The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to conduct a two-day national workshop at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The workshop will focus on the preparation of Panchayat Development Plans (PDPs) and will introduce the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) booklet for the upcoming year 2026-27. Discussions will cover various themes, including the role of thematic Panchayat Development Plans and the 16th Finance Commission grants framework.
Bringing together officials from the Government of India, state representatives, and Panchayati Raj stakeholders, the workshop will include technical sessions and group exercises. State and Union Territory teams will work on model plans across ten thematic areas on the revamped eGramSwaraj planning portal. The aim is to enhance data-driven, participatory planning at the grassroots level to ensure alignment with the Sixteenth Finance Commission conditionalities and achieve tangible outcomes for rural communities.
The workshop, inaugurated by Vivek Bharadwaj and Ashok Meena, Secretaries of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, respectively, will emphasize the importance of digital initiatives in Panchayat governance. The e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project under the Digital India Programme is being implemented nationwide to enhance transparency and efficiency in Panchayat operations. One of the key components, eGramSwaraj, is an online application simplifying Panchayat activities such as planning and budgeting.
