The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, gave its approval for restructured centrally sponsored scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
- The restructured scheme will focus on training, building infrastructure, stepping up initiatives for e-governance under e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- It will be implemented during period from April 2018 to March 2022 with total proposed cost of the scheme is Rs. 7255 crore with the Central Share of INR 4500 crore and that of State Share of INR 2755.50 crore.
Background
The Finance Minister, in his budget speech for 2016-17 had announced the launch of a new restructured scheme of RGSA, for developing governance capabilities of Panchayati raj institutions to deliver on the sustainable development goals. A committee under the chairmanship of the Vice Chairman-NITI Aayog was constituted to restructure the existing scheme of this Ministry as Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.Key Facts
- This scheme will extend to all States and UTs of the Country.
- It will also include institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas, where Panchayats do not exist.
- The scheme will have both Central Component - National Level activities including "National Plan of Technical Assistance", "Mission Mode project on e-Panchayat", "Incentivization of Panchayats" and State component - Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
- The Central Component will be fully funded by the Government of India.
- However, Centre: State funding pattern for State Component will be 60:40 for all States, except North East and the Hill States where Centre: State funding pattern will be 90:10
- For all Union Territories (UTs) (with and without legislatures), the Central share will be 100 percent.
- The implementation and monitoring of the activities of the scheme will broadly be aligned for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The main emphasis will be on Panchayats identified under Mission Antyodaya and 115 Aspirational districts as identified by NITI Aayog.
- The Scheme will converge capacity building initiatives of other Ministries with the particular focus on those Ministries which will be impacted substantially by this Scheme.
- Sunset date for the Abhiyan would be 31st March 2030.
- The Central Government and the State Governments will take action for performing and completing the activities approved for their respective roles.
- The State Government will formulate their Annual Action Plans for seeking assistance from the Central Government as per their priorities and requirement.
- The scheme will be implemented in a demand driven mode.
Significance
- The restructured scheme will help more than 2.55 lakh Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to develop governance capabilities to deliver on SDGs through inclusive local governance with focus on optimum utilisation of available resources.
- It will strive to achieve key principles of SDGs, i.e. leaving no one behind, reaching farthest first and universal coverage, along with gender equality.
- It will give priority to subjects of national importance that affects the excluded groups the most, e.g. poverty, nutrition, education, primary health services, immunization, sanitation, water conservation, digital transactions etc.
- It is designed keeping in view programmatic convergence with Mission Antyodaya Gram Panchayats (GPs) and 115 Aspirational districts as identified by Niti Aayog.
- Strengthening of panchayats under it will help to promote equity and inclusiveness, along with Social Justice and economic development of the community.
- Increased use of e-governance by PRIs will help achieve improved service delivery and transparency.
- It will strengthen Gram Sabhas to function as effective institutions with social inclusion of citizens particularly vulnerable groups.
- The scheme will help to establish institutional structure for capacity building of PRIs at national, state and district level with adequate human resources and infrastructure.
- It will progressively strengthened PRIs through incentivisation on basis of nationally important criteria which will encourage competitive spirit among them.
