Rural Raj: Viksit panchayats offer us a pathway to Viksit Bharat

livemint.com:

Decades before the term ‘Viksit Bharat’ was coined, Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali held out an Indian vision: “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake." This encapsulates Viksit Bharat. With visible changes in many sectors, India is moving rapidly towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

Though urbanization is making rapid strides, 64.1% of our rural population (as per World Bank) governed by Gram Panchayats still has miles to go. The current Amrit Kaal cusp calls for us to examine the crucial role of Panchayats led by Sarpanches.

As they play a pivotal role in grassroots empowerment and societal progress, it is essential to keep them at the centre of India’s developmental agenda, anchored by the decentralization of authority. Devolution of power: A Reserve Bank of India report highlights that states with a higher devolution index perform better on socio-economic development.

So, for Viksit Bharat, Gram Panchayats (GPs) need to operate independently: They must identify, plan and implement projects with agility, aligning them with local needs established through community consultations. The government has categorized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into neatly defined Local Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) and issued guidelines for theme-based planning.

The GP Development Plan (GPDP) necessitates the formation of a GP Planning Facilitation Team (GPPFT) at each GP as a forum to facilitate the participation of various community stakeholders and departmental representatives and guide the planning and implementation of initiatives. For achieving LSDGs, the devolution of three Fs (funds, functions and