In a major push to strengthen grassroots democracy, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has released a total of Rs 109.57 crore to Odisha under the Revised Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) over the past three years.
The funds are aimed at capacity building, digital empowerment, and effective planning at the Gram Panchayat level.
Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh, shared the details in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 28 July 2026.
The year-wise allocation stands at Rs 27.33 crore in 2023-24, Rs 20 crore in 2024-25, and a significant Rs 62.24 crore in 2025-26. This support has enabled the training of an impressive 7,41,959 elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries across the state — 1,60,774 in 2023-24, 2,79,505 in 2024-25, and 3,01,680 in 2025-26.
In the current financial year alone, Odisha has successfully uploaded 30 District Panchayat Development Plans, 313 Block Panchayat Development Plans, and 6,794 Gram Panchayat Development Plans on the e-GramSwaraj portal, marking a strong step towards transparent and participatory planning.
An external evaluation conducted by the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (Gujarat) has confirmed the scheme’s impact. The structured, multi-level capacity-building programme — combining classroom training, exposure visits, and digital learning — has measurably improved skills in Panchayat management, planning & implementation, digital governance, citizen participation, and financial management. Post-training assessments show clear gains in knowledge and practical application, contributing to more effective local governance and the localisation of Sustainable Development Goals.
With this sustained investment, Odisha’s Panchayati Raj Institutions are better equipped to deliver responsive, accountable, and inclusive development at the village level.
