Parliament Question: e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project

GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATIRAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1410 ANSWEREDON 29.07.2025 E-PANCHAYAT MISSIONMODE PROJECT 1410.SMT.BIJULI KALITAMEDHI: SHRIBAIJAYANTPANDA: Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleasedtoState: (a)the objectivesof the e-PanchayatMission Mode Project(MMP); (b) the manner in which the Ministry ensure that the digital infrastructure and tools provided under the e-Panchayat MMP are accessible and user-friendly for all Panchayats, especially those inrural andremote areas; (c) whether any future developments are being planned for the e-Panchayat MMP to further enhanceitsimpact onrural developmentandlocalgovernance andif so, the detailsthereof; (d) the steps taken by the Government to promote multilingual e-Governance services within Panchayats,especially inrural andremote areas, toensure greateraccessibility; (e)whether the Government hasconducted anyassessment regardingeffectiveness andimpactof these initiatives on improving digital participation and service delivery at the Panchayat level andif so, the detailsthereof; and (f) the measures taken to enhance the accessibility and user-friendliness of digital governance platformsunderPanchayat-level functionaries? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FORPANCHAYATIRAJ (PROF.S.P.SINGH BAGHEL) 1(a) The objective of the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) is to strengthen e- Governance in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across the country and enhance the transparency, accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness of service delivery and governance at the grassroots level. The project aims to automate internal workflows and core functions of Panchayats andbring about greatercitizen-centricity in theirfunctioning.Under the Digital India Programme, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is implementing the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) across all States and Union Territories. One of the flagship applications under this initiative is eGramSwaraj, an online platform for planning, budgeting, accounting, and monitoring of works by Gram Panchayats. Additionally, integration of eGramSwaraj with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) has enabled real-time payments to vendors and service providers, therebyenhancing financialtransparency andefficiency. (b)& (f) The Ministry ensures that the digital infrastructure and tools under the e- Panchayat MMP are accessible and user-friendly for all Panchayats, including those in rural and remote areas, through:  Developmentof low-bandwidth-optimized, mobile-responsive web applications;  Capacity building of Panchayat officials under the RGSAprogramme through SIRDsand otherinstitutions;  Development of the Meri Panchayat mobile application to promote transparency in Panchayat governance by making information related to planning, activities, expenditure andprogress of works accessible tothe public;  Coordinationwith DoT andStatesfor internetconnectivityunderBharatNet. To enhanceusability for Panchayatfunctionaries, the Ministry has:  Simplifieduser interfaces based onfeedback;  IntegratedBHASHINI for multilingual accessibility;  Providedcontextual helpmodulesandmanuals;  Setup national/state-level helpdesks;  Ensured continuousimprovementsthrough iterative updates;  Enabledrole-based workflows andSMS/email notifications. These efforts aimtopromote inclusive andefficient digitalgovernance at the grassrootslevel. (c)& (e) The Ministry continuously strives toenhance the effectiveness andimpactof the e -Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) by leveraging emerging technologies and adopting a consultative, feedback-driven approach. Regular feedback is collected from users at various 2levels, including through regional workshops and stakeholder consultations, to identify areas of improvementandprioritize future developments. Feedback from State Governments and Panchayat functionaries is regularly incorporated to improve the usability andimpact of digital platforms. As part of these efforts,the Ministry has conducted regional workshops in Shimla, Hyderabad, and Guwahati to gather feedback from stakeholders. To brainstorm and develop a roadmap for strengthening its e-Governance applications, the Ministry also organized an industry consultation event, “Manthan,” in New Delhi. Focused interactions with stakeholders were held also in Maharashtra and Lucknow. In addition, several online meetings were convened to maintain active engagement with State Governments. These interactions have been instrumental in collecting actionable feedback for system improvementandrationalization, alignedwith ground-level requirements. Preliminary outcomes indicate growing digital adoption at the grassroots level, improved transparency in planning and accounting, and enhanced efficiency in the delivery of services through PanchayatiRaj Institutions. (d) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has integrated eGramSwaraj with the BHASHINI to enhance multilingual accessibility for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). BHASHINI is an AI powered language translation platform developed under the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM), which aims to provide real-time language translation and speech-to-text services in Indian languages. This integration facilitates seamless language translation onthe portal,enabling Panchayat functionariesand citizens toaccessinformation and services intheir preferred regional languages.Additionally, the Ministry continues tosupport the adoption of multilingual user interfaces and regional language data entry to ensure inclusive digitalparticipation. *** 3