Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 658, answered on 03/02/2026 by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development (Shri Kamlesh Paswan), addresses the functioning of CAPART (Council of Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology). CAPART was dissolved and merged with the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) in 2020, following a Cabinet decision. CAPART no longer exists as a separate entity and is not functional. The Ministry possesses details of CAPART's previous activities, which focused on promoting voluntary action, advancing and disseminating rural technologies, building capacity in voluntary organizations, coordinating technology-related efforts for rural development, and serving as a knowledge resource. These objectives are now being pursued through NIRDPR according to current guidelines.
Key Entities Referenced
Council of Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART): A body focused on rural development, now dissolved and merged with NIRDPR.
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR): Institute with which CAPART was merged and now addresses CAPART's objectives.
Ministry of Rural Development: The primary ministry responsible for answering the question regarding CAPART.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 658
ANSWERED ON 03/02/2026
FUNCTIONING OF CAPART
658. Dr. ThirumaavalavanTholkappiyan:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Council of Advancement of People’s Action and
Rural Technology (CAPART) is still functional;
(b) if so, the purpose for which it was constituted;
(c) whether the Government has the details pertaining to the
activities done by the CAPART; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a) to (d): The Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural
Technology (CAPART) has been dissolved and merged with the
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
(NIRDPR) through a decision of Cabinet in the year 2020. In view of
this, CAPART does not exist as a separate entity and hence, it is not
functional.
Further, the Ministry has details regarding the activities earlier
undertaken by erstwhile CAPART. The objectives and functions of
CAPART, as laid down in its Memorandum of Association, pertained
to promotion of voluntary action, advancement and dissemination of
appropriate rural technologies, capacity building of voluntary
organizations, coordination of technology-related efforts for rural
development and acting as a knowledge and information resource in
the rural development sector. These objectives are now being
addressed through NIRDPR as per extant guidelines.
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