Lok Sabha Question No. 1343 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-30
Subject: Effectiveness and Efficiency of Panchayats
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Anurag Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1343 ANSWERED ON 30.07.2024

## EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF PANCHAYATS

## 1343 SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) the initiatives and measures taken by the Government to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Gram Panchayats in the country;

(b) the steps taken by the Government to improve the infrastructure, capacity building, and training programmes for Panchayat members to ensure they are well-equipped to handle the complexities of local governance;

(c) the progress made in implementing digital solutions and e-governance tools at the Panchayat level to promote transparency, accountability, and better service delivery;

(d) the specific challenges which have been identified in this process; and

(e) the manner in which the Ministry is addressing these obstacles to ensure the seamless functioning of Panchayats across various States particularly in remote and underdeveloped regions?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

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

(a) & (b) To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Gram Panchayats in the country, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is implementing the (i) Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) with the primary objective of strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by way of capacity building and training of the elected representatives and the functionaries of the PRIs, providing infrastructural support like Gram Panchayat Bhawan and Computer & peripherals, (ii) Incentivization of Panchayats (IoP), a Central Components of RGSA scheme to encourage competitive spirit among PRIs under which, Awards including financial incentives are given to best performing Panchayats in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public good, (iii) Mission Mode Project on e-Panchayats, a Central component of 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 for their overall transformation.

'Panchayat' is a State subject. Thus, providing infrastructural facilities to Gram Panchayats (GPs) is primarily the responsibility of States. However, the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), supplements the efforts of States on limited scale by providing financial support for certain infrastructural facilities for Gram Panchayats such as Gram Panchayat Bhawans, computers and peripherals with special focus on North-Eastern States.

(c) to (e) Under Digital India Programme, Ministry is implementing e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) with the aim to making Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), more transparent, accountable, and accountable as local self-governments. Under it, the Ministry launched eGramSwaraj, a work-based comprehensive application for PRIs on 24 th April 2020. This application encompasses all aspects of Panchayat functioning viz. planning, budgeting, accounting, monitoring, asset management etc., on a single digital platform including online payments. Also, for bringing in transparency and accountability at grassroots level, the Ministry has rolled out an application - AuditOnline under the same MMP project. It allows online audit of Panchayat accounts and records detailed information about internal and external audit. For attaining the vision of Digital India, BharatNet project is being implemented by Department of Telecommunications in a phased manner to create network to connect all the Gram Panchayats by broadband in the country. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has developed a Model Panchayat Citizens Charter to enable the Panchayats for declaration on delivery of various services across 29 subjects listed in the 11 th schedule of the Constitution.

Panchayati Raj being a State subject, it is the sole responsibility of the States to devolve finance, functions and functionaries to the Panchayats in such a manner that the Panchayats are empowered and capable of mobilising their resources including financial. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been advocating and advising the States in this respect from time to time. It conducts survey/studies to compile devolution index and rank the States on that basis for corrective measures at their end to empower their Panchayats.

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