2024 Year End Review – Ministry of Panchayati Raj

About the Ministry

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj oversees the ongoing process of decentralization and local governance in the states.
• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj looks after all matters related to Panchayati Raj and Panchayati Raj institutions.
• It was formed in May, 2004.
• The ministry is guided by a cabinet level minister.
• The ministry is currently headed and guided by the Hon'ble Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lallan Singh ji.

• Strengthened Panchayat Infrastructure – Funds were sanctioned for the construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans in 4,604 locations.
• It ensured that all Gram Panchayats (GPs) with a population of more than 3,000 will have dedicated office premises.
• Digital Empowerment of Panchayats – It is done by sanctioning 31,003 computers for Gram Panchayats that already have established office buildings.
• eGramSwaraj – All Rural local bodies in India function on a digital platform called eGramSwaraj which enables them to plan, budget, implement and make payments seamlessly.

• E-Financial Management System (EFMS) – It assists in enhancing the credibility of Panchayat through inducing greater devolution of funds to PRIs.
• Audit Online application – It facilitates carrying out online audit of Panchayat accounts pertaining to Central Finance Commission Grants.
• Weather Forecasting at the Gram Panchayat Level – It was launched in 2024 by India Meteorological Department (IMD), provides localized 5-day and hourly weather forecasts to over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across India.
• It aligns with the Government’s 100 Days Agenda, enhances agricultural productivity, mitigates climate risks, and empowers rural communities with timely weather intelligence.
• Language Inclusivity – eGramSwaraj was integrated with Bhashini that allows eGramSwaraj to provide services in 22 scheduled languages of India.
• It is provided through Bhashini’s AI-powered translation, making local-language accessibility a reality for users across India.
• It promotes inclusive participation among Panchayat officials and citizens, improving service delivery and empowering Panchayats to address community needs more effectively.
• Voice-to-voice translation tools was showcased prominently during the People’s Plan Campaign 2024 – Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas, where live broadcasts in 8 regional languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, and Telugu, were conducted successfully in 2024.
• The Ministry launched its Hindi website in 2024 during Hindi Pakhwada celebrations.
• Initiatives for Women led Development – They developed comprehensive training modules for the Women Elected Representatives of Panchayats for effective service delivery.
• An advisory committee has been constituted in 2023 to examine the issues of Women Pradhans being represented by the male members of their families and also examine other issues related thereto.
• It created Model Women Friendly Gram Panchayats in an attempt to promote Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) accelerating women rights, entitlements and empowerment in all States/UTs in collaboration with UNFPA.
  • One Gram Panchayat per District would be identified and made as Women Friendly Gram Panchayat (WFGP).
• Empowering Tribal Communities – Centres of Excellence in Central Universities is to set up to institutionalize the efforts to implement a multi- pronged strategy to realize the objectives of PESA for our tribal communities.
• Substantial efforts were made to strengthen the implementation of the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA Act).
• Making Panchayats Financially Atmanirbhar – The Ministry in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmadabad (IIM-A), is developing a training module on Own Source Revenue (OSR) to empower Gram Panchayats towards becoming ‘Atma Nirbhar Panchayats’.
• The Ministry has developed the Samarth Portal, with an aim to facilitate effective collection, monitoring and evaluation of Own Sources of Revenue, both tax and non-tax.
• It is developing Model Rules for Own Source Revenue (OSR) to assist states, as several states currently lack rules to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in generating their own revenue.
• Finance Commissions’ Conclave on “Devolution to Development” brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening fiscal decentralization and financial empowerment of PRIs.

• Promoting Smart Panchayats – At the Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show 2024, the Ministry presented the ‘Smart Panchayat’ model, highlighting initiatives like the
  • SVAMITVA Scheme, solar-powered Panchayat Bhawans, digital tax payments and Common Service Centres (CSCs) for rural service delivery.
• Celebrating Excellence in Local Governance – The President of India conferred the National Panchayat Awards.

• SVAMITVA – Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas was launched on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24 April 2020.
• It is to enable economic progress of Rural India by providing “Record of Rights” to every rural household owner.
  • Aim – To demarcate inhabited (Abadi) land in rural areas through the latest surveying drone-technology.
  • Collaboration – Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, State Panchayati Raj Departments & Survey of India.
  • Duration of implementation – 2020-21 to 2025-26.
  • Features - Facilitates monetisation of properties.
  • Enables bank loan reducing property related disputes.
  • Provides comprehensive village level planning
  • Assures the rural local government a good source of revenue.
  • Coverage – About 2.19 crore property cards have been prepared for 1.49 lakh villages.
• Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) – A Centrally Sponsored Scheme, for strengthening decentralized governance and improving implementation efficiency.
• It ensures that Panchayats across the country are well-equipped to serve as robust pillars of local self-governance.
• Annual Action Plans comprises of admissible activities of the scheme of 32 States/UTs have been approved during 2023-24.
• Management Development Program – A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with several Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to re-orient the training of Panchayats, as mandated under revamped RGSA.
• Projects approved under Nirbhaya Funds - The Empowered Committee of Nirbhaya Fund of Ministry of Women & Child Development has approved the 2 projects
  • Freedom from Violence – Capacity Building of Elected Women Representatives on Legal Provisions on Safety and Security of Women.
  • Sensitization of Men towards women related issues including Safety and Security of Women.
• International representation of the Ministry – It represented India in Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review held in 2024 in Bangkok.

Reference

PIB| 2024 Year End Review of Ministry of Panchayati Raj

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