Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, on January 16, 2021, received the SKOCH Challenger Award conferred on the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) under “Transparency in Governance” category for IT-led initiatives and transformational reforms leading to outcome-based performance improvement, better transparency, and strengthening of the e-Governance in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across the country.
The SKOCH Challenger Award for best performance in the area of Transparency in Governance was given virtually during the 70th SKOCH Summit (SKOCH Public Policy Forum) on January 16, 2021.
Speaking on this occasion, Secretary, MoPR, Sunil Kumar, expressed his appreciation and thanks to the SKOCH Group for recognising the initiatives and efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for this award. Kumar delivered his address on “Decentralisation and Transparency” and participated in a panel discussion on Inclusive Growth and Public Policy along with Amarjeet Sinha, Advisor to Prime Minister, and N N Sinha, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, as panellists, and Sameer Kochhar, Chairman, SKOCH Group, as moderator, according to a PIB release.
Addressing the virtual event attended by a large number of online audiences / participants from different parts of the country, Secretary, MoPR, said that decentralisation in democratic political aspect rests on the twin pillars of participation and transparency & accountability. Decentralisation of powers to the Panchayats is seen as a means of empowering people and involving them in the democratic process. Over the last 27 years since the 73rd Constitutional amendment gave constitutional status to the Panchayats, the PRIs have come a long way.
Panchayats have significantly contributed to women empowerment as about 45 % of the elected representatives of Panchayats are women. In addition to the constitutional provision of not less the one third reservation for women, 21 States have made provision for 50% reservation for women.
Kumar stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has tested the strength of various institutions at all levels and the Panchayati Raj Institutions have played a stellar role in COVID-19 control and management. They are also playing an important role in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Drive launched by the Prime Minister on January 16, 2021. Further, even during this difficult COVID-19 period, the Panchayats are actively taking up the People’s Plan Campaign launched on October 2, 2020, and so far Gram Sabha meetings of over 2.30 Lakh Gram Panchayats have been held and about 1.62 Lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) approved.
The GPDPs approved during the Gram Sabha are entered into the planning module of eGramSwaraj where the resource envelope is also made available. Ministry had also launched a geospatial planning application called Gram Manchitra in October 2019 as a decision support system for GPDP.
Kumar stated that as on date over 1.7 Lakh Gram Panchayats have been registered on the Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and over 1.45 Lakh Gram Panchayats have commenced digital payments of all funds released under the 15th Finance Commission. Capacity building of elected PRI functionaries is being undertaken on a massive scale under the Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), he added.
The launch and implementation of SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme has been one of the milestone and major steps towards ensuring socio-economic empowerment of the rural masses with overriding objective of making the rural inhabitant self-reliant.