Question : Panchayat Ghars-Bhawans

(a) the details of activities/facilities facilitated by the Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans;
(b) whether any norms/guidelines have been framed for construction of Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the existing Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans have been constructed as per the norms laid down for the purpose and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the budgetary allocation, amount sanctioned and utilization of funds for the construction of Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans, during the last three years and the current year, year-wise and State-wise;
(e) whether the assistance for construction of Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans has been curtailed during 2015-16 and if so, the details thereof, the reasons therefor and corrective action taken thereon?

MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRI BIRENDER SINGH)


(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 243 FOR 6TH AUGUST 2015.

a) Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans function as the office of the Gram Panchayats for holding meetings and discharging the responsibilities of the panchayat including issuance of certificates, permits, licenses etc. as mandated by the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts.

b) & (c) Ministry of Panchayati Raj has not prescribed any norms/guidelines for construction of Panchayat Ghars/Bhawans. Gram Panchayats vary widely in size, functions and staff across States. As ‘Panchayats’ is a state subject, States may decide on the norms for construction of Panchayat Ghars taking these factors into account.

d) Funds under Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) have been provided for construction and repair of Panchayat Ghars on the basis of the approved annual RGPSA Plans of the States. The details of the funds sanctioned to States/UTs for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the amount utilized thereof for construction of Panchayat Ghars under the Scheme of RGPSA are given in Annexure-I. For the current year the State component of RGPSA stands transferred to States. RGPSA provides for Rs 12 Lakh for construction of GP building for Panchayats with Population of less than 5000 and Rs 15 lakh in the case of Gram Panchayats with population above 5000.
Besides, under the scheme of Backward Region Grant Funds (BRGF), which was applicable to 272 districts, financial assistance was provided to State for filling up critical gaps which also included construction of Panchayat Bhawans. It is also stated that under the scheme of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, construction of Bharat Nirman Rajeev Gandhi Sewa Kendras was supported in Gram Panchayats. The State wise details of Bharat Nirman Rajeev Gandhi Sewa Kendra at GP level constructed, till date, are given in Annexure-II.

e) The BRGF Scheme and the State component of RGPSA stand transferred to States w.e.f. 2015-16, to be met from their own resources as decided by the States. However Panchayat Bhawan construction of buildings for Gram panchayats was specifically notified as a permissible item of work under MGNREGS with effect from 3rd January, 2014. Construction of 58851 Gram Panchayat Level Sewa Kendras have been sanctioned utilizing funds from MGNREGS of which 18961 have been completed.