Cabinet approves continuation of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan till 2025-26

New Delhi: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved the continuation of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan till 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs 5,911 crore, informed Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur. CCEA, in an official statement, said that of the total financial outlay of the scheme, the Central Share is Rs 3,700 crore and State Share is Rs 2,211 crore. It also said that the revamped centrally sponsored scheme of RGSA has been approved for implementation during the period from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2026 (co-terminus with XV Finance Commission period) to develop governance capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions. The Cabinet said that the approved scheme of RGSA will help more than 2.78 lakh rural local bodies including traditional bodies across the country to develop governance capabilities to deliver on SDGs through inclusive local governance with focus on optimum utilisation of available resources. The key principles of SDGs, that is, leaving no one behind, reaching the farthest first and universal coverage, along with gender equality, will be embedded in the design of all capacity building interventions including trainings, training modules and materials. Cabinet said that priority will be given to subjects of national importance principally under themes, namely, poverty free and enhanced livelihood in villages, healthy village, child friendly village, water sufficient village, clean and green village, self-sufficient infrastructure in village, socially secured village, village with good governance, and engendered development in village. As panchayats have representation of schedule castes, schedule tribes and women, and are institutions closest to the grassroots, strengthening panchayats will promote equity and inclusiveness, along with social justice and economic development of the community. Increased use of e-governance by PRIs will help achieve improved service delivery and transparency. The scheme will strengthen gram sabhas to function as effective institutions with social inclusion of citizens particularly the vulnerable groups. It will establish the institutional structure for capacity building of PRIs at the national, state and district level with adequate human resources and infrastructure. Panchayats will progressively be strengthened through incentivisation on the basis of nationally important criteria to recognise roles of panchayats in attainment of SDGs and to inculcate spirit of healthy competition. No permanent post will be created under the scheme but need based contractual human resources may be provisioned for overseeing the implementation of the scheme and providing technical support to States/UTs for achieving goals under the scheme. Around 60 lakh elected representatives, functionaries and other stakeholders of rural local bodies including traditional bodies across the country will be direct beneficiaries of the scheme, it said. The revamped RGSA will comprise Central and State components. The Central components of the scheme will be fully funded by the Government of India. The funding pattern for State components will be in the ratio of 60:40 among Centre and States respectively, except NE, Hilly States and Union Territory of J&K where Central and State share will be 90:10. However, for other UTs, Central share will be 100 per cent. The scheme will have both Central Component - National Level activities viz. National Plan of Technical Assistance, Mission Mode project on e-Panchayat, Incentivization of Panchayats, Action Research & Media and State component - Capacity Building & Training of Panchayati Raj Institutions, Institutional support for CB&T, Distance learning Facility, Support for construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawan, co-location of Common Service Centres in GP Bhawans and computer for GPs with special focus on NE States, Special Support for strengthening Gram Sabhas in PESA Areas, support for innovation, support for Economic Development & Income Enhancement support for Economic Development & Income Enhancement etc. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.