Parliament Question: Gram Panchayats

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO– †3686 ANSWERED ON- 11.08.2026 GRAM PANCHAYATS †3686. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL: SHRI RAJKUMAR ROAT: SHRI RAJESH RANJAN: Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state: (a) whether even after three decades of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, full devolution of 29 subjects, adequate financial powers, and necessary administrative staff have not been provided to Gram Panchayats in the various States of the country, including Rajasthan; (b) if so, the details thereof, including the status and major finding of the devolution of those 29 subjects, the financial resources made available, and the manpower provided to the Panchayats, State-wise; (c) whether the Government has conducted any evaluation regarding the status of devolution of financial, administrative and functional powers to the Panchayats by the States during the last five years, if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the Government proposes to formulate a time-bound action plan to make Panchayats the real units of local self-governance in real-terms, if so, the details along with the proposed timeline thereof? 1ANSWER THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH) (a) to (c) “Panchayat”, being “Local Government”, is a State subject and part of State List of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Panchayats are set up and operated through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts. States have made their own Panchayati Raj Act, subject to the provisions of the Constitution of India. Article 243G of the Constitution of India empowers the Legislature of a State to make provisions, by law, for the devolution of powers and responsibilities upon Panchayat at the appropriate level, subject to such conditions as may be specified, with respect to the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice and implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as may be entrusted to them including those in relation to matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The State legislatures are to consider the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule for devolution of powers and responsibilities to Panchayats. Accordingly, all matters relating to Panchayats, including, devolution of 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule, adequate financial powers, to provide necessary administrative staff to Gram Panchayats and to make the financial resources available to Panchayats, fall within the purview of State/Union Territory (UT) Government concerned. However, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj reviews performance of Panchayats, from time to time, through studies, review meetings, field visits, video conferencing, Information Technology applications etc. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has released a report titled “Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States - An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024” in February 2025 to assess the effectiveness of devolution and the role of local governments in strengthening grassroots democracy. This report presents the Devolution Index, which provides the overall scores and ranks for all States/UTs covered under Part-IX of the Constitution, based on six identified dimensions: Framework, Functions, Finances, Functionaries, Capacity Enhancement, and 2Accountability. This report reveals that the extent of devolution has increased from 39.9% to 43.9% between the period 2013-14 to 2021-22. Ranking of the States/UTs, including the State of Rajasthan, in Devolution Index and Sub-indices is attached as Annexure-I. In these six identified dimensions, Framework includes reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes and women, Panchayats elections & State Election Commission, Panchayats duration, dissolution & bye elections, constitution and function of District Planning Committee, role of Panchayats in Committees and parallel bodies/institutions, autonomy to Panchayats. Functions includes functions assigned to Panchayats including Activity Mapping, expenditure incurred and actual involvement of Panchayats, involvement of Panchayats in important Schemes. Finances includes Fifteenth Finance Commission Grants to the Panchayats, State Finance Commission (SFC), money transfers to Panchayat on accounts of the SFC recommendations, empowerment of Panchayats to impose tax and collect revenue, funds available with Panchayats, expenditure of Panchayats, initiatives related to finance, accounts and budget. Functionaries includes physical infrastructure of Panchayats, e- connectivity of Panchayats, Panchayats officials. Capacity Enhancement includes training institutions, training activities–training of elected representative and officials. Accountability includes accounting and audit of Panchayats, social audit of Panchayats, functioning of Gram Sabha, transparency & anti-corruption, Panchayats assessment & incentivization. The Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC) recommended grants to the tune of ₹2,97,555 crore for the period 2020-21 to 2025–26 (including interim period 2020-21) for Panchayats across all three tiers, including Traditional Local Bodies and Sixth Schedule areas in 28 States, out of which ₹2,82,632.34 crore had been released as on 31st March, 2026. (d) “Panchayat” is a State subject, therefore the matter falls under the purview of the State/UT Government concerned to formulate a time-bound action plan to make Panchayats the real units of local self-governance. *** 3ANNEXURE-I Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) ofLok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3686 for answer on 11.08.2026 Ranking of States/UTs in Devolution Index (DI) and Sub-indices Capacity Accountability DI Framework Functions Finances Functionaries Ran Building k Scor Scor Scor Scor Scor Scor Scor State State State State State State State e e e e e e e General Category States 72.2 83.5 60.2 70.6 90.9 86.1 81.3 1 Karnataka Kerala Tamil Nadu Karnataka Gujarat Telangana Karnataka 3 6 4 5 4 9 3 70.5 74.7 57.6 62.8 84.2 84.2 81.1 2 Kerala Maharashtra Karnataka Kerala Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Kerala 9 4 2 9 5 9 8 68.3 74.4 57.4 55.7 82.9 83.9 80.3 3 Tamil Nadu Karnataka Odisha Tamil Nadu Kerala Gujarat Maharashtra 8 3 6 8 9 6 6 61.4 56.1 54.5 80.1 Uttar 76.0 4 Maharashtra Haryana 73.3 Rajasthan Rajasthan Karnataka Goa 77.7 4 3 6 1 Pradesh 7 Uttar 60.0 Madhya 53.8 53.5 Chhattisgar 78.3 Andhra 76.6 5 70 Kerala Odisha Tamil Nadu 71 Pradesh 7 Pradesh 6 7 h 3 Pradesh 9 58.2 Uttar 46.8 West 52.9 75.1 Uttar 74.4Andhra 60.4 6 Gujarat Odisha 69.2 Bihar 6 Pradesh 9 Bengal 6 3 Pradesh 4 Pradesh 9 56.6 68.5 46.5 Uttar 51.7 73.6 73.3 60.4 7 Rajasthan Rajasthan Maharashtra Maharashtra Maharashtra Telangana 7 4 2 Pradesh 6 3 5 3 West 56.5 Chhattisgar 68.5 Chhattisgar 42.3 Chhattisgar 51.4 Andhra 68.7 71.5Chhattisgar 58.1 8 Karnataka Bengal 2 h 1 h 9 h 5 Pradesh 8 9 h 7 Chhattisgar 56.2 66.8 41.2 46.8 West 67.7 71.1West 57.8 9 Tamil Nadu Gujarat Telangana Kerala h 6 3 3 6 Bengal 6 1 Bengal 7 West Madhya 39.4 43.8 64.0 West 70.6 51.9 10 Telangana 55.1 62.3 Bihar Rajasthan Odisha Bengal Pradesh 7 6 3 Bengal 3 2 11 Andhra 54.4 Gujarat 61.6 Telangana 38.7 Andhra 43.1 Uttar 63.1 Madhya 70 Bihar 51.6 4Pradesh 3 5 7 Pradesh 9 Pradesh 3 Pradesh 4 Madhya 50.9 Andhra 60.0 West 33.0 42.9 Madhya 62.2 61.4 12 Maharashtra Rajasthan Gujarat 47.9 Pradesh 4 Pradesh 8 Bengal 7 6 Pradesh 2 3 50.0 Uttar 54.6 31.9 Madhya 42.3 58.0 55.2 41.9 13 Odisha Punjab Telangana Bihar Haryana 3 Pradesh 4 7 Pradesh 4 1 7 3 48.2 52.8 Andhra 41.6 46.3 Chhattisgar 47.6 41.4 14 Bihar Goa 30.5 Gujarat Goa Rajasthan 4 8 Pradesh 3 1 h 1 3 39.3 49.7 27.5 40.3 38.4 43.4Madhya 36.5 15 Haryana Bihar Jharkhand Haryana Haryana Odisha 3 6 6 8 8 3 Pradesh 5 37.7 47.2 18.6 36.3 27.8 35.3 31.7 16 Goa Punjab Bihar Punjab Jharkhand Haryana Goa 1 6 9 6 3 5 5 29.3 45.3 16.8 30.0 27.4 26.3 24.8 17 Punjab Telangana Haryana Jharkhand Odisha Punjab Punjab 4 5 2 5 2 4 7 27.7 26.8 24.7 16.4 18 Jharkhand Jharkhand 42.3 Goa 6.63 Goa Punjab 8.2 Jharkhand Jharkhand 3 8 2 7 Northeastern / Hilly Area States 57.5 70.9 42.5 59.1 Himachal 70.0 Himachal 83.6 70.6 1 Tripura Uttarakhand Sikkim Tripura Tripura 8 5 9 6 Pradesh 6 Pradesh 8 9 Himachal 53.1 28.6 Himachal 48.4 65.1 76.8 57.1 2 Tripura 66.5 Assam Assam Tripura Assam Pradesh 7 6 Pradesh 1 2 2 4 49.1 65.2 Himachal 23.0 47.1 60.4 71.9 52.7 3 Uttarakhand Sikkim Uttarakhand Uttarakhand Assam Uttarakhand 1 7 Pradesh 1 1 9 6 2 49.0 Himachal 62.2 52.2 56.0Himachal 39.4 4 Assam Tripura 21.5 Sikkim 43.5 Tripura Uttarakhand 6 Pradesh 2 2 2 Pradesh 1 43.8 54.0 16.6 34.0 31.4 53.2 34.9 5 Sikkim Assam Uttarakhand Assam Sikkim Sikkim Sikkim 1 4 8 6 2 3 4 Arunachal 17.9 Arunachal Arunachal 13.1 Arunachal 28.7 6 41.5 12.7 Manipur# Manipur# 21.4 37.4 Manipur# Pradesh# 6 Pradesh# Pradesh# 7 Pradesh# 5 17.1 34.0 11.2 Arunachal Arunachal Arunachal 22.5 7 Manipur# Manipur# Manipur# 6.83 5.74 Manipur# 3.75 3 5 3 Pradesh# Pradesh# Pradesh# 6 5Union Territories Andaman Andaman Jammu and 27.8 55.2 Jammu and 11.8 16.1 Lakshadwee 39.5 Jammu and 55.0 45.7 1 &Nicobar Puducherry &Nicobar Kashmir 5 1 Kashmir 8 6 p# 3 Kashmir 8 3 Islands Islands Andaman Andaman 27.1 Lakshadwee 31.4 11.0 Jammu and 13.2 Jammu and 36.9 54.8Jammu and 39.7 2 &Nicobar Ladakh &Nicobar 5 p# 2 8 Kashmir 9 Kashmir 7 2 Kashmir 6 Islands Islands Dadra & Andaman Nagar Lakshadwee 18.3 Jammu and 23.0 Lakshadwee 10.3 31.6 29.3 29.3 3 &Nicobar 9.09 Haveli and Ladakh Puducherry p# 2 Kashmir 7 p# 6 9 2 3 Islands Daman & Diu# Dadra & Nagar 16.1 22.2 25.2 Lakshadwee 15.1Lakshadwee 28.1 4 Ladakh Ladakh Puducherry 4.63 Haveli and 5.45 Ladakh 8 1 5 p# 8 p# 3 Daman & Diu# Dadra & Nagar Andaman 16.1 22.0 Lakshadwee 21.4 13.7 27.4 5 Puducherry Haveli and &Nicobar 4.5 3.99 Puducherry Puducherry Ladakh 6 6 p# 9 5 3 Daman & Islands Diu# Dadra & Dadra & Dadra & Dadra & Nagar Nagar Andaman Nagar Nagar 13.6 20.9 24.9 6 Haveli and Puducherry 9.31 Haveli and 0 Ladakh 0 &Nicobar Haveli and 8.57 Haveli and 2 4 1 Daman & Daman & Islands Daman & Daman & Diu# Diu# Diu# Diu# National 43.8 54.2 29.1 37.0 50.9 54.6 47.5 Average 9 9 8 4 6 3 1 Source: Report titled “Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States - An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024” Note: #States for which previous data is used. *** 6