**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through capacity building and infrastructural support. The scheme mandates orientation training for newly elected representatives within six months of onboarding and refresher training within two years. Financial releases for FY 2025-26 are based on approved Annual Action Plans and the submission of Utilization Certificates and Auditor’s Reports.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Objectives and Scope**
* **Primary Goal:** To strengthen PRIs by training Elected Representatives (ERs) and functionaries and providing infrastructure like Gram Panchayat Bhawans and computers.
* **Constitutional Context:** Panchayats are a State subject under the Seventh Schedule; RGSA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to support these local governments.
**Training Delivery and Methodology**
* **Cascading Model:** Training is delivered at State, district, and block levels to reach remote and geographically dispersed areas.
* **Multi-Layered Approach:** Includes classroom and thematic modules, exposure visits, and digital learning.
* **Module Design:** Content is tailored to varying literacy levels and local contexts, utilizing Master Trainers for delivery.
**Special Focus on Women Elected Representatives (WERs)**
* **Targeted Content:** Development of specialized, simplified, and gamified training modules in vernacular languages for WERs.
* **Participation:** Approximately 7 lakh WERs were trained under the Revamped RGSA in FY 2025-26, with over 1.05 lakh trained specifically under specialized WER modules as of February 28, 2026.
**Funding and Compliance**
* **Demand-Driven Nature:** Funds are released based on Annual Action Plans approved by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the pace of expenditure.
* **Required Documentation:** Release of funds is contingent upon the submission of Utilization Certificates and Auditor’s Reports.
* **Financial Tracking:** For FY 2025-26, funds were managed through the SNA module until June 30, 2025, and via SNA-SPARSH from July 1, 2025.
**Evaluation and Impact Assessments**
* **IRMA Evaluation:** Confirmed enhancement in Panchayat operations, planning (GPDP), digital governance, citizen engagement, and financial management.
* **NITI Aayog Study:** Noted significant contributions to grassroots governance, accountability, transparency, gender mainstreaming, and the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
**Impact Analysis**
**Elected Panchayati Raj Representatives (ERs)**
**Impact**
Representatives receive structured training that enhances their knowledge of Panchayat operations, planning, and digital governance.
**Action Required**
Must attend mandatory orientation training within six months of election and refresher training every two years thereafter.
**State and UT Governments**
**Impact**
They serve as the implementing authorities for this demand-driven scheme and are responsible for prioritizing approved components.
**Action Required**
Must prepare and submit Annual Action Plans to the CEC and provide requisite documents, including Utilization Certificates and Auditor’s Reports, to secure fund releases.
**Women Elected Representatives (WERs)**
**Impact**
WERs benefit from specialized, culturally relevant, and linguistically accessible training modules designed to overcome literacy barriers.
**Action Required**
Participate in specialized WER modules and gamified training sessions to strengthen their leadership and governance capacity.
**Central Empowered Committee (CEC)**
**Impact**
The CEC acts as the approving body for the allocation and release of central funds under the RGSA.
**Action Required**
Review and approve State Annual Action Plans and monitor the pace of expenditure and compliance with reporting requirements.
Key Entities Referenced
Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA): A centrally sponsored scheme designed to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through capacity building, training of elected representatives, and providing infrastructural support.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj: The primary central ministry responsible for implementing capacity-building initiatives and the RGSA scheme for local government bodies.
Central Empowered Committee (CEC): The governing body that reviews and approves Annual Action Plans submitted by States and Union Territories for the release of funds under the RGSA.
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India: The legal framework that classifies Panchayats as a 'State subject', placing them under the jurisdiction of state governments while the central ministry provides support.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
CAPACITY BUILDING OF ELECTED PANCHAYAT
REPRESENTATIVES
Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 2:54PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, under its capacity building initiatives, under the Revamped Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), facilitates training programmes for elected representatives of Panchayati
Raj Institutions (PRIs). The number of elected Panchayati Raj Institution representatives trained under
capacity building programmes during the last three years, year-wise and State/UT-wise, is placed at
Annexure-I.
Panchayats, being “Local Government”, are a State subject and form part of the State List under the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) with the primary objective of
strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through capacity building and training of Elected
Representatives (ERs) and PRI functionaries, and by providing selective infrastructural support such as
Gram Panchayat Bhawans and computers and peripherals.
Revamped RGSA is demand-driven in nature. Funds are released to States/UTs based on the Annual
Action Plans approved by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the pace of expenditure. Release
of funds is also subject to the submission of requisite documents such as Utilization Certificates and
Auditor’s Reports. The funds are to be utilized only for the approved components as prioritized by the
States/UTs. The State/UT-wise and year-wise details of funds allocated, released, and utilized under
RGSA are placed at Annexure II.
To assess effectiveness and identify measures to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions, an external
evaluation of the Revamped RGSA was undertaken by the Institute of Rural Management, Anand
(IRMA). The evaluation indicates that the scheme’s structured, multi-layered capacity-building approach,
combining classroom/thematic modules, exposure visits, and digital learning, has enhanced PRI capacities
in Panchayat operations, planning, and implementation (including GPDP), digital governance, citizen
engagement, and financial management. Post-training assessments record measurable gains in knowledge
and practices, supporting effective local governance and the localization of SDGs.
In addition, NITI Aayog has commissioned an independent assessment study of RGSA to provide
complementary evidence on outcomes. The study has observed that RGSA has made a significant
contribution to strengthening governance capacity at the grassroots level. The scheme has also
substantially advanced several cross-cutting themes, including accountability, transparency, gender
mainstreaming, effective use of digital infrastructure, and convergence
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj
Abhiyan (RGSA) to strengthen the capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and their elected
representatives. Under RGSA, orientation training is imparted to newly elected Panchayat representatives
within six months of their onboarding and refresher training within two years thereafter.The scheme acknowledges challenges such as literacy barriers and limited reach in remote areas. To
address these challenges, training modules are designed keeping in view varying literacy levels and local
contexts, and Master Trainers are trained accordingly to deliver the training based on the capacity of
trainees. Further, as part of measures to institutionalize a structured and continuous training framework
with special focus on Women Elected Representatives (WERs), simplified and gamified training modules
in vernacular languages, including specialized modules for WERs, have been developed. Under the
specialized WER module, 1,05,966 Women Elected Representatives (WERs)have been trained as on
28.02.2026, andaround 7 lakh WERs have been trained under the Revamped RGSA scheme during
FY 2025-26.
Further, training under RGSA is delivered through a cascading model at the State, district, and block
levels to ensure wider outreach, including in remote and geographically dispersed areas.
Annexure-I
State-wise and year-wise details of trained Elected Panchayati Raj Institution representatives of the
last three years and the current year
S. 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 (till 28
No. States Feb 2026)
ER Trained ER Trained ER Trained ER Trained
1 Andaman & 692 21 723 619
Nicobar Islands
2 Andhra Pradesh 2,201 30,195 65,299 30,342
3 Arunachal Pradesh 2,184 1,198 2,054 3,173
4 Assam 51,893 14,499 3,699 63,198
5 Bihar 3,65,222 73,877 2,62,466 57,120
6 Center 1,912 177 329 729
7 Chhattisgarh 1,12,193 83,641 26,851 1,29,676
8 Goa 1,293 2,078 2,645 529
9 Gujarat 175 7 16,343 4,796
10 Haryana 4,027 7,493 206 77,973
11 Himachal Pradesh 1,440 30,624 34,283 2,28712 Jammu & Kashmir 2,78,764 1,77,182 23 -
13 Jharkhand 3,050 39,503 34,763 48,716
14 Karnataka 1,08,496 63,918 54,610 36,234
15 Kerala 54,372 20,968 17,684 18,768
16 Ladakh - - - 72
17 Madhya Pradesh 56,010 26,763 69,565 1,22,670
18 Maharashtra 3,51,495 3,24,812 1,20,278 54,773
19 Manipur 27 884 42 715
7,032 47,526 42,077 33,470
20 Meghalaya
21 Mizoram 1,956 8,712 8,673 11,717
22 Nagaland 646 2,508 3,920 2
23 Odisha 75,270 51,386 96,445 23,629
24 Punjab 24,596 6,785 42,981 61,018
25 Rajasthan 373 54,574 11,604 10,941
26 Sikkim 2,529 2,758 2,690 1,188
27 Tamil Nadu 74,179 95,898 48,058 14,931
28 Telangana 1,246 41 30 34,716
29 Dadra & Nagar 374 608 419 2,228
Haveli & Daman
& Diu
30 Tripura 3,794 47,405 36,404 35,016
31 Uttar Pradesh 40,264 62,561 36,922 1,26,222
32 Uttarakhand 2,34,294 68,133 13,157 57,71233 West Bengal 86,353 1,86,680 1,29,043 1,15,026
TOTAL 19,48,352 15,33,415 11,84,286 11,80,206
Annexure II
The State/UT-wise details of funds allocated, released, and utilised under the Revamped Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) during FY 2025-26
(Rupees in crore)
S. No. States/ UTs 2025-26 (as on 28.02.2026)
Funds Allocated Funds Released Fund utilized
1 Andaman & Nicobar 1 1 1.81
Islands
2 Andhra Pradesh 30 30 35.02
3 Arunachal Pradesh 52 52 54.04
4 Assam 55.71 55.71 57.22
5 Bihar 35 35 35.69
6 Chhattisgarh 30 30 29.7
7 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 1.25 1.25 1.71
Daman & Diu
8 Goa 1 1 1.29
9 Gujarat 7.5 7.5 10.62
10 Haryana 17.5 17.5 29.17
11 Himachal Pradesh 14 14 18.77
12 Jammu & Kashmir 50 50 64.34
13 Jharkhand 15 15 21.6214 Karnataka 20 20 22.81
15 Kerala 18 18 20.63
16 Ladakh 0.5 0.5 0.21
17 Lakshadweep 0 0 0
18 Madhya Pradesh 42 42 64.09
19 Maharashtra 53 53 80.52
20 Manipur 3.55 3.55 8.95
21 Meghalaya 7.5 7.5 4.64
22 Mizoram 15 15 17.68
23 Nagaland 10 10 11.21
24 Odisha 55 55 80.26
25 Puducherry 0 0 0
26 Punjab 30 30 34.02
27 Rajasthan 10 10 22.96
28 Sikkim 3 3 4.28
29 Tamil Nadu 20 20 51.67
30 Telangana 3 3 24.83
31 Tripura 30 30 27.16
32 Uttar Pradesh 20.24 20.24 53.35
33 Uttarakhand 40 40 26.77
34 West Bengal 40 40 71.09
Sub-Total 730.75 730.75Other Implementing 20.78 20.78 20.58
Agency
Total 751.53 751.53 1008.71
Funds released represent the Central Share only. For FY 2025–26, the releases comprise funds both
through SNA module till 30thJune 2025 and SNA-SPARSH since 1stJuly 2025.
This information was given by Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in a written
reply in Rajya Sabha on 18th March 2026.
***
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