E-Panchayats

Question by: Sunil Kumar Singh, Sumedhanand Saraswati

(a) Whether the Ministry is implementing e-Panchayat facility in the country to revamp the functioning of Panchayats;
(b) if so, the current status of the progress regarding e-Panchayats in all Panchayats of Rajasthan and Chatra constituency of Jharkhand;
(c) the number of Panchayats digitised in Sikar district of Rajasthan and Chatra in Jharkhand and the number of Panchayats yet to be digitised; and
(d) the time-limit fixed for the digitisation of all the Panchayats in the country including Sikar district of Rajasthan and Chatra district of Jharkhand?

Answer by: The Minister of Panchayati Raj (Shri Narendra Singh Tomar)

• Under the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), a suite of Core Common Applications has been developed to cover planning, budgeting, implementation, accounting, monitoring, social audit and delivery of citizen services like issue of certificates, licenses etc. thereby improving transparency, accountability and governance at Panchayat level. Towards strengthening the administrative capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) also, MoPR provides assistance to the States/ Union Territories (UTs) for computerization of Gram Panchayats (GPs). In addition, Bharatnet project is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunication to create a network to connect all the GPs by broadband in the country. As on 28.02.2020, a total of 1,36,693 GPs (including Block Headquarters) have been made service ready.
• The State Governments of Rajasthan and Jharkhand have intimated that all GPs of Rajasthan and Jharkhand are using various applications of Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES).
• The State Government of Rajasthan has intimated that all 342 GPs of its Sikar District are digitised. The State Government of Jharkhand has intimated that all 334 GPs of its Chatra Constituency are digitised. ‘Panchayat’ being a State subject, providing basic infrastructure including digitisation is primary responsibility of State Governments / UT Administrations. The States are proactive in the digitisation of their GPs.