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Wednesday, April 8, 2026
TopicGram Panchayats

Topic: Gram Panchayats

Karnataka empowered panchayats the most, UP & Tripura made biggest strides in decade—govt report

Devolution index released by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj assessed states & UTs on 6 parameters according to 1992 constitutional amendment for planned development of villages.

Centre to use GIS-based tech to identify projects under MGNREGS & streamline them

Yuktdhara, a Geographic Information System-based portal developed by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre, will recommend works that can be executed in a Gram Panchayat under MGNREGS.

CEC Approves Standardized Honorariums for Panchayat Trainers

The initiative enables PRI officials to undergo long-term domestic training programs at the Institutes of Excellence for up to one year.

After MPs’ muted response to Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, Centre sanctions survey before phase 2

Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, one of PM’s pet projects, was launched in 2014. Only 54% of nearly 6,300 gram panchayats have been adopted by MPs. Slow pace a cause for concern, say officials.

India needs a new decentralisation—let politicians manage people, experts handle policies

In civil servant-run Gram Panchayats, spending is 62 per cent more strongly correlated with men's preferences than women's. These representation gaps widen when politicians allocate spending.

Panchayat-level weather forecast, rooftop solarisation — Centre’s new rural projects in the pipeline

Panchayati raj ministry and IMD, in collaboration with NGO Kisan Sanchar, are planning to expand the scope of daily weather forecasts from block to gram panchayat level, it is learnt.

World Bank paper bats for more authority to Gram Panchayats. ‘Rely almost entirely on grants.’

Policy research paper released last week makes key recommendations for improving functioning of village councils & ensuring proper implementation of 73rd Constitutional Amendment.

States & UTs closed just 3.7% of 9+ lakh MGNREGS-related issues raised by social auditors in 2023-24

Rural ministry data shows auditors surveyed 73.04% of 2.69 lakh gram panchayats, flagging issues like funds misappropriation, violations in scheme implementation & workers' grievances.

Governance grinds to halt in Maharashtra’s villages as gram panchayat functionaries go on strike

President of Maharashtra Rajya Gram Panchayat Kamgar Sena says will go on indefinite strike if the state govt does not respond to demands by Wednesday.

Modi govt’s model village scheme has fared poorly. MPs adopted only half of targeted panchayats

Launched in 2014, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana is nearing its 2024 deadline, but lack of dedicated funds & interest from MPs means even in adopted villages, work completed is under 75%.

On Camera

BJP is blocking UDF from a landslide. How did Hindutva gain ground in Kerala?

It is curious to note that a section of the Hindu vote has seamlessly transferred between the BJP in the 2019 & 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the Left in the 2020 & 2025 local body polls.

Stocks fall, oil prices climb as Trump issues fresh threat to Iran ahead of his deadline

Fears that an escalation of the conflict could heighten a fuel squeeze & endanger the economy unnerved traders, with NYT reporting Iran stopped negotiating a truce with the US.

UAE walks away from financing Rafale F5 due to restricted access to technology, reports French media

French newspaper La Tribune earlier last week indicated that UAE withdrew from deal to fund EUR 3.5 billion. India is looking to order 114 new Rafales, which could include the F5.

China insulated itself against energy shocks. India is ‘all talk, no walk’

China patiently invested capital, skill and technology in coal gasification. Unlike it, we won’t move from words to action. As crude prices decline, we lose interest.