**Executive Summary**
Released on 29 April 2026, the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report evaluates the performance of 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats for FY 2023–24 to strengthen grassroots governance. The report establishes a data-driven framework across nine thematic areas to monitor the localization of Sustainable Development Goals, recording a 97.3% participation rate. It serves as a performance benchmark for local bodies, categorizing them into tiers to guide future developmental interventions and the preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Performance Classification and Results**
* Panchayats are categorized into five grades: Achiever (A+: 90+), Front Runner (A: 75–90), Performer (B: 60–75), Aspirant (C: 40–60), and Beginner (D: below 40).
* 3,635 Gram Panchayats (GPs) emerged as Front Runners, while 1,18,824 GPs were classified as Performers.
* Strongest outcomes were recorded under Theme 1 (Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods) and Theme 2 (Healthy Panchayat), with 3,313 and 1,015 GPs achieving A+ grades in these specific themes respectively.
* **Framework and Thematic Areas**
* PAI 2.0 assesses performance across nine themes: Poverty, Health, Child Welfare, Water, Environment, Infrastructure, Social Justice, Good Governance, and Women’s Empowerment.
* The updated framework uses 150 indicators and 230 data points, rationalized from the 516 indicators used in PAI Version 1.0.
* **System Improvements and Transparency**
* Features a single integrated data entry form and enhanced auto-porting of data from national portals.
* Mandatory Gram Sabha validation has been implemented to ensure transparency and accountability in submitted data.
* The system includes real-time dashboards, cross-data validation mechanisms, and vernacular language support.
* **National Participation**
* Participation increased to 97.30% from the 80.79% achieved in Version 1.0.
* 33 States and Union Territories submitted validated data; notably, West Bengal has not yet on-boarded for the PAI 2.0 exercise.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs)**
**Impact**
GPs are provided with a performance "report card" that benchmarks their progress against national standards and identifies specific strengths in areas like healthcare and livelihood generation.
**Action Required**
GPs must participate in mandatory Gram Sabha validations for data transparency and utilize their scores to prepare more effective Gram Panchayat Development Plans.
**Stakeholder: State and Union Territory Governments**
**Impact**
States receive a data-driven tool to prioritize developmental interventions and identify high-performing Panchayats that can serve as "learning hubs" and models of best practice.
**Action Required**
State authorities are responsible for validating data on the PAI portal and using the index to monitor and incentivize Panchayati Raj Institutions within their jurisdictions.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Panchayati Raj**
**Impact**
The Ministry gains a robust mechanism for evidence-based planning and monitoring the "Viksit Gram Panchayats" vision at a national scale.
**Action Required**
The Ministry must continue to manage the data-driven framework and real-time dashboards to ensure the accuracy and usability of local governance data.
Key Entities Referenced
Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0: India’s nationwide data-driven framework used to assess, monitor, and incentivise the performance of Gram Panchayats across 150 indicators.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj: The nodal Union Ministry responsible for strengthening grassroots governance and releasing the PAI 2.0 performance report.
Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs): The framework of nine thematic areas, including poverty reduction and health, against which Panchayats are evaluated for the index.
Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP): Local developmental interventions and plans supported by the PAI framework to prioritise evidence-based planning at the village level.
Gram Sabha: The primary local body responsible for the mandatory validation of data to ensure transparency and accountability in the PAI reporting process.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report
Out: 3635 Panchayats Emerge as Front Runners
Record Participation of 97.3% by Gram
Panchayats/Traditional Local Bodies Achieved; Panchayat
Report Card Shows Strong Gains in Livelihoods & Health
Posted On: 29 APR 2026 4:34PM by PIB Delhi
In a major step towards strengthening grassroots governance and promoting inclusive rural development,
the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day celebrated on 24th April
2026 released the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report for the FY Year 2023–24. Serving
as a report card for each Panchayat, the report highlights that (based on composite scores) 3,635 Gram
Panchayats fall under the Front Runner category, while 1,18,824 Gram Panchayats (around 45.72% of
participating GPs/Traditional Local Bodies) are placed in the Performer category. The top-performing
themes, under which GPs have shown strong outcomes, include Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods
in Panchayat and Healthy Panchayat. Under Theme 1: Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods in
Panchayats, a total of 3,313 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs) across the country
have achieved the A+ grade, reflecting significant performance in poverty reduction and livelihood
generation at the Panchayat level. Similarly, under Theme 2: Healthy Panchayats, a total of 1,015 Gram
Panchayats/TLBs have attained the A+ grade, demonstrating strong outcomes in preventive healthcare,
nutrition awareness, sanitation practices and community engagement.
PAI 2.0 has recorded an exceptional national participation of 97.30 per cent, with 2,59,867 Gram
Panchayats across 33 States and Union Territories submitting validated data – a marked and
commendable improvement over the 80.79 per cent participation achieved under PAI Version 1.0. Among
the key improvements in this version are a single integrated data entry form, mandatory Gram Sabha
validation for transparency and accountability, enhanced auto-porting of data from national portals of
nodal Union Ministries and Departments, soft and cross-data validation mechanisms for improved data
accuracy, real-time dashboards for intuitive navigation, and embedded vernacular language support. The
release of PAI 2.0 (FY 2023–24) reinforces the Government’s commitment to strengthening Panchayati
Raj Institutions and advancing the vision of “Viksit Gram Panchayats” through participatory, transparent,
and data-driven local governance.
About PAI 2.0
The Panchayat Advancement Index serves as a robust tool for evidence-based planning, performance
monitoring, and incentivising Panchayati Raj Institutions. It is increasingly being adopted by States and
Union Territories to prioritise developmental interventions, support the preparation of Gram Panchayat
Development Plans, and identify high-performing Panchayats as learning hubs and models of best
practice. India’s first nationwide data-driven framework to assess Gram Panchayat performance, PAI 2.0evaluates each of the more than 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across the country against 150 indicators and
230 data points spanning nine thematic areas under the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals
(LSDGs) – covering Poverty, Health, Child Welfare, Water, Environment, Infrastructure, Social Justice,
Good Governance, and Women’s Empowerment. A significantly refined and strengthened version of its
predecessor, PAI 2.0 has rationalized the indicator framework from 516 indicators and 794 data points in
PAI Version 1.0 to 150 indicators and 230 data points, ensuring sharper focus, greater usability and
stronger linkage with national planning frameworks. Based on their composite PAI scores, Gram
Panchayats are classified into five performance categories – Achiever (A+: 90 and above), Front Runner
(A: 75 to below 90), Performer (B : 60 to below 75), Aspirant (C: 40 to below 60), and Beginner (D:
below 40) – enabling meaningful benchmarking, healthy competition, and targeted interventions at the
grassroots level.
State/UT wise No. of GP/Equivalent to GP categorized in grades of PAI v.2.0 FY 2023-24
S. State/UT No. of No. of GP A B C D
No GPs/Equivalent submitted
to GP Data*
1 Andaman & 70 70 0 21 49 0
Nicobar
2 Andhra Pradesh 13310 13310 591 10178 2468 73
3 Arunachal Pradesh 2108 2108 0 72 1718 318
4 Assam 2192 2192 25 1209 884 74
5 Bihar 8053 8053 2 771 6862 418
6 Chhattisgarh 11643 11643 30 3936 5941 1736
7 Gujarat 14534 14534 75 11963 2471 25
8 Goa 191 188 0 80 107 1
9 Haryana 6225 6225 7 3342 2779 97
10 Himachal Pradesh 3615 3615 1 1706 1828 80
11 Jammu & Kashmir 4291 4291 1 1459 2792 39
12 Jharkhand 4345 4345 6 1993 2311 35
13 Karnataka 5946 5946 36 3707 2172 3114 Kerala 941 941 95 840 6 0
15 Ladakh 193 193 0 62 129 2
16 Lakshadweep 10 10 0 5 5 0
17 Madhya Pradesh 23011 23011 33 11154 11514 310
18 Maharashtra 27894 27894 315 10049 16909 621
19 Manipur 3041 3041 0 57 1231 1753
20 Meghalaya 6859 3069 0 18 2292 759
21 Nagaland 1277 1277 0 33 1040 204
22 Mizoram 840 840 34 549 253 4
23 Odisha 6794 6794 555 4566 1627 46
24 Puducherry 108 108 0 77 31 0
25 Punjab 13233 13233 1 3275 9464 493
26 Rajasthan 11037 11037 8 5437 5389 203
27 Sikkim 199 199 1 163 35 0
28 Tamil Nadu 12482 12482 197 10520 1746 19
29 Telangana 12556 12556 624 10056 1853 23
30 Dadra and Nagar 42 42 1 29 12 0
Haveli and Daman
and Diu
31 Tripura 1176 1176 943 233 0 0
32 Uttarakhand 7766 7766 3 2359 5203 201
33 Uttar Pradesh 57678 57678 51 18905 32598 6124
34 West Bengal* 3339 0Total 266999 259867 3635 118824 123719 13689
# No Gram Panchayat/ Equivalent to GP are fallen under Grade A+
No. of GPs whose data has been submitted on PAI Portal after validation by State/UT*
* West Bengal has not on-boarded in the exercise of PAI 2.0
Detailed Note on PAI 2.0 (English/Hindi)
State wise Snapshots of Performance under PAI 2.0
***
AA
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