Ministry of Panchayati Raj Advances Digital Governance Through e-Panchayat MMP and BharatNet Project

New Delhi:  Under the ambitious Digital India Programme, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is actively implementing the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) to enhance the transparency, accountability, and efficiency of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) as local self-governments. The latest addition to this initiative is the eGramSwaraj application, a comprehensive tool for PRIs launched on April 24, 2020.

eGramSwaraj integrates various aspects of Panchayat functioning, such as planning, budgeting, accounting, monitoring, asset management, and online payments onto a single digital platform. Since its launch, an impressive 2.52 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) have prepared and uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) for the fiscal year 2023-24. Additionally, 2.41 lakh Gram Panchayats have successfully completed online transactions for the 15th Finance Commission grants for the same period.

To further strengthen transparency and accountability at the grassroots level, the Ministry has introduced the AuditOnline application under the e-Panchayat MMP. This tool facilitates online audits of Panchayat accounts, providing detailed information about internal and external audits. For the audit year 2021-22, 2.49 lakh Audit Plans were created, resulting in 2.42 lakh Audit Reports. Similarly, for the audit year 2022-23, 2.02 lakh Audit Plans were generated, along with audit reports for 92,896 Gram Panchayats.

As part of the BharatNet project, led by the Department of Telecommunications, the Ministry is working towards creating a broadband network to connect all Gram Panchayats in the country. Currently, 2,14,300 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready under the BharatNet project, which aims to extend its reach to all inhabited villages beyond Gram Panchayats.

The Ministry has also formulated a Model Panchayat Citizens Charter/framework for service delivery across the 29 sectors outlined in the Eleventh Schedule for Panchayats to adopt. The objective is to provide services to the people in a time-bound manner, address grievances promptly, and enhance overall quality of life. The ‘Meri Panchayat, Mera Adhikaar – Jan Sevaayein Hamaare Dwaar’ campaign, conducted from July 1 to September 30, 2021, proved successful in ensuring Gram Panchayats have a Citizen Charter approved by respective Gram Sabhas in place. Over 2.32 Lakh Gram Panchayats across 31 States/ UTs have conducted Gram Sabhas, with 2.15 Lakh Gram Panchayats finalizing their Citizen Charters.

This information was provided by Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today. The Ministry continues to drive the digital transformation of local governance, aligning with the broader goals of the Digital India initiative.