Lok Sabha Question No. 1369 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Accountability of Panchayati Raj Institutions
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1369

ANSWERED ON- 11.02.2025

## ACCOUNTABILITY OFPANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS

## †1369. SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) the vision and the priorities of the Government for the development of Panchayati Raj system during the next five years;
- (b) the measures taken for providing a congenial atmosphere for the effective functioning of 'Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI)' including adequate infrastructure, staff and financial resources;
- (c) the initiatives taken to promote use of traditional knowledge and practices in local administration and development; and
- (d) the steps taken to strengthen the institutional mechanism to ensure the accountability of PRI towards people and its performance monitoring and evaluation?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

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

(a) to (d) 'Panchayat', being 'Local Government', is a State subject and part of State List of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts which may vary from State to State, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. The performance and development of the Panchayats depends on the extent of powers and resources devolved to them by the States concerned. Accordingly, all matters relating to Panchayats, including effective functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), strengthening the institutional mechanism to ensure the accountability of PRI towards people and its performance monitoring and evaluation , comes within jurisdiction of the State Government. The government's priority for developing the Panchayati Raj System is to position Panchayats and their elected representatives as the core of rural transformation. This includes making Panchayats the hubs of service delivery for various subjects and fostering the development of their own revenue sources.

As far as Ministry of Panchayati Raj is concerned, this Ministry is implementing Mission Mode Project on e-Panchayats (MMP-ePanchayat), a Central component of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) scheme under which various e-governance projects are funded towards digitalization of Panchayats to bring in efficiency, accountability and transparency in the functioning of the PRIs and for its overall transformation. Revamped

Centrally Sponsored Scheme of RGSA has been implemented w.e.f. financial year 2022-23 in States/ Union Territories (UTs) with main objective for capacitating PRIs through imparting training to all the Elected Representatives, functionaries and other stakeholders to develop their governance capabilities for leadership roles to enable the Panchayats to function effectively. Under the scheme, Ministry supplements the efforts of States/UTs on limited scale for creation of basic infrastructure for effective functioning of Gram Panchayats such as Construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans, Computers and Colocation of Common Service Centres (CSC) with Gram Panchayat Bhawans with focus on North East States, as proposed by States/UTs in their Annual Action Plans and later approved by Central Empowered Committee. Ministry has also been providing support to the States/UTs, under the scheme of revamped RGSA for setting up of Project Management Units (PMUs) at States, District and Block level as approved in the Annual Action Plan for effective implementation of the scheme and setting up of institutional mechanism as State, District and Block level Panchayat Resource Centres to support Capacity Building & Training of Panchayats.

To strengthen functioning of PRIs across the country, this Ministry has launched eGramSwaraj (https://egramswaraj.gov.in), a user friendly web-based portal, which aims to bring in better transparency in the decentralized planning, progress reporting, financial management, work-based accounting and details of assets created. The eGramSwaraj portal has also been integrated with Public Financial Management System for online transfer of the Central Finance Commission funds by the States to PRIs and enabling Panchayats to make real-time payments to vendors/service providers. Panchayats prepare and upload their Annual Panchayat Development Plans on eGramSwaraj portal. For the Plan Year/FY 2024-25, 2.54 lakh Gram Panchayats have prepared and uploaded their Annual Development Plans (GPDPs) on eGramSwaraj portal. In addition, the Ministry has integrated eGramSwaraj with the Government e-Marketplace (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, an online application 'AuditOnline' has been developed for online audits of Panchayat accounts and their financial management. AuditOnline portal, launched in April 2020, facilitates transparent auditing of Central Finance Commission funds utilization and strengthens financial management of Panchayats. Similarly, Panchayat NIRNAY is an online application aims at bringing transparency and better management in conduct of Gram Sabhas by Panchayats.

This Ministry has also implemented the Central Sector Scheme of Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA Scheme) to provide the 'Record of Rights' to village households owning houses in villages also to facilitate asset monetizationin rural areas besides enabling Panchayats in assessing and collecting property tax in their endeavor to enhance their own sources of revenue. Till now, 31 States and Union Territories have on-boarded the Scheme.

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