Lok Sabha Question No. 49 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-03
Subject: Training Programmes for Panchayat Members
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *49

ANSWERED ON 03/02/2026

## TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR PANCHAYAT MEMBERS

## *49. SHRI ANUPSANJAYDHOTRE:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the steps being taken to strengthen the capacity of Panchayats in Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra;

(b) whether there are any training programmes for Panchayat members and officials to enhance their skills and knowledge, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the manner in which the citizens are being involved in the planning and decision-making process at the Panchayat level in Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra; and

(d) whether there are any initiatives to promote transparency and accountability in functioning of Panchayats, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

(SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 49 ANSWERED ON 03/02/2026 REGARDING 'TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR PANCHAYAT MEMBERS'.

(a) & (b) Panchayat, being 'Local Self Government', is a State subject and part of the State list of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Thus, providing support to strengthen Panchayat capacity is primarily the responsibility of States/UTs. However, the Ministry is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme called Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) w.e.f. financial year 2022-23, with the main objective of supporting the capacity building of Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) by imparting training to Elected Representatives (ERs) and other stakeholders to develop their governance capabilities for leadership roles, enabling Gram Panchayats to function effectively across all States/UTs, including Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra.

Under the scheme, capacity building and training for elected representatives, functionaries, and other stakeholders of Panchayats are supported under different categories, viz. basic orientation and refresher training, thematic training, specialized training, Panchayat development plan training, etc. Additionally, the scheme also supports exposure visits, development of training modules and materials, etc.

Further, to enhance skills and knowledge, a major step has also been taken to build capacity and train elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayats through institutes of excellence such as IIMs/IITs under the Leadership/Management Development Program (MDP). So far, 3381 participants have been provided training under MDP.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, has also developed a training module on Own Source Revenue (OSR) to strengthen the financial selfreliance of Gram Panchayats. The module helps elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries understand how OSR is generated through tax and non-tax sources. So far, 1,78,405 participants have been trained in OSR.

Additionally, the Ministry has launched a Specialized Training Module for the capacity building of Women Elected Representatives (WER) of Panchayati Raj Institutions. The focus of this training module is to build the capacity of WERs across different aspects of rural governance and enhance their knowledge and practical skills for the effective discharge of roles and responsibilities as elected representatives, thereby promoting women-led governance. A total of 64863 WERs (as on 31st December 2025) have been trained on this Specialized Module.

In addition to training interventions, the scheme supports institutional strengthening and the creation of basic infrastructure for capacity building at the Panchayat level. This includes support for establishing institutional mechanisms for training and capacity building, and for creating Panchayat infrastructure such as Gram Panchayat Bhawans, computer facilities, and the co-location of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in panchayat office premises, on a limited scale. During F.Y. 2025-26, construction of 1,644 Panchayat Bhawans, procurement of 19,472 computers, and co-location of 1,674 CSCs were approved under the scheme.

State/UT-wise participants trained under the Revamped RGSA during 2025-26 (as on 31st Dec. 2025) are attached in Annexure-I . As reported by the State Government of

Maharashtra, district-wise details of participants trained, construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans, and co-location of CSCs sanctioned for Akola and Washim districts are placed in Annexure-II .

(c) As per Article 243G of the Constitution, Panchayats are mandated to prepare plans for economic development and social justice. Accordingly, Panchayats prepare Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) annually to ensure optimal utilisation of their available financial resources. To ensure active citizen participation in the planning process, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been rolling out the People's Plan Campaign (PPC), branded as 'Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas', since 2018 to prepare PDPs. The campaign runs from 2nd October each year till the end of the financial year, in a structured manner, to prepare the plan for the next financial year across the country, including Akola and Washim districts of Maharashtra. The Ministry has issued guidelines and provided capacity-building support, planning templates, and digital tools to all States and Union Territories to prepare PDPs. As reported by the State of Maharashtra, the status of GPDP preparation for the plan year 2025-26 for the Akola and Washim districts is attached as Annexure-II . State/UT-wise details are attached at Annexure -III .

(d) Under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), the Ministry is implementing the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) to promote transparency, accountability and efficiency in Panchayat functioning. As part of the e-Panchayat MMP, the eGramSwaraj application supports digital planning, accounting, monitoring and online payments at the Panchayat level. Its integration with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) enables online payments to vendors and service providers, thereby streamlining fund flows. During FY 2025-26, 2,53,935 Gram Panchayats across the country uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), and more than Rs. 43,000 crore was transferred through the eGramSwaraj-PFMS interface.

To enhance transparency in procurement, eGramSwaraj has been integrated with the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), enabling Panchayats to procure goods and services on GeM through eGramSwaraj.

For citizen-centric transparency, applications such as Meri Panchayat provide public access to information on Panchayat planning, activities, and work progress. Panchayat NIRNAY is an online application that provides access to data and reports on Gram Sabha meetings and Panchayat operations.

Further, AuditOnline, launched in April 2020, facilitates online audits of Panchayat accounts, including the utilisation of Central Finance Commission grants, thereby promoting transparency in financial management.

***

## ANNEXURE-I

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No.49 to be answered on 03/02/2026 regarding Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

## State/UT-wise participants trained under the Revamped RGSA during 2025-26 (as on 31st Dec. 2025)

|   Sl. No | States                                 |   Participants trained |
|----------|----------------------------------------|------------------------|
|        1 | Andaman &Nicobar Islands               |                   2676 |
|        2 | Andhra Pradesh                         |                 335565 |
|        3 | Arunachal Pradesh                      |                   8844 |
|        4 | Assam                                  |                  75879 |
|        5 | Bihar                                  |                 129690 |
|        6 | Chhattisgarh                           |                  77185 |
|        7 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu |                   1812 |
|        8 | Goa                                    |                   1899 |
|        9 | Gujarat                                |                  22243 |
|       10 | Haryana                                |                  90758 |
|       11 | Himachal Pradesh                       |                  11660 |
|       12 | Jammu &Kashmir                         |                  24439 |
|       13 | Jharkhand                              |                  89587 |
|       14 | Karnataka                              |                 211880 |
|       15 | Kerala                                 |                  54944 |
|       16 | Ladakh                                 |                    426 |
|       17 | Lakshadweep                            |                      0 |
|       18 | Madhya Pradesh                         |                 204241 |
|       19 | Maharashtra                            |                  73368 |
|       20 | Manipur                                |                   3771 |
|       21 | Meghalaya                              |                  13788 |
|       22 | Mizoram                                |                   5689 |
|       23 | Nagaland                               |                   2389 |
|       24 | Odisha                                 |                 192849 |
|       25 | Puducherry                             |                      0 |
|       26 | Punjab                                 |                  83524 |
|       27 | Rajasthan                              |                 278542 |
|       28 | Sikkim                                 |                   3838 |
|       29 | Tamil Nadu                             |                  67009 |
|       30 | Telangana                              |                  13175 |
|       31 | Tripura                                |                  34519 |
|       32 | Uttarakhand                            |                  73135 |
|       33 | Uttar Pradesh                          |                 261263 |

| 34   | West Bengal       | 183330    |
|------|-------------------|-----------|
| 35   | NIRDPR and Others | 1839      |
|      | Total             | 26,35,756 |

Source: as per information available on Training Management Portal (TMP)

## Annexure-II

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) of the LokSabha Starred Question No.49 to be answered on 03/02/2026 regarding Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

## Details of participants trained, construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans, co-location of CSCs sanctioned and Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) uploaded on eGramSwaraj in Akola and Washim districts

|   Sl. No. | Component                                             |   Akola |   Washim |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|---------|----------|
|         1 | Capacity Building & Training                          |    1598 |     1989 |
|         2 | Gram Panchayat Bhawan and CSC Co -location sanctioned |      20 |       25 |
|         3 | GPDP uploaded for Plan year 2025-26                   |     534 |      491 |

Source: As per the information shared by the State of Maharashtra.

## Annexure-III

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No.49 to be answered on 03/02/2026 regarding Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

## State/UT-wise Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) uploaded on e-GramSwaraj for the Plan year 2025-26

|   Sl. No. | States/UTs                                   |   Total Number of Gram Panchayats & Equivalent |   GPDPuploaded |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|----------------|
|         1 | Andaman And Nicobar Islands                  |                                             70 |             69 |
|         2 | Andhra Pradesh                               |                                          13326 |          13320 |
|         3 | Arunachal Pradesh                            |                                           2108 |           2093 |
|         4 | Assam                                        |                                           2664 |           2255 |
|         5 | Bihar                                        |                                           8053 |           8053 |
|         6 | Chhattisgarh                                 |                                          11693 |          11647 |
|         7 | Goa                                          |                                            191 |            191 |
|         8 | Gujarat                                      |                                          14619 |          14563 |
|         9 | Haryana                                      |                                           6230 |           6221 |
|        10 | Himachal Pradesh                             |                                           3615 |           3608 |
|        11 | Jammu And Kashmir                            |                                           4291 |           4291 |
|        12 | Jharkhand                                    |                                           4347 |           4343 |
|        13 | Karnataka                                    |                                           5949 |           5941 |
|        14 | Kerala                                       |                                            941 |            941 |
|        15 | Ladakh                                       |                                            193 |            191 |
|        16 | Lakshadweep                                  |                                             10 |              0 |
|        17 | Madhya Pradesh                               |                                          23011 |          22978 |
|        18 | Maharashtra                                  |                                          27994 |          27909 |
|        19 | Manipur                                      |                                           3810 |            161 |
|        20 | Meghalaya                                    |                                              0 |              0 |
|        21 | Mizoram                                      |                                            855 |            812 |
|        22 | Nagaland                                     |                                           1327 |              0 |
|        23 | Odisha                                       |                                           6794 |           6793 |
|        24 | Puducherry                                   |                                            108 |              0 |
|        25 | Punjab                                       |                                          13236 |          13172 |
|        26 | Rajasthan                                    |                                          13129 |          11173 |
|        27 | Sikkim                                       |                                            199 |            199 |
|        28 | Tamil Nadu                                   |                                          12482 |          12441 |
|        29 | Telangana                                    |                                          12849 |          10548 |
|        30 | The Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu |                                             50 |             38 |
|        31 | Tripura                                      |                                           1194 |           1193 |

| 32          | Uttarakhand   |   7817 |   7763 |
|-------------|---------------|--------|--------|
| 33          | Uttar Pradesh |  57695 |  57691 |
| 34          | West Bengal   |   3339 |   3337 |
| Total Count |               | 264189 | 253935 |

Source: As per eGS Portal as on 29 th January, 2026 (http://egramswaraj.gov.in)