In September 2019, the Central Government of India announced its plans to launch a campaign “Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas” also known as the People’s Plan Campaign. This initiative aims to formulate Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) nationwide and publish them on an accessible platform. This will give people the ability to track the progress of various government schemes.
Understanding the Background
Prior to this initiative, a pilot exercise conducted in 2018 revealed some interesting insights into the functioning of Gram Panchayats (GPs). Data showed that on a scale of 100, the majority of GPs scored between 41% and 50%, highlighting serious shortcomings. Only 0.1% and 0.6% of GPs fell into the superior 91-100 and 81-90 score brackets respectively.
Among the larger states, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh emerged as top performers while GPs in Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh were at the bottom. Furthermore, a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Rural Development on 100 randomly selected GPs demonstrated varied performance levels – some had improved while others had declined over the year.
The Objectives and Significance of Gram Panchayat Development Plans
Gram Panchayats have been instructed to prepare GPDPs with a dual objective of promoting economic development and social justice. The resources allocated for this purpose will be sourced from various Central Ministries and Line Departments. The People’s Plan Campaign intends to facilitate iterative and structured planning at the Gram Sabha level via a collaboration between Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and relevant state departments.
Below is a table summarizing the pilot exercise conducted in 2018:
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| Score Range | Percentage of GPs |
|---|---|
| 91-100 | 0.1% |
| 81-90 | 0.6% |
| 41-50 | 50% |
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Understanding the Process
The GPDPs will factor in 48 indicators that include vital aspects like health, sanitation, and education. Each GP will be scored out of a total of 100 marks — with 30 marks for infrastructure, 30 marks for human development, and 40 marks for economic activity.
Data for these indicators will be gathered from Census 2011 (for physical infrastructure), Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011 (for household-level deprivation data), and a new survey to commence in September 2019 conducted by local facilitators.
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), an autonomous organization under the Union Ministry of Rural Development, has been internationally recognised as one of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Centres of Excellence.
Established in 1958, the institute is located in Hyderabad, Telangana. Besides the main campus at Hyderabad, the Institute has a North-Eastern Regional Centre at Guwahati, Assam set up exclusively to cater to the needs of the northeastern region. The NIRD&PR focusses on enhancing the capacities of rural development functionaries, PRIs’ elected representatives, bankers, NGOs, and other stakeholders through training, research, and consultancy.