Hyderabad: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj organized the inaugural regional workshop of the Panchayat Sammelan series, titled “Ease of Living: Enhancing Service Delivery at the Grassroots,” today at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR). The workshop was inaugurated by Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, who emphasized the government’s commitment to transforming every panchayat into a hub of efficient, transparent, and responsive services.
In his address, Bharadwaj described the Sammelan as a key milestone in the ongoing effort to strengthen rural self-reliance and voluntary tax compliance. He highlighted the critical link between quality service delivery and citizens’ willingness to pay taxes, enabling panchayats to achieve self-reliance through self-generated revenue.
“Successful service delivery models should be documented and shared to inspire other panchayats,” he urged, adding that states with exemplary frameworks should collaborate for model replication. Bharadwaj also announced the Ministry’s approval for 22,164 computers to be provided to Gram Panchayats across various states, which will significantly enhance access to online services in rural areas. Additionally, he revealed that 3,301 Gram Panchayat Bhawans have been sanctioned, which will include co-located Common Service Centres (CSCs) to further strengthen digital infrastructure at the grassroots level.
Dr. G. Narendra Kumar, Director General of NIRD&PR, addressed the participants, underscoring the role of panchayat representatives and functionaries in driving positive change. “By equipping them with cutting-edge tools and knowledge, we are setting the stage for a governance revolution that begins from the ground up,” he stated.
In his opening remarks, Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, highlighted various digital interventions, including the ServicePlus platform from NIC and RapidPro from UNICEF. He noted that the workshop’s innovative use of technology and focus on collaborative learning has set a new benchmark for future regional workshops in the Panchayat Sammelan series.
The Hyderabad Panchayat Sammelan was live-streamed in eleven languages through the Bhashini platform, showcasing the Ministry’s commitment to inclusive governance and effective knowledge dissemination across diverse linguistic communities. Lokesh Kumar D. S., Secretary of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department of Telangana, expressed gratitude to the Ministry for organizing the workshop in Hyderabad.
This first workshop in a series of four aimed to explore innovative approaches and share experiences to enhance service delivery at the grassroots level. Representatives from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, and Odisha participated, exchanging insights on the challenges and opportunities in service delivery.
Sessions during the workshop explored the theme of ease of living through leveraging technology for rural service delivery. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) demonstrated the bespoke ServicePlus platform, configurable for online service delivery. Presentations from the Wadhwani Foundation, Bhashini, and UNICEF showcased the potential of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) in streamlining communication and service delivery at the local level. NIRD&PR also conducted a session on Benchmarking Rural Service Delivery, providing valuable frameworks for evaluating and enhancing service effectiveness.
