Parliament Question: Gram Urja Swaraj

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRYOF PANCHAYATIRAJ RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2966 ANSWEREDON 18.03.2026 GRAM URJASWARAJ 2966 SMT.RANJEET RANJAN: SHRIDIGVIJAYASINGH: Will the Minister of PANCHAYATIRAJ be pleased to state: (a) whether Government acknowledges that Gram Urja Swaraj is presently a campaign without a dedicatedscheme or budgetaryallocation; (b) whether any proposal for a stand-alone Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Gram Urja Swaraj has been prepared since the Standing Committee’s recommendation, if so, details thereofandif not,reasons therefor; and (c)whether the Ministry hasexamined the StandingCommittee’srecommendationtocreate a Rural Renewable Energy Fund under its own budget, if so, details thereof and if not, reasons therefor? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRIRAJIVRANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH) (a) to (c):Gram Urja Swaraj is being implemented as an awareness and coordination campaign and does not have a dedicated scheme structure or independent budgetary allocation under the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Through the Gram Urja Swaraj campaign, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is promoting awareness on renewable energy adoption in Panchayats and supports the existing schemes of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) . Further, in terms of the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961, all mattersrelating tonewand renewable energy sources including solar energy, wind energy, small hydro power, biomass energy, biogas, tidal energy, geothermal energy and other renewable sources of energy,come under the purviewof MNRE. The recommendation of the Standing Committee regarding Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Gram Urja Swaraj and Rural Renewable Energy Fund has been noted. Incentivization of Panchayats Scheme is one of the components of Centrally Sponsored scheme of revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) of MoPR. Under this scheme, ‘National Panchayat Awards’ are given to the best performing Panchayats, annually on 24th April, celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day to commemorate 73rd Constitution Amendment Act, 1992. As a part of this initiative, awards are being given to PRIs, under 2 1special categoriesincluding ‘Gram Urja SwarajVishesh PanchayatPuraskar’ givento 3GPs for their performance regarding adoption and usage of renewable sources of energy and ‘Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar’ given to 3 GPs who have done exemplary work towards achievingNet-Zerocarbonemissions. Alist of awardeesunderthe “Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh PanchayatPuraskar during the years2023and2024 isasunder:- Awardee Gram Awardee Gram Rank State State Panchayats2023 Panchayats2024 Tikekarwadi Manyachiwadi 1 (BlockJunnar, Maharashtra (BlockPatan, Maharashtra District Pune) District Satara) Ankuli Thakchara 2 (BlockPatrapur, Odisha (BlockAmarpur, Tripura District Ganjam) District Gomati) Mukra (k) Telangana Kasira (BlockIchoda, (BlockKoida, 3 Odisha Adilabad) District Sundargarh) In 2025, the ‘Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar’ and the ‘Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar’ have been merged to form ‘Climate Action Special Panchayat Award’ with an aim to encourage Panchayats to act as climate-responsive local governments. The ‘Climate Action Special Panchayat Award’ was conferred to the following GPs on National Panchayati Raj Day NPRD-2025 held at Lohna Uttar Gram Panchayat,District Madhubani, Bihar on 24thApril, 2025. Rank 1: Dawwa SGram Panchayat, Gondia District, Maharashtra Rank 2: BiradahalliGram Panchayat,Hassan District, Karnataka Rank 3: Mothipur Gram Panchayat, SamastipurDistrict, Bihar The award includes a financialincentive of Rs.1 crore (Rank 1), Rs.75 lakh(Rank 2), and Rs.50 lakh (Rank 3) respectively. The awardees were presented with specially designed trophiesandcertificates. *** 2