Tripura leads, big states lag: 2.5 lakh panchayats ranked in PAI 2.0 report, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 assessed 2,59,867 rural local bodies based on their performance on nine Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the 2023-24 financial year.
• Tripura led with 80% of its 1,178 Gram Panchayats ranked as ‘Front Runner’, followed by Kerala (10% of 941) and Odisha (9% of 6,794).
• The Gram Panchayats were ranked under five categories based on their score on a scale of 0-100: ‘Achiever’, ‘Front Runner’, ‘Performer’, ‘Aspirant’ and ‘Beginner’.
• Several large states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Punjab lagged in the rankings.
• No panchayat could make it to the ‘Achiever’ category.

Detailed Insights:

• The PAI 2.0 is prepared by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, evaluating panchayats across 150 indicators covering nine SDGs, ranging from poverty reduction and enhanced livelihoods to promoting women-friendly panchayats.
• The index excludes West Bengal and categorizes Gram Panchayats into five performance levels: ‘Achiever’ (90-100), ‘Front Runner’ (75-90), ‘Performer’ (60-75), ‘Aspirant’ (40-60), and ‘Beginner’ (below 40).
• The PAI 2.0 report serves as a performance report card for over 2.5 lakh panchayats, assessing them on parameters like health, water, infrastructure, and sustainability.
• The initiative aims to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions and promote data-driven local governance, aligning with the vision of Viksit Gram Panchayats.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gram Panchayat: A village-level local self-government institution in India.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations.