**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has developed the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) to measure the implementation of Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) by Panchayati Raj Institutions. The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, launched on December 26, 2024, identifies and incentivizes high-performing Gram Panchayats for malnutrition reduction. The information was provided in Lok Sabha on March 10, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)**
* The PAI is a composite assessment framework measuring the incremental performance of Gram Panchayats across nine themes of LSDGs.
* It provides theme-wise and overall scores, identifying performance gaps, strengths, and areas for focused attention.
* Gram Panchayats are graded into five categories: Achiever (A+), Front Runner (A: 75-90), Performer (B: 60-75), Aspirant (C: 40-60), and Beginner (D: 0-40).
**Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan**
* Launched on December 26, 2024, this initiative aims to identify and incentivize high-performing Gram Panchayats for accelerating progress towards a malnutrition-free Bharat.
* It utilizes data from the Poshan Tracker Application.
* States/UTs nominated up to 10% of their Gram Panchayats (GPs) that meet criteria related to Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), beneficiary coverage, infrastructure, and growth measurement efficiency.
**Incentives and Support**
* The PAI supports States/UTs in identifying high-performing Gram Panchayats for incentives and felicitation for exemplary practices.
* Under the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, an incentive grant is awarded to the top 1,000 qualified Gram Panchayats.
* The grant is distributed as: 25% to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, 25% for community mobilization and beneficiary enrollment, and 50% for nutrition-focused AWC activities.
**Measurable Outcomes**
* The PAI framework includes themes like "Healthy Panchayat" (health and nutrition) and "Panchayat with Self-Sufficient Infrastructure" (rural infrastructure).
* The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan's assessment framework is outcome-oriented and measures improvements in malnutrition indicators, maternal nutrition, supplementary nutrition coverage, AWC infrastructure, and growth monitoring efficiency.
**Scaling Up Best Practices**
* The PAI promotes best practices among Gram Panchayats to foster peer learning and exchange of knowledge.
* The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan encourages positive competition, sustainable nutrition practices, and the documentation and dissemination of best practices for wider replication.
**Impact Analysis**
**Gram Panchayats (GPs)**
* **Impact:** Identified for their performance in implementing LSDGs and contributing to malnutrition reduction. Opportunity to receive incentives and recognition for exemplary practices.
* **Action Required:** Continue to strive for high performance across the nine LSDG themes and meet the eligibility criteria for the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan.
**States/Union Territories (States/UTs)**
* **Impact:** Supported in identifying and incentivizing high-performing Gram Panchayats.
* **Action Required:** Utilize PAI scores to identify Gram Panchayats for incentives and felicitation. Nominate eligible GPs for the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan.
**Ministry of Panchayati Raj**
* **Impact:** Anchors the process of LSDG localization and measures its implementation.
* **Action Required:** Continue to develop and utilize frameworks like PAI to evaluate and promote high-performing Panchayats.
**Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)**
* **Impact:** Launched the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan to accelerate progress towards a malnutrition-free Bharat.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement and monitor the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, utilizing data from the Poshan Tracker Application.
**Anganwadi Workers and Helpers**
* **Impact:** Will receive a portion of the incentive grant awarded to qualified Gram Panchayats.
* **Action Required:** Continue to provide effective services contributing to malnutrition reduction and AWC activities.
**Rural Citizens / Beneficiaries**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved health and nutrition services, as well as better rural infrastructure.
* **Action Required:** Participate in and benefit from initiatives aimed at enhancing Panchayat performance.
Key Entities Referenced
Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan: An initiative launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) to identify and incentivize high-performing Gram Panchayats for accelerating progress towards a malnutrition-free Bharat, awarding incentives to the top 1,000 qualified Gram Panchayats.
Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI): A composite assessment framework developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to measure the incremental performance of Gram Panchayats in implementing Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) across nine themes.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj: The ministry responsible for anchoring the process of Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and developing the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI).
Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD): The ministry that launched the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan to identify and incentivize high-performing Gram Panchayats for nutrition-related outcomes.
Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs): The framework of 17 SDGs aggregated into 9 themes, which the Ministry of Panchayati Raj uses to measure and assess the performance of Gram Panchayats.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
HIGH-PERFORMING PANCHAYATS
Posted On: 10 MAR 2026 3:53PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has anchored the process of Localization of Sustainable Development
Goals (LSDGs) through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by aggregating the 17 SDGs into 9 themes. To
measure the process of implementation of LSDGs at the grassroots level, the Ministry has developed the
Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) as a composite assessment framework to measure the incremental
performance of Gram Panchayats/Equivalent to Gram Panchayats across the nine themes. The PAI
provides theme-wise and overall scores through scorecards and dashboards, enabling identification of
performance gaps, relative strengths, and areas requiring focused attention at the Panchayat level. The
PAI provides an evidence-based framework for evaluating performance across measurable indicators
under the nine themes within the State, and grades GPs under five categories i.e. Achiever (A+), Front
Runner (A: 75 to below 90), Performer (B: 60 to below 75), Aspirant (C: 40 to below 60) and Beginner
(D: 0 to below 40), based on the PAI score.
In so far as the identification of 1,000 high-performing Gram Panchayats for accelerating progress
towards a malnutrition-free Bharat is concerned, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
launched the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan on 26 December 2024, which identifies and
incentivizes high-performing Gram Panchayats based on data from the Poshan Tracker Application.
States/UTs nominated up to 10% of their GPs meeting specified eligibility criteria relating to functional
Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), beneficiary coverage, basic infrastructure and growth measurement
efficiency, for selection of top 1,000 qualified GPs.
Incentives, recognition and support: PAI scores support the States/UTs to identify high-performing
Gram Panchayats for incentivizing and felicitation for exemplary practices across the nine themes of
LSDGs.
Under the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, an incentive grant is awarded to the top 1,000 qualified
Gram Panchayats, and is distributed as 25% to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, 25% for community
mobilization and beneficiary enrolment, and 50% for nutrition-focused AWC activities such as Poshan
Vatikas and strengthening supplementary nutrition.
Measurable improvements in nutrition and infrastructure outcomes: Within the LSDG framework,
Theme 2: Healthy Panchayat covers health and nutrition aspects for improving quality health services of
rural citizens, and Theme 6: Panchayat with Self-Sufficient Infrastructure focuses on rural infrastructure,
including rural connectivity, social institutions, GP Bhawan, and utility centres, etc. PAI, through its
thematic and composite scores, provides an evidence-based assessment framework across measurable
indicators under the nine themes, including themes relating to health/nutrition and infrastructure, thereby
enabling identification of performance gaps and areas requiring focused attention at Panchayat level.
Under the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, the assessment framework is outcome-oriented and data-
driven and measures improvements in malnutrition indicators (SAM, MAM, stunting, underweight),
maternal nutrition, supplementary nutrition coverage, AWC infrastructure, and growth monitoring
efficiency.Scaling up best practices: PAI provides a framework for promoting best practices of Gram Panchayats
to foster peer learning and exchange of learning among Gram Panchayats across the nine themes of
LSDGs.
Further, under the Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, beyond recognition, the initiative fosters positive
competition, promotes sustainable nutrition practices, and encourages documentation and dissemination
of best practices for wider replication.
This information was given by Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in a written
reply in Lok Sabha on 10th March 2026.
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