Panchayat Advancement Index 2.0: Performance Snapshot of 2.59 lakh Gram Panchayats
Ministry of Panchayati Raj ने Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 जारी किया, जिसमें 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats को 150 संकेतकों पर मूल्यांकन किया गया, जो Localization of Sustainable Development Goals के नौ थीम्स के साथ संरेखित हैं। यह सूचकांक स्पष्ट प्रदर्शन अंतर दिखाता है—कोई भी Panchayat "Achiever" स्तर तक नहीं पहुंचा…
Overview The PAI 2.0 evaluates 2,59,867 rural local bodies on 150 indicators linked to the SDGs . The exercise excludes West Bengal and provides a granular picture of grassroots progress, a topic that has featured in both Pre‑lims and Mains examinations. Key Developments (2023‑24) First edition (2022) ranked over 2.16 lakh panchayats; the current edition expands coverage to 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats. Assessment is based on nine themes derived from the LSDGs , covering sectors from poverty eradication to women‑friendly governance. Gram Panchayats are classified on a 0‑100 scale into five categories: Achiever (90‑100), Front Runner (75‑90), Performer (60‑75), Aspirant (40‑60) and Beginner (below 40). No panchayat attained the Achiever band. Front Runner count stands at 3,635; Performer at 1,18,824; Aspirant at 1,23,719; and Beginner at 13,689. Tripura leads with 943 Front Runner panchayats (≈80 % of its 1,176 rural bodies), followed by Kerala (10 %) and Odisha (8 %). Major states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Punjab lag far behind. Important Institutional Context India’s three‑tier Panchayati Raj system comprises Gram Panchayat , Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad . The constitutional basis is provided by <span class="key-term" data-definition="Article 243G — constitutional provision empowering state legislatures to devolve powers an
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Key Insight
PAI 2.0 exposes uneven grassroots SDG implementation, testing Article 243G’s devolution promise.
Key Facts
- PAI 2.0 ने 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats को 150 LSDG‑संबंधित संकेतकों पर (2023‑24 संस्करण) मूल्यांकन किया।
- Gram Panchayats को 0‑100 स्कोर दिया जाता है और पाँच बैंड में वर्गीकृत किया जाता है: Achiever (90‑100), Front Runner (75‑90), Performer (60‑75), Aspirant (40‑60), Beginner (<40)।
- कोई भी Panchayat Achiever बैंड तक नहीं पहुंचा; Front Runners = 3,635, Performers = 1,18,824, Aspirants = 1,23,719, Beginners = 13,689।
- Tripura ने 943 Front Runner Panchayats (≈80% of its 1,176 GP) के साथ शीर्ष पर है, जबकि Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar और Punjab पीछे हैं।
- PAI Ministry of Panchayati Raj का उपकरण है जो Gram‑स्तर के प्रदर्शन को Localization of SDGs से जोड़ता है; यह eGramSwaraj, Panchayat Devolution Index और RGSA को पूरक करता है।
Background
The Panchayat Advancement Index operationalises the constitutional mandate of Article 243G by quantifying how effectively Gram Panchayats translate the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals into on‑ground outcomes. It thus bridges the polity‑development nexus, a recurring theme in GS‑II (devolution) and GS‑III (rural development, finance).
UPSC Syllabus
- Prelims_GS — Panchayati Raj and Local Governance
- GS2 — Devolution of powers and finances to local levels
- GS2 — Functions and responsibilities of Union and States
- Essay — Economy, Development and Inequality
- GS1 — Poverty and Developmental Issues
- Prelims_GS — Sustainable Development and Inclusion
- GS4 — Accountability, ethical governance and strengthening moral values
- Essay — Democracy, Governance and Public Administration
- GS2 — Issues relating to poverty and hunger
- Essay — International Relations and Geopolitics
Mains Angle
In a Mains answer, PAI can be used to evaluate the success of decentralised governance and to propose reforms for enhancing capacity and financial tracking at the village level. (GS‑II/GS‑III)