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Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Working for nation's development also mark of patriotism: Panchayati Raj secretary
New Delhi, Guarding the borders is not the only act of patriotism and all those working for the nation's development are setting an example of devotion to the nation, said the secretary of the Panchayati Raj Ministry, Raj Vivek Bharadwaj, on Monday. He made the remarks while inaugurating a two-day workshop on the Panchayat Advancement Index that would measure growth at the village level. It aims at capacity building for data-based monitoring and planning at the village panchayat level to support holistic, inclusive, and sustainable development through Panchayati Raj Institutions. At the inauguration event, Bharadwaj said the index analyses over 100 indicators and gives a very comprehensive picture of overall development. "I am sure such a big effort has never been made before. With 2.5 lakh Panchayats being measured, there must be millions of data points," Bharadwaj said. "Sometimes we don't understand the value of our own contribution. Operation Sindoor has just concluded and our armies fought bravely. But there's isn't the only benchmark of patriotism." The Panchayati Raj Ministry said, "Standing at the border to guard the nation is not the only act of patriotism. All of us who are working for the development of the nation are contributing to it. We all are setting an example of our patriotism." "When you fill the correct data in PAI, when you ensure what is on the ground is reflected on the portal, you are contributing to the development of the country," he said to officials and panchayat members attending the workshop. Saurabh Garg, the Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation , said the PAI will help in getting data from the grassroots level. "It provides a very good basis for a bottom-up approach." He stressed that the index is the first of its kind, and will become a benchmark for other indicators to be developed. NITI Aayog Senior Advisor Rajib Kumar Sen said the index will help in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals . "It will provide the guidance required for a Viksit Bharat," he said. According to the Panchayati Raj Ministry, the PAI has been developed as a robust, multi-dimensional tool to assess and monitor the progress of village panchayats against nine themes aligned with the Localized Sustainable Development Goals . These themes cover areas such as poverty alleviation, health, education, water sufficiency, clean environment, infrastructure, governance, social justice, and women empowerment. While in the first phase - PAI 1.0 served as a baseline assessment tool, PAI 2.0 incorporates major enhancements based on extensive field experience and stakeholder feedback. It introduces a sharper and more focused framework by rationalising the number of indicators from 516 to 147. The refined Local Indicator Framework now emphasizes outcome-oriented, measurable indicators across nine LSDG themes, enabling village panchayats to track progress better, prioritise interventions, and enhance transparency in local governance.
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
PAI Version 2.0 to ensure data-based monitoring, planning at gram panchayat level
New Delhi: The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Version 2.0 is aimed at building capacities for data-based monitoring and planning at the gram panchayat level to support the achievement of holistic, inclusive, and sustainable development in rural areas through Panchayati Raj Institutions, the government said on Saturday. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is organising a two-day 'Writeshop' on the PAI Version 2.0 in the capital on May 26-27 which marks the national roll out of PAI 2.0 for FY 2023–24. The PAI has been developed as a robust, multidimensional tool to assess and monitor the progress of Gram Panchayats against nine themes aligned with the Localised Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). These themes cover areas such as poverty alleviation, health, education, water sufficiency, clean environment, infrastructure, governance, social justice and women's empowerment. While PAI 1.0 (FY 2022–23) served as a baseline assessment tool, PAI 2.0 incorporates major enhancements based on extensive field experience and stakeholder feedback. According to the ministry, PAI 2.0 introduces a sharper and more focused framework by rationalising the number of indicators from 516 to 147, ensuring higher data quality, ease of reporting, and actionable insights. The refined 'Local Indicator Framework' now emphasizes outcome-oriented, measurable indicators across nine LSDG themes, enabling Gram Panchayats to better track progress, prioritize interventions, and enhance transparency in local governance. The key improvements in PAI 2.0 include reduction in the number of indicators from 516 in PAI 1.0 to 147 in PAI 2.0 to improve usability and reduce reporting burden; rationalised data points and themes, focusing on quality over quantity; auto-integration of data from national portals of Union Ministries and Departments; and streamlined and mobile-friendly portal interface with improved dashboards and user accessibility, among others. Participants will also engage in hands-on group exercises for portal configuration, data entry, validation, and use of PAI outputs in planning. On the second day, State and UT teams will present their experiences, share implementation insights from PAI 1.0, and showcase how they plan to utilise PAI 2.0 for strengthening Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).
The Print
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
It's everyone's responsibility to ensure development of villages: Saini at Panchayati Raj Day event
'A strong village leads to a strong nation. When panchayats are empowered, democracy thrives. Therefore, it is everyone's responsibility to ensure the development and self-reliance of our villages,' he said. Addressing the state-level 'Gram Utthan Samaroh' to mark National Panchayati Raj Day in Panchkula, Saini said that villages are the 'foundation of our culture, tradition, and a self-reliant India'. Chandigarh, Apr 24 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday said the Panchayati Raj Institutions are a vital link in democracy that give a new momentum to development. During the event, the address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Madhubani, Bihar was shown live on TV screens for representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions who were present. Addressing the gathering, Saini urged the panchayat representatives to commit themselves to advancing villages on parameters like education, healthcare, sanitation, and women empowerment. Saini also appealed to panchayat representatives to take a vow to eliminate drug use from their respective villages. He said that Panchayati Raj Institutions are a vital link in democracy that give a new momentum to development. When the Panchayati Raj system was granted constitutional status, the objective was to empower villages and ensure their development through panchayats, he said. The chief minister said that the soul of this nation lies in its villages. 'Villages will play the most crucial role in the journey towards a developed India. Once our villages are developed, the state will progress, and we will surely fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' well before 2047,' he said. Before his address, the chief minister and others present at the event observed a two-minute silence and paid tributes to the people who lost their lives in the Pahalgam terrorist attack, an official statement said. Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, ministers Krishan Lal Panwar, Mahipal Dhanda, Shyam Singh Rana, Ranbir Gangwa, Krishan Kumar Bedi, Shruti Choudhry, and Deputy Speaker Krishan Middha were also present on the occasion. Saini said Haryana has had a proud tradition of panchayats since Vedic times, where 'Panchs' have been given the status of 'Panch Parmeshwar'. 'Panch Parmeshwar' must work with this spirit to ensure the holistic development of villages, said the chief minister. He said that 50 per cent of the panchayat representatives present at the programme are women, which is a symbol of women empowerment that will give a new boost to the development of Haryana villages. The chief minister said that panchayat representatives should work with the resolve that 'my village, my panchayat should be the number one in the entire district and the state. Everyone must ensure that not a single child in their village drops out of school and that every child receives the right to education'. Saini assured that there will be no dearth of funds for development works of panchayats. He said that the government has established 948 e-libraries, 281 indoor gyms, 453 streetlights, and 349 'Mahila (women) Chaupals' to improve the quality of rural life. Additionally, the 'phirnis' (village lanes) of 316 villages have been paved, he said. Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said that training programmes have been organized for panchayats, as a result of which the working of the panchayats in the state have become more swift. He emphasized that panchayat representatives must work honestly and advance their villages on the path of development. He said that the chief minister had assigned all ministers a 100-day target. During these 100 days, the Panchayati Raj Department set a goal to open e-libraries in 1,000 villages in the first phase. Additionally, it was decided to establish Mahila Sanskritik Kendra in 1,000 villages. The rejuvenation of ponds across Haryana is also underway, he said. There are about 19,000 ponds in the state, out of which the department has identified 6,000 ponds for rejuvenation. In the first phase, 2,200 ponds are being restored, Panwar said. PTI SUN KVK KVK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion What the Panchayat Devolution Index reveals about strengthening local governance
My visit to a remote tribal village during a visioning exercise with community institutions changed my perspectives on Panchayat administration. The leaders of village SHGs (self-help groups) engaged in discussions to improve basic facilities – something often taken for granted in urban areas – made me think differently. Each of India's six lakh villages is unique, shaped by geography, people, and history. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment of 1992 acknowledged this diversity, creating a new governance structure with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), empowering communities to plan, decide, and act. The Panchayat Devolution Report 2024 The Ministry of Panchayati Raj's 2024 report on 'Devolution to Panchayats in States: An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking' offers a rare, honest lens into the state of decentralisation across India. Beyond the numbers, the report evaluates the autonomy and empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by assessing the devolution of powers, resources, and decision-making autonomy. The core idea of the report is that for Panchayats to govern effectively, they need three key pillars: Functions, funds, and functionaries. The index evaluates states across six dimensions: Framework, functions, finances, functionaries, capacity building, and accountability. While the report shows devolution to rural local bodies increased from 39.9 per cent (2013–14) to 43.9 per cent (2021–22), the variation across dimensions is striking. The 'Functionaries Index' rose from 39.6 per cent to 50.9 per cent, with improvements in infrastructure, staffing, and digitalisation. Capacity building rose from 44 per cent to 54.6 per cent, aided by programmes like Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). However, functional devolution dropped from 35.34 per cent to 29.18 per cent, showing that many Panchayats still lack control over core services. • The top five States in the overall rankings are Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh • Kerala performed better in the 'Framework' dimension, while Karnataka scored highest in 'Financial' devolution and 'Accountability'. • Tamil Nadu tops in Functions while Gujarat leads in Functionary capacity • Surprisingly, Puducherry, a UT, has not held Panchayat elections since 2006—an alarming breach of constitutional obligations. A striking finding is that though Panchayats are expected to play crucial roles in 28 major schemes, financial allocations are minimal or unclear. The report highlights the rise of 13 parallel bodies bypassing Panchayats, diluting their constitutional role. Basic functions like birth registration, waste management, and sanitation are often excluded from Panchayat responsibilities in many state-level Acts, raising concerns about the integrity of self-governance. Status of PRI finances The financial picture is mixed. Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu lead with regular SFC-based transfers, while Assam, Goa, and Jharkhand fall below the national average. Most Panchayats rely on grants, with over 95 per cent of funds coming from the Union and state governments, according to the RBI report. Local tax generation remains negligible (1 per cent or less), limiting PRIs' fiscal autonomy. There is also insufficient provision for operation and maintenance costs or funds to maintain assets under schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission or the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Ground-level insights Being a development design organisation working to transform India's bottom 100,000 villages into flourishing communities, Transform Rural India's (TRI) experience shows that Panchayats can become powerful platforms for community-led governance if meaningfully enabled. These institutions offer citizens space to deliberate on everyday issues. In many villages, despite incomplete devolution, we've seen transformational shifts when community-based organisations (CBOs) complement Panchayats, supporting and holding them accountable. This synergy has created productive space for frontline workers and service providers, especially in health, nutrition, education, and markets. However, such actions require Panchayats to be functional, resourceful, and autonomous. Sadly, inadequate delegation, symbolic authority, and excessive state control through procedural bottlenecks still limit their potential. Proxy leadership and limited space for elected SC/ST and women representatives must be addressed. Despite constitutional guarantees, many elected women representatives (EWRs) lack the agency, authority, and support to lead effectively. In our state consultations, the need to modernise outdated laws on own-source revenue repeatedly came up. Also, many states still follow old tax rules. From representation to real power Weak devolution hampers progress in health, nutrition, sanitation, and education, where local knowledge and quick decisions are essential. Without clear roles, accountability, trained staff, or financial control, Panchayats often remain symbolic despite having physical infrastructure. They are meant to foster democratic engagement, but without functions, funds, and functionaries, they cannot fulfil this role effectively. The 2024 Devolution Report calls for urgent action to give Panchayats real authority over basic services, planning, and implementation. Empowerment must go beyond representation. Programs like Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan, a nationwide effort to train 1.4 million EWRs, are a step forward. Developed with TRI's support, it uses simulations, case studies, and leadership training to strengthen grassroots governance.
News18
24-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Punishment Beyond Imagination': PM Modi's First Reaction After Deadly Pahalgam Attack That Killed 26
Speaking about the incident, PM Modi said: "Conspirators and terrorists, who committed this will get punishment bigger than their imagination." In his first response to the brutal Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the entire country knows how 'terrorists killed innocent citizens brutally, and India stands with the family of victims". Speaking about the incident, PM Modi said: 'Conspirators and terrorists, who committed this will get punishment beyond their imagination." PM Modi also urged those attending the rally to observe two minutes of silence in memory of the victims, who lost their lives in the devastating Pahalgam attack. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was also in the rally, said: 'We condemn Pahalgam attack, the entire country is united in the fight against terrorism." Earlier on Wednesday, PM Modi addressed a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), following Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the Pahalgam terror attack site. The high-level meeting was attended by top security officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, as the government assessed its response to the brutal attack that left 26 people dead. PM Modi addressed Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and gram sabhas across the country in an event being held at Bihar's Madhubani on Thursday. He also launched several projects worth approximately Rs 13,500 crore, the Panchayati Raj Ministry said in a statement. The event is being held to commemorate the National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD), marking 32 years of the 73rd Constitutional (Amendment) Act, 1992, which gave constitutional status to panchayats as institutions of rural local self-government.
