National Panchayati Raj Day
- Context: National Panchayati Raj Day is observed annually on April 24th.
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- This day commemorates the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act (1992), which came into effect in 1993.
- The amendment granted constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), marking a significant milestone toward decentralization and participatory democracy in India.
- The Panchayati Raj system is based on traditional Indian village self-governance structures like Sabhas and Samitis.
- In modern India, it was first recommended by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee in 1957.
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- Rajasthan became the first state to implement this system in 1959.
- The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act later provided constitutional status to PRIs and added Part IX to the Constitution.
- It established a three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti (or Block Panchayat) at the intermediate level, and Zilla Parishad at the district level.
- The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010, under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Digital Transformation of Panchayati Raj Institutions
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- eGramSwaraj: Used for planning, budgeting, accounting, and integration with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). More than 2.55 lakh Panchayats are connected to this portal, with transactions exceeding ₹53,000 crore.
- SabhaSaar: An Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered tool that automatically records the proceedings of Gram Sabha meetings. It supports 23 Indian languages and is currently used in over one lakh Panchayats.
- Meri Panchayat App: Enhances citizen participation and transparency in local governance.
- Gram Urja Swaraj: Helps track renewable energy assets at the Panchayat level and aids in data-driven rural energy planning.
- SVAMITVA Scheme
- Launched in 2021 to provide legal ownership of rural properties by mapping inhabited areas using drone and GIS technology.
- It aims to reduce land disputes and enable rural citizens to use their property as a financial asset.
- Over 3.10 crore property cards have been issued under this scheme, strengthening rural planning, improving land records, and increasing financial inclusion in villages.
Financial Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions
- 15th Finance Commission: Approximately ₹2.36 lakh crore was allocated to rural local bodies from 2021 to 2026.
- 16th Finance Commission: For the period 2026 to 2031, this allocation has been increased to approximately ₹4.35 lakh crore.
- These funds are utilized for drinking water, sanitation, and rural infrastructure development, ensuring greater financial autonomy and flexibility at the local level.
