Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

Context

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved continuation of the revamped Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for implementation during the period from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2026 .

What is RGSA?

• The RGSA, a centrally sponsored scheme, was first approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018 for implementation from 2018-19 to 2021-22.
• It is a unique scheme proposed to develop and strengthen the Panchayati Raj System across India in rural areas.
• The objective of the campaign is to promote social harmony, spread awareness about pro-poor initiatives of the government, and reach out to poor households to enroll them as also to obtain their feedback on various welfare programs.
• The main central components of the scheme included incentivization of panchayats and mission mode projects on e-Panchayat including other activities at central level.

Objectives

• Enhance capabilities of Panchayats for inclusive local governance with focus on optimum utilization of available resources and convergence with other schemes to address issues of national importance.
• Enhance capabilities of Panchayats to raise their own sources of revenue.
• Strengthen Gram Sabhas to function effectively as the basic forum of people’s participation, transparency and accountability within the Panchayat system.
• Promote devolution of powers and responsibilities to Panchayats according to the spirit of the Constitution and PESA Act 1996.
• Develop a network of institutions of excellence to support capacity building and handholding for PRIs.
• Strengthen institutions for capacity enhancement of PRIs at various levels and enable them to achieve adequate quality standards in infrastructure, facilities, human resources and outcome based training.
• Promote e-governance and other technology driven solutions to enable good governance in Panchayats for administrative efficiency and improved service delivery.
• Recognize and incentivize PRIs based on performance.

Coverage

• RGSA is extended to all States and Union Territories (UTs) of the country. 
• It includes institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX areas.
• Part IX provides for a 3 tier Panchayat system, which would be constituted in every state at the village level, intermediate level and district level.
• This provision brought uniformity in the Panchayati Raj structure in India.