CAPACITY BUILDING OF ELECTED PANCHAYAT REPRESENTATIVES
CAPACITY BUILDING OF ELECTED PANCHAYAT REPRESENTATIVES
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, under its capacity building initiatives, under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), facilitates training programmes for elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). The number of elected Panchayati Raj Institution representatives trained under capacity building programmes during the last three years, year-wise and State/UT-wise, is placed at Annexure-I.
Panchayats, being “Local Government”, are a State subject and form part of the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) with the primary objective of strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through capacity building and training of Elected Representatives (ERs) and PRI functionaries, and by providing selective infrastructural support such as Gram Panchayat Bhawans and computers and peripherals.
Revamped RGSA is demand-driven in nature. Funds are released to States/UTs based on the Annual Action Plans approved by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the pace of expenditure. Release of funds is also subject to the submission of requisite documents such as Utilization Certificates and Auditor’s Reports. The funds are to be utilized only for the approved components as prioritized by the States/UTs. The State/UT-wise and year-wise details of funds allocated, released, and utilized under RGSA are placed at Annexure II.
To assess effectiveness and identify measures to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions, an external evaluation of the Revamped RGSA was undertaken by the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA). The evaluation indicates that the scheme’s structured, multi-layered capacity-building approach, combining classroom/thematic modules, exposure visits, and digital learning, has enhanced PRI capacities in Panchayat operations, planning, and implementation (including GPDP), digital governance, citizen engagement, and financial management. Post-training assessments record measurable gains in knowledge and practices, supporting effective local governance and the localization of SDGs.
In addition, NITI Aayog has commissioned an independent assessment study of RGSA to provide complementary evidence on outcomes. The study has observed that RGSA has made a significant contribution to strengthening governance capacity at the grassroots level. The scheme has also substantially advanced several cross-cutting themes, including accountability, transparency, gender mainstreaming, effective use of digital infrastructure, and convergence
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) to strengthen the capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and their elected representatives. Under RGSA, orientation training is imparted to newly elected Panchayat representatives within six months of their onboarding and refresher training within two years thereafter.
The scheme acknowledges challenges such as literacy barriers and limited reach in remote areas. To address these challenges, training modules are designed keeping in view varying literacy levels and local contexts, and Master Trainers are trained accordingly to deliver the training based on the capacity of trainees. Further, as part of measures to institutionalize a structured and continuous training framework with special focus on Women Elected Representatives (WERs), simplified and gamified training modules in vernacular languages, including specialized modules for WERs, have been developed. Under the specialized WER module, 1,05,966 Women Elected Representatives (WERs)have been trained as on 28.02.2026, andaround 7 lakh WERs have been trained under the Revamped RGSA scheme during FY 2025-26.
Further, training under RGSA is delivered through a cascading model at the State, district, and block levels to ensure wider outreach, including in remote and geographically dispersed areas.
Annexure-I
State-wise and year-wise details of trained Elected Panchayati Raj Institution representatives of the last three years and the current year
S. No.
States
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26 (till 28 Feb 2026)
ER Trained
ER Trained
ER Trained
ER Trained
1
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
692
21
723
619
2
Andhra Pradesh
2,201
30,195
65,299
30,342
3
Arunachal Pradesh
2,184
1,198
2,054
3,173
4
Assam
51,893
14,499
3,699
63,198
5
Bihar
3,65,222
73,877
2,62,466
57,120
6
Center
1,912
177
329
729
7
Chhattisgarh
1,12,193
83,641
26,851
1,29,676
8
Goa
1,293
2,078
2,645
529
9
Gujarat
175
7
16,343
4,796
10
Haryana
4,027
7,493
206
77,973
11
Himachal Pradesh
1,440
30,624
34,283
2,287
12
Jammu & Kashmir
2,78,764
1,77,182
23
–
13
Jharkhand
3,050
39,503
34,763
48,716
14
Karnataka
1,08,496
63,918
54,610
36,234
15
Kerala
54,372
20,968
17,684
18,768
16
Ladakh
–
–
–
72
17
Madhya Pradesh
56,010
26,763
69,565
1,22,670
18
Maharashtra
3,51,495
3,24,812
1,20,278
54,773
19
Manipur
27
884
42
715
20
Meghalaya
7,032
47,526
42,077
33,470
21
Mizoram
1,956
8,712
8,673
11,717
22
Nagaland
646
2,508
3,920
2
23
Odisha
75,270
51,386
96,445
23,629
24
Punjab
24,596
6,785
42,981
61,018
25
Rajasthan
373
54,574
11,604
10,941
26
Sikkim
2,529
2,758
2,690
1,188
27
Tamil Nadu
74,179
95,898
48,058
14,931
28
Telangana
1,246
41
30
34,716
29
Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu
374
608
419
2,228
30
Tripura
3,794
47,405
36,404
35,016
31
Uttar Pradesh
40,264
62,561
36,922
1,26,222
32
Uttarakhand
2,34,294
68,133
13,157
57,712
33
West Bengal
86,353
1,86,680
1,29,043
1,15,026
TOTAL
19,48,352
15,33,415
11,84,286
11,80,206
Annexure II
The State/UT-wise details of funds allocated, released, and utilised under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) during FY 2025-26
(Rupees in crore)
S. No.
States/ UTs
2025-26 (as on 28.02.2026)
Funds Allocated
Funds Released
Fund utilized
1
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
1
1
1.81
2
Andhra Pradesh
30
30
35.02
3
Arunachal Pradesh
52
52
54.04
4
Assam
55.71
55.71
57.22
5
Bihar
35
35
35.69
6
Chhattisgarh
30
30
29.7
7
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
1.25
1.25
1.71
8
Goa
1
1
1.29
9
Gujarat
7.5
7.5
10.62
10
Haryana
17.5
17.5
29.17
11
Himachal Pradesh
14
14
18.77
12
Jammu & Kashmir
50
50
64.34
13
Jharkhand
15
15
21.62
14
Karnataka
20
20
22.81
15
Kerala
18
18
20.63
16
Ladakh
0.5
0.5
0.21
17
Lakshadweep
0
0
0
18
Madhya Pradesh
42
42
64.09
19
Maharashtra
53
53
80.52
20
Manipur
3.55
3.55
8.95
21
Meghalaya
7.5
7.5
4.64
22
Mizoram
15
15
17.68
23
Nagaland
10
10
11.21
24
Odisha
55
55
80.26
25
Puducherry
0
0
0
26
Punjab
30
30
34.02
27
Rajasthan
10
10
22.96
28
Sikkim
3
3
4.28
29
Tamil Nadu
20
20
51.67
30
Telangana
3
3
24.83
31
Tripura
30
30
27.16
32
Uttar Pradesh
20.24
20.24
53.35
33
Uttarakhand
40
40
26.77
34
West Bengal
40
40
71.09
Sub-Total
730.75
730.75
Other Implementing Agency
20.78
20.78
20.58
Total
751.53
751.53
1008.71
Funds released represent the Central Share only. For FY 2025–26, the releases comprise funds both through SNA module till 30thJune 2025 and SNA-SPARSH since 1stJuly 2025.
This information was given by Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on 18th March 2026.