Centre committed to transform panchayats: Bharadwaj

Hyderabad: Union Panchayati Raj secretary Vivek Bharadwaj said on Tuesday that the Centre was committed to transforming every panchayat into a hub of efficient, transparent, and responsive services.

The Panchayati Raj Ministry organised the first regional workshop under the Panchayat Sammelan series on ‘Ease of Living: Enhancing Service Delivery at the Grassroots’ at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (NIRD&PR). Inaugurating the workshop, Bharadwaj noted that the sammelan represents a key milestone in this ongoing process.

He stressed that effective service delivery with “seva bhaav” (spirit of service) was key to strengthening rural self-reliance and voluntary tax compliance. He highlighted the direct correlation between quality service delivery and citizens willingness to pay taxes, enabling panchayats to achieve self-reliance through self-generated revenue.

He said successful service delivery models should be documented and shared to inspire other panchayats. “States with exemplary service delivery frameworks should collaborate with others for model replication,” he stated.

Bharadwaj said the Ministry approved the provision of 22,164 computers to gram panchayats in various States where computers were previously unavailable. This step would significantly enhance access to online services in rural areas. He also mentioned that the Ministry sanctioned the construction of 3,301 gram panchayat bhavans, which would include co-located common service centres (CSCs), further strengthening digital infrastructure at the grassroots level.

NIRD&PR director general Dr G Narendra Kumar said panchayats’ representatives and functionaries were tasked with driving positive change at the grassroots level. “By equipping the panchayat representatives and officials with cutting-edge tools and knowledge, we are setting the stage for a governance revolution that begins from the ground up,” he said.