E-Governance of Panchayats

e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project(MMP) being part of National e- Governance Plan(NeGP) is being regularly monitored by NeGP Apex Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary, Government of India. Review Meetings of e-Panchayat MMP, chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj are also held at regular intervals with the States and Union Territories to review and monitor the progress of the project and provide impetus for enhanced adoption of the eleven core common software applications, collectively known as Panchayat Enterprise Suite(PES), developed under the project. Consultation Workshops are also held with all the stake-holders from time to time. Four of these applications namely, PRIASoft, PlanPlus, National Panchayat Portal and Local Governance Directory have been adopted by States and can be accessed at http://accountingonline.gov.in, http://planningonline.gov.in, http://panchayat.gov.in and http://panchayatdirectory.gov.in respectively. Six more Applications were launched on 24th April 2012 on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day and are in the process of adoption by the States. A Training Plan for six months has been shared with all States/UTs to train officials on PES Application during this year.

PRIASoft (web based Panchayat accounting software) and PlanPlus (web based participatory Planning software) are the two important Applications under e-Panchayat MMP that foster transparency and accountability in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). PRIASoft has been adopted by sixteen States and one Union Territory upto 2011-12. States like Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal and Karnataka having their own accounting software, have also been advised to map their respective software Applications with PRIASoft. PlanPlus has been adopted by twenty-three States upto 2011-12.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been regularly pursuing with the State Governments for increased adoption of the PES Applications developed under the project which would enhance transparency, accountability and credibility of the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

The PES applications have the in-built capacity to share information. While the Project does not provide funds for hardware including computers, States have been advised to utilize available funds from other sources including 13th Central Finance Commission grants, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employement Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) etc. for procuring ICT Infrastructure including computers at Panchayats.

To recognize and encourage States to adopt the PES applications, Ministry has instituted an annual e-Panchayat award for the best performing States, which is given on the National Panchayati Raj Day every year . During the year 2011-12, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj also disbursed Rs. 38.5 crores to States for setting up Programme Management Units (PMUs) at State and District levels for providing technical and hand holding support to ensure effective and timely roll out of the e-Panchayat MMP. Over 29000 officials have been trained in all applications, so far. Trainings are also being conducted to impart basic ICT literacy to PRI representatives. So far, about 8600 functionaries and elected Members have been imparted training in ICT literacy.

This information was given by the Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo in a reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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PKM/DB