Lok Sabha Question No. 1410 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-29
Subject: e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Smt. Bijuli Kalita Medhi, Shri Baijayant Panda

## GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1410

ANSWERED ON 29.07.2025

## E-PANCHAYAT MISSION MODE PROJECT

## 1410. SMT. BIJULI KALITA MEDHI: SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to State:

- (a) the objectives of the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP);
- (b) the manner in which the Ministry ensure that the digital infrastructure and tools provided under the e-Panchayat MMP are accessible and user-friendly for all Panchayats, especially those in rural and remote areas;
- (c) whether any future developments are being planned for the e-Panchayat MMP to further enhance its impact on rural development and local governance and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to promote multilingual e-Governance services within Panchayats, especially in rural and remote areas, to ensure greater accessibility;
- (e) whether the Government has conducted any assessment regarding effectiveness and impact of these initiatives on improving digital participation and service delivery at the Panchayat level and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the measures taken to enhance the accessibility and user-friendliness of digital governance platforms under Panchayat-level functionaries?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

(PROF. S.P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) The objective of the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) is to strengthen eGovernance in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across the country and enhance the transparency, accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness of service delivery and governance at the grassroots level. The project aims to automate internal workflows and core functions of Panchayats and bring about greater citizen-centricity in their functioning. Under the Digital India Programme, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is implementing the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) across all States and Union Territories. One of the flagship applications under this initiative is eGramSwaraj, an online platform for planning, budgeting, accounting, and monitoring of works by Gram Panchayats. Additionally, integration of eGramSwaraj with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) has enabled real-time payments to vendors and service providers, thereby enhancing financial transparency and efficiency.

(b) & (f) The Ministry ensures that the digital infrastructure and tools under the ePanchayat MMP are accessible and user-friendly for all Panchayats, including those in rural and remote areas, through:

-  Development of low-bandwidth-optimized, mobile-responsive web applications;
-  Capacity building of Panchayat officials under the RGSA programme through SIRDs and other institutions;
-  Development of the Meri Panchayat mobile application to promote transparency in Panchayat governance by making information related to planning, activities, expenditure and progress of works accessible to the public;
-  Coordination with DoT and States for internet connectivity under BharatNet.

To enhance usability for Panchayat functionaries, the Ministry has:

-  Simplified user interfaces based on feedback;
-  Integrated BHASHINI for multilingual accessibility;
-  Provided contextual help modules and manuals;
-  Set up national/state-level helpdesks;
-  Ensured continuous improvements through iterative updates;
-  Enabled role-based workflows and SMS/email notifications.

These efforts aim to promote inclusive and efficient digital governance at the grassroots level.

(c) & (e) The Ministry continuously strives to enhance the effectiveness and impact of the e -Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) by leveraging emerging technologies and adopting a consultative, feedback-driven approach. Regular feedback is collected from users at various

levels, including through regional workshops and stakeholder consultations, to identify areas of improvement and prioritize future developments.

Feedback from State Governments and Panchayat functionaries is regularly incorporated to improve the usability and impact of digital platforms. As part of these efforts, the Ministry has conducted regional workshops in Shimla, Hyderabad, and Guwahati to gather feedback from stakeholders. To brainstorm and develop a roadmap for strengthening its e-Governance applications, the Ministry also organized an industry consultation event, 'Manthan,' in New Delhi. Focused interactions with stakeholders were held also in Maharashtra and Lucknow. In addition, several online meetings were convened to maintain active engagement with State Governments. These interactions have been instrumental in collecting actionable feedback for system improvement and rationalization, aligned with ground-level requirements.

Preliminary outcomes indicate growing digital adoption at the grassroots level, improved transparency in planning and accounting, and enhanced efficiency in the delivery of services through Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(d) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has integrated eGramSwaraj with the BHASHINI to enhance multilingual accessibility for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). BHASHINI is an AI powered language translation platform developed under the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM), which aims to provide real-time language translation and speech-to-text services in Indian languages. This integration facilitates seamless language translation on the portal, enabling Panchayat functionaries and citizens to access information and services in their preferred regional languages. Additionally, the Ministry continues to support the adoption of multilingual user interfaces and regional language data entry to ensure inclusive digital participation.

***