIMs (Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jammu, Bodhgaya) and IRMA.

(d) In addition to continuous follow-up actions with the States for implementation of constitutional provisions for reservations for the marginalised groups SCs, STs and women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been encouraging increased involvement of women in the functioning of Panchayats through active participation in the Gram Sabha meetings for preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans. This Ministry has also issued advisories to the States to facilitate holding of separate Ward Sabha and Mahila Sabha meetings prior to Gram Sabha meetings, enhancing the presence and participation of women in Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings, allocation of Panchayat funds for women centric activities, combating the evil of women trafficking, female foeticide, child marriage etc. The Ministry is also conferring awards, inter alia, for the women friendly Panchayats.

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