Year End Review-2025: Ministry of Panchayati Raj | 30 Dec 2025

Source: PIB

Why in News?

In 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) significantly strengthened grassroots governance by leveraging digital tools, capacity building, women and tribal empowerment, and institutional reforms.

What are the Key Achievements of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in 2025?

• Progress in Land Governance: Under the SVAMITVA Scheme, 2.75+ crore property cards were generated. Drone surveys completed in 3.28 lakh villages; full saturation achieved in multiple States/UTs.
  • Earned international recognition at the World Bank Land Conference 2025.
• Digital & Geospatial Governance Innovations: Implementation of Enhanced Gram Panchayat Spatial Development Plans (GPSDP) in 36 Gram Panchayats (GPs) across 14 States. 
  • Promotion of One Nation One Map and digital planning tools like Gram Manchitra and SVAMITVA GIS platforms.
• AI and e-Governance for Transparency: Launch of SabhaSaar (AI-powered Gram Sabha meeting summarizer) supporting 13 regional languages via BHASHINI.
  • eGramSwaraj platform strengthened financial governance with Rs 34,573 crore online payments.
• Institutional Strengthening: Construction sanctioned for 1,638 Gram Panchayat Bhawans, ensuring offices for all GPs with population above 3,000.
  • Leadership and Management Development Programs conducted at IIMs, IITs, and IRMA, strengthening administrative capacity.
• Women-Led Development: Launch of Sashakt Panchayat Netri Abhiyan (44,421 Women Elected Representatives trained) and Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat initiative. 
• Financial Self-Reliance of Panchayats: Promotion of the Saksham Panchayat initiative for Own Source Revenue (OSR) generation. Over 1.10 lakh elected representatives and officials trained using an IIM Ahmedabad-designed OSR module, advancing financial Atmanirbharta.
• Youth Engagement: Launch of Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) involving Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) students, nurturing future democratic leadership.
• Empowerment of Tribal Communities: 16,000+ dedicated staff deployed for Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act (PESA), 1996 implementation across 10 PESA States.
  • Launch of cultural campaigns like Hamari Parampara, Hamari Virasat and organization of PESA Mahotsav 2025.
• International Recognition: Meri Panchayat m-Governance platform won the WSIS Champion Award 2025, reinforcing India’s leadership in Digital India and good governance.

What are the Primary Challenges Confronting Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India?

• Devolution Deficit: Despite the 73rd Amendment Act, 1973, mandating devolution of 29 subjects, functional devolution has declined from 35.34% to 29.18%. Critical functions like rural electrification and vocational training remain under state control, curtailing PRIs' authority and local accountability.
• Fiscal Dependence and Resource Starvation: PRIs exhibit extreme fiscal dependence, generating only about 1% of revenue from local taxes. In FY 2022–23, own tax revenue was a mere Rs 737 crore of a Rs 35,354 crore total revenue. Average own-tax per panchayat is just Rs 21,000, compared to ~Rs 20 lakh in combined grants.
• Patriarchal Norms and Apathetic Participation: The Sarpanch Pati phenomenon subverts women's leadership, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Gram Sabha efficacy is crippled by low turnout (average 13%) and a stark gender gap (men 21% vs. women 7%).
• Administrative Encroachment: Bureaucratic overreach through Panchayat secretaries and parallel bodies like District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) undermines elected representatives' decision-making.
• Infrastructure Deficits: Many PRIs face poor infrastructure (limited offices and internet) and a shortage of trained staff, creating bottlenecks in budgeting, planning, and implementation. Although Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) addresses capacity building, its coverage remains uneven.

What Measures are Needed to Strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India?

• Implement Constitutional Mandate on Devolution: States must fully devolve Functions, Finances, and Functionaries (3Fs) for all 29 Eleventh Schedule subjects, as mandated by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1973 and reinforced by the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC’s) call for clear activity mapping to prevent overlap.
• Catalyze Fiscal Empowerment: PRIs must significantly boost their Own Source Revenues (OSR) through enhanced local taxation and fees, while adopting technology like the Samarth Panchayat portal for efficient revenue management.
  • Innovative financing mechanisms, such as the Social Stock Exchange, are essential to reduce bureaucratic dependency.
• Build Institutional Capacity and Accountability Mechanisms: To bridge administrative gaps, training under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) must be scaled up and full-time, trained Panchayat secretaries appointed. 
  • Accountability should be institutionalized through mandatory social audits (like Meghalaya's 2017 Act), performance-based incentives, independent State Election Commissions (SECs), and robust grievance systems. 
• Harness Technology and Ensure Social Inclusion: Digital governance must be integrated through platforms like eGramSwaraj, SVAMITVA, and Gram Manchitra for transparent planning and property mapping. 
  • To ensure genuine women's leadership, legal sanctions and sensitization are needed to combat the Sarpanch Pati phenomenon, while actively integrating Women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs) into Panchayat processes.
• Citizen-Centric Governance: Gram Sabhas must be revitalized through mandatory regular meetings and digital tools like SabhaSaar, while expanding model initiatives like Youth Gram Sabhas to enhance engagement.

Conclusion

In 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj significantly strengthened grassroots governance through digital tools, capacity building, and institutional reforms. Key achievements include SVAMITVA property mapping, AI-powered SabhaSaar, women and youth empowerment, and tribal development via PESA, while challenges persist in devolution, fiscal autonomy, and administrative capacity, requiring systemic reforms.