Parliament Question: Gram Panchayat Development Plan

GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATIRAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 4085 ANSWEREDON 17.03.2026 GRAM PANCHAYATDEVELOPMENT PLAN 4085: SHRIASHOK KUMAR YADAV: Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleasedto state: (a) whether the Government has launched Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), e-Gram Swaraj, SVAMITVAandothernewinitiativesduring the last three years; (b) if so, the objectivesandcomponents thereof; (c) whether convergencewith schemessuchasMGNREGA, JalJeevan Mission (JJM), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), National Health Mission (NHM) and education-related schemes is being promoted for effective implementationof these initiatives; (d) if so, the status of such convergence inBihar; (e) whether itisafactthatlackofcoordinationamongvariousMinistries/Departments, shortage of technical and human resources at the panchayat level, delays in financial flows and limitations in digital capacity are major impediments to convergence inBihar; (f) if so, the reasons therefor; and (g) whether the Government proposes to implement State-specific guidelines, capacity building measures, technical assistance, time-bound targets and a detail monitoring mechanism tostrengthen convergence inBihar, if so, the detailsthereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRIRAJEEVRANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH) (a) & (b) As per the article 243G of the Constitution, the Panchayats are empowered to formulate plans for their felt needs under the 29 subjects enshrined in the XI Schedule of the Constitution of India. In pursuance of recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC), the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has been advising the States for formulation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) as formulation of GPDP is one of the conditions for release of FFC grants to the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs). Subsequently, the same condition hasbeen extended to other tires of Panchayats underthe Fifteenth Finance Commission. Accordingly, the Ministry has formallyrolled out People’s Plan Campaign as ‘Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas’ since 2018 for preparation of evidence based, holistic and inclusive Panchayat Development Plans at the grassroots level in structured mannerfor the next financial yearthrough people’sparticipation at varioustiers 1of Panchayati Raj Institutions i.e. Gram Panchayat, Block Panchayat and District Panchayat The principal objectives of the GPDP is formulation of plans by Gram Panchayats by using FFC grants and other resources at their command and by way of convergence of resources from other schemes and programmes of the Central and State Governments keeping in view the felt needs of the Panchayats for the overall socio-economic developmentof the Gram Panchayats. The MoPR launched a novel initiative of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDG) in the year 2022-23 with the prime objectives of attainment of sustainable goals (SDG) at the rural grass rootslevel by 2030in consonance with the target of United Nation by identifying key local performance indicators. Under this initiative, 17 SDGs have been subsumed under nine broad themes covering the areas of poverty reduction and livelihood support, women and child development, water sufficiency, climate action and clean environment, infrastructure development, social security, and promotion of good governance. The Gram Panchayatsare now aligningtheir GPDPtothese themes. For promotion of eGovernance in the Panchayats, under the Digital India initiative, the MoPR have developed various digital platforms and applications to bring in transparency, accountability and efficiency in local rural governance. The eGramSwaraj application, a single sign on digital platform, launched in 2020-21, has been designed to facilitate planning, accounting, monitoring, and online payments at the Panchayat level. The application has been further integrated with Public Fund Management System, Government e-Marketplace, AuditOnline applications for hassle-free payment, transparent procurement, and auditing of Panchayats accounts. During the current FY 2025–26, out of a total of 2,64,211 Gram Panchayats and equivalent bodies across the country, 2,54,604 Gram Panchayats and equivalent (96.36%), have uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) on eGramSwaraj and 2,42,871 Gram Panchayats and equivalent (91.92%) have transferred ₹38,491 crore to vendors through the eGramSwaraj–PFMSinterface. SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas), a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2020-21, aims to provide the ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners possessing houses in inhabited rural areas in villages after modern tech-drone-driven survey. The scheme has multifarious objectives viz; reducing property-related disputes, facilitating monetisation of properties and thereby enabling bank loans and other financial services, comprehensive village-level planning using surveyed maps. (c)Yes,sir. (d) In Bihar, the Gram Panchayats have been formulating Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) utilizing the Finance Commission Grants, resources at their command and convergence of resources available under the schemes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin 2(SBM-G), National Health Mission (NHM) and education-related programmes, among others. The status of preparation of GPDPand uploading the same on eGramSwaraj portal of the Ministry bythe Gram Panchayats inBihar since 2018-19 are asfollows: Numberof Gram Numberof GPDPuploaded Year Panchayats on eGramSwaraj 2018-19 8363 6433 2019-20 8364 7566 2020-21 8386 8386 2021-22 8125 8378* 2022-23 8077 8067 2023-24 8055 8056* 2024-25 8053 8053 2025-26 8052 8053* *PendingGPDPof previousyearor supplementaryPlans hasbeenuploaded. (e) to (g) Lack of effective coordination among various line Ministries/Departments, shortage of technicaland humanresources at the panchayat level,delays infinancial flows and limitations in digital capacity are some of the impediments/challenges faced by some Panchayats in timely formulation of GPDPs by way of convergence in some States including that of Bihar. However, the Ministry, in association with line Ministries/Departments and State Governments, has been organising Peoples’ Plan Campaign every year starting from 2nd October to bridge the coordination gap and make the planningprocesses more participatory. The Ministry has been focusing on the capacity building of the PRIs in various areas with due emphasis on formulation of evidenced-based thematic Panchayat Development Plans and mobilization of Own Sources of Revenue (OSR). For this the Ministry has been implementing Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme. During 2022-23 and till date about 1.54 crore cumulative number of elected representatives and functionaries of the PRIs have been imparted training. During the same period about 12.13 lakh cumulative numbers of elected representatives of the PRIs and their functionaries have beenimparted trainingin Bihar on variousaspectsincludingonthematic planformulation. Besides, the Leadership/ Management Development Programme (MDP) are being conducted in collaboration with the Institute of Excellence such as Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), etc. with the major objective of honing the essential leadership skills, including but not limited to communication, decision-making, financial management, and conflict resolution, thereby nurturing effective leadership qualities of the Panchayats. The Ministry, in collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, has developed a training module on the generation of Own Sources Revenue (OSR) to strengthen the financial position of Gram Panchayats. The module enables elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries to understand OSR generation through tax and non-tax sources. So far, 3,914 participants from Bihar have beenimparted trainingonOSRmodule. The year specific targets for training etc. are fixed by the State concerned through their Annual Action Plan and the monitoring of activities are undertaken on eGramSwaraj portal and Training Management Portal of the Ministry. Further, the implementation of 3the scheme is closely monitored through various mechanisms such as meetings, video conferences with State officials, and field visits by senior officers. The Central Empowered Committee of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), while approving a State's Annual Action Plan, considers the progress of scheme implementation and fund utilization. States and Union Territories are consistently reminded to submit the requisite documents, including Utilization Certificates and Auditor's Reports, in compliance with Ministry of Financeinstructions toregulate fund releases. *** 4