Minister Kapil Moreshwar Patil Unveils Report on Panchayat Development Index at National Workshop

The Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Kapil Moreshwar Patil, released the Report on Panchayat Development Index at the National Workshop on Panchayat Development Index (PDI).

The workshop witnessed the participation of over 250 individuals, including senior officials from various ministries and departments of the Government of India, principal secretaries, officers from the Departments of Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Planning & Statistics, and Programme Monitoring, directors of SIRD&PRs, senior technical officers from State NIC, officials from the SDG Cell, and other key stakeholders.

The primary objective of the workshop was to develop a strategic plan and roadmap for integrating the Ministry's portal/dashboard to establish a data ecosystem. It aimed to assess the progress of schemes in alignment with the Local Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) at the Panchayat level and establish institutional mechanisms for implementing the Panchayat Development Index. The active support of various ministries/departments, Panchayats, and knowledge partners was sought in this endeavor. The workshop received a positive response, effectively bringing together all stakeholders to lay the groundwork for a robust evidence-based development mechanism at all levels.

In his address, Patil highlighted the Central Government's intensified efforts over the past nine years to support Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister   Narendra Modi. Considerable fiscal resources have been allocated to PRIs, enabling them to address infrastructure requirements and carry out developmental activities in rural areas. Pro-Panchayat initiatives have empowered Panchayats to shape their own destiny.

Kapil Moreshwar Patil emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders for comprehensive village development and transformation. He stressed the need for collective efforts to encourage and incentivize Panchayats in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within a specific timeframe. The Union Minister encouraged healthy competition among Panchayats for overall development, while also advocating for mutual assistance among Gram Panchayats to progress together.

Sunil Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, emphasized the importance of evidence-based Development Goals at all levels through the Panchayat Development Index. He stated that the Panchayat Development Index represents a logical combination of various steps taken over the years. He also praised the developmental work accomplished in the past year and a half.

Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, delivered a keynote address on the Panchayat Development Index's role in measuring incremental progress towards achieving Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) through Panchayats. He commended all states and union territories for their efforts, emphasized the data-intensive nature of the PDI exercise, and called for evidence-based planning and resource allocation for overall development.

Vikas Anand, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, presented the Report on Panchayat Development Index and outlined the future steps for institutionalizing the PDI. He suggested that states and union territories could utilize the PDI for Panchayati Raj Awards and emphasized the importance of adopting a data-driven and evidence-based approach to developmental activities.

Kapil Moreshwar Patil presented a certificate of appreciation to the Maharashtra team for their significant contribution to the Panchayat Development Index. Dr. Bijaya Kumar Behera, Economic Advisor of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Member-Secretary of the Panchayat Development Index (PDI) Committee, provided an overview of the state's initiatives on the Panchayat Development Index and delivered the vote of thanks at the National Workshop.

Dr. Behera emphasized the need for a comparative picture while preparing the PDI report and highlighted the participatory and theme-based planning process adopted for development, which involved interactions with 19 states regarding their efforts to develop Local Indicator Frameworks (LIFs) for implementing LSDGs.