Parliament Question: Implementation of Schemes by PRIs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3734 ANSWERED ON 11.08.2026 IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHEMES BY PRIs

3734. DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of administrative, financial and governance challenges faced by Panchayati Raj Institutions in implementing Central and State Government schemes;

(b) the details of capacity-building programmes, digital governance initiatives and training interventions undertaken for elected representatives and Panchayat officials during the last five years;

(c) whether the Government has evaluated the effectiveness of e-Gram Swaraj and other digital platforms in improving transparency, accountability and service delivery at the grassroots level;

(d) if so, the measures taken to address staff shortages, technical capacity gaps and delays in implementation of development projects at the Panchayat level; and

(e) whether any special initiatives have been sanctioned for strengthening governance capacity and digital service delivery in Panchayats of Karnataka, including Davanagere district, and the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH)

(a): Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for capacity building and training of the elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). This Ministry has undertaken an assessment of the impact of institutional and capacity gaps in local planning, implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes through an independent third-party evaluation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), conducted by the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). The evaluation assessed the design, implementation strategies, outcomes, and impact of capacity-building interventions undertaken for Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The findings indicate that structured, multi- layered capacity-building interventions, including classroom and thematic training, exposure 1visits and digital learning, have significantly enhanced the capacities of PRIs in Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) preparation, implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, digital governance, financial management and citizen participation.

(b): This Ministry has implemented a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), w.e.f. financial year 2022-23, with the objective of supporting Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) by imparting training to Elected Representatives

(ERs), Panchayat officials and other stakeholders to develop leadership abilities, thereby enabling Gram Panchayats to function effectively across all States/UTs. Under the scheme, capacity-building support is provided to elected representatives, Panchayat officials, and other stakeholders of Panchayats under different categories, viz. basic orientation and refresher programmes, thematic interventions, specialized training, and Panchayat Development Plan- related programmes, etc.The scheme also supports exposure visits to facilitate experiential learning and replication of best practices for strengthening Panchayat governance, as well as development of training modules and materials,etc. A total of 1,92,17,145 elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries have been trained under this scheme during the last five years.

This Ministry has taken several initiatives for governance, capacity building and digital service delivery in Panchayats of all States/Union Territories (UTs).

To enhance skills and knowledge, a major step has been taken to build capacity and train elected representatives and Panchayat officials through Institutes of excellence such as IIMs/IITs under the Leadership/Management Development Program (MDP). Under the Specialised Module of MDP, 3,490 participants have been trained since year 2024 till 10.07.2026 This Ministry in collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, has also developed a training module on Own Source Revenue (OSR) to strengthen the financial self-reliance of Gram Panchayats. Under the Specialised Module of OSR, 2,75,893 participants have been trained since year 2025 till 10.07.2026.

The Ministry has launched a Specialized Training Module as a part of “Shashkta Panchayat Netri Abhiyan” for the capacity building of Women Elected Representatives (WERs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Under the Specialised Module of WERs, 1,53,616 participants have been trained since year 2025 till 10.07.2026.

This Ministry has developed the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) as a composite assessment framework to measure the performance of Gram Panchayats/Equivalent across nine themes aligned with the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). The Index intends to support the Gram Panchayat in the preparation of an evidence-based plan by formulating local actions through the convergence of funds & schemes.

This Ministry has implemented the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) under Revamped RGSA, which has significantly enhanced transparency, efficiency, and digital governance at the grassroots level. The eGramSwaraj application, developed as part of the e- Panchayat MMP, has facilitated digital planning, accounting, monitoring, and online payments at the Panchayat level. The integration of eGramSwaraj with the Public Financial Management 2System (PFMS) enables real-time payments to vendors and service providers, ensuring seamless fund flow and reducing delays. The Ministry has strengthened the e-GramSwaraj platform through integration with other national digital platforms. Integration with the Government e- Marketplace (GeM) facilitates transparent, efficient and rule based procurement by Gram Panchayats.

‘AuditOnline’, an application has been developed for online audits of Panchayat accounts and their financial management. AuditOnline for transparent auditing of Central Finance Commission funds utilization to strengthen financial management of Panchayats launched in April 2020.

Furthermore, applications developed by this Ministry like Meri Panchayat have endeavoured to bring transparency in Panchayat Governance by making information on planning, activities and progress of works in Panchayat accessible to public. Similarly, Panchayat NIRNAY is an online application that aims at bringing transparency and better management in the conduct of Gram Sabhas by Panchayats.

(c): Under the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP), the Ministry continuously reviews the implementation and utilisation of the e-Panchayat applications through system-generated reports, dashboards, periodic review meetings and interactions with States/UTs. These reviews facilitate identification of operational and technical issues relating to digital governance and support continuous enhancement of the e-Panchayat applications. Further, the Ministry has undertaken assessments of the digital governance initiatives implemented under the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) through an independent assessment carried out by the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), who has observed that the e-Panchayat initiative has strengthened transparency, accountability, planning, financial management, auditing and citizen participation in Panchayati Raj Institutions through digital platforms and emerging technologies.

(d): “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. Accordingly, Panchayat related all matters, including measures taken to address staff shortages, technical capacity gaps and delays in implementation of development projects at the Panchayat level, etc., are the responsibility of the States/UTs.

(e): The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken several initiatives for strengthening governance capacity and digital service delivery as highlighted in para-(b) above in respect to all States/UTs, including the State of Karnataka.

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