Is 10% of Revenue Really Allocated for Panchayati Raj Institutions? Arunachal CM Explains

Itanagar, Aug 4 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to decentralisation by declaring that 10 percent of the state’s own revenue is allocated for Panchayati Raj institutions.

During the inauguration of a two-day state-level workshop on the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0, the Chief Minister unveiled the PAI 2.0 booklet for attendees. This index is designed to evaluate the comprehensive development, performance, and progress of panchayats across multiple domains and sectors.

The PAI considers an array of socio-economic indicators and metrics to assess the development and well-being of local communities governed by a panchayat.

Khandu underscored the significance of PAI 2.0 as a scientific and data-driven approach introduced by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj for evaluating progress at the Gram Panchayat level.

He pointed out that the index is an essential instrument for bottom-up planning, aiding in the identification of local needs and tracking critical rural development indicators.

The Chief Minister acknowledged the establishment of multi-tier committees at state, district, and block levels to ensure effective implementation and validation of PAI data.

He reiterated that since Arunachal Pradesh is predominantly rural, the success of such real-time, evidence-based planning tools is vital. The state has also adopted the SPICE model (Sustainable, Participatory, Inclusive, Comprehensive Empowerment) to enhance grassroots democracy. Khandu further stressed the importance of aligning PAI 2.0 with broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Localised SDG (LSDG) themes assigned to Panchayats.

“Achieving SDG targets by 2030 requires strong local planning and inter-departmental coordination,” he asserted.

Highlighting the importance of ongoing training and capacity-building, Khandu referred to it as the foundation for ensuring quality delivery of schemes and programs at the grassroots level.

He commended the efforts of SIRD & PR for training 15,819 personnel in the previous financial year on key areas such as governance, planning, and implementation.

Speaking to the Deputy Commissioners present from all over the state, the Chief Minister remarked that DCs are crucial for grassroots development and service delivery. The government has empowered them with considerable administrative authority, including the ability to suspend erring officers, and urged them to lead with integrity and dedication.

Khandu congratulated the top-performing gram panchayats, circles, blocks, and districts recognized at the event for their achievements under PAI for the year 2022-2023. He emphasized fostering healthy competition among local bodies to enhance governance and strive for national-level excellence.

Also present at the event were Ojing Tasing, Minister (Panchayati Raj), Tanya Soki, Advisor to the Minister, Manish Kumar Gupta, Chief Secretary, Sonal Swaroop, Secretary (PR), and experts from the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj and YASHADA.

This workshop, focused on reinforcing evidence-based planning and decentralised governance, has been organized by the Department of Panchayati Raj and SIRD in partnership with the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj and YASHADA, Pune.