In efforts to bolster Panchayati Raj Institutions and improve grassroots governance in rural India, the government has introduced various programs focusing on capacity building, training, digital governance, institutional strengthening, and community engagement. These initiatives, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals localization and Viksit Bharat vision, highlight the pivotal role of Panchayats in sustainable rural development by the year 2025 as per the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Prime Minister Narendra Modi oversaw the distribution of property cards under the SVAMITVA Scheme, granting legal ownership documents to 65 lakh rural citizens in a single day, across more than 50,000 villages in 10 states and 2 Union Territories.
The SVAMITVA scheme has seen drone surveys completed in 3.28 lakh villages, with around 2.76 crore property cards issued for 1.82 lakh villages as of December 16. Additionally, the ministry has utilized digital platforms for widespread awareness on Panchayati Raj matters and introduced ‘SabhaSaar,’ an AI-driven meeting summarizer tool that automatically generates structured minutes from Gram Sabhas’ video or audio recordings. This tool, supporting 13 regional languages, integrates AI-powered translation engines with the government’s National Language Translation platform, Bhashini.
Furthermore, 92,869 Gram Panchayats in 30 states/UTs have conducted 1,43,124 meetings and produced automated minutes using the SabhaSaar tool by December 10, streamlining documentation and enhancing transparency in local governance. The eGramSwaraj application, now available in 22 Indian languages, aids Panchayat financial management, with over 2.52 lakh Gram Panchayats and 5,400 Block Panchayats uploading their development plans (GPDP and BPDP) and integrating eGramSwaraj-PFMS for 2025-26. Alongside infrastructure development, the ministry has sanctioned 19,472 computers for Gram Panchayats with established office buildings.
