Getting the ‘micropicture’ at the panchayat level

The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report 2022-23, officially released in April 2025 by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, provides data-driven insights into over 2.16 lakh Gram Panchayats across India, aligning with the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). It marks a paradigm shift in micro-level planning by making grassroots data accessible, actionable, and outcome-linked.

Data Governance Challenges and Need for Decentralisation

• Inaccessible Format of Government Data: Despite the National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), 2012 and vast data availability (e.g., data.gov.in), much of the data is not in user-friendly formats, limiting utility for citizens, elected representatives, and researchers.
• Lack of Micro-Level Focus in Data Portals: Existing portals primarily cater to departmental heads and top bureaucrats, ignoring functional needs at district, block, and Gram Panchayat (GP) levels, hence failing to deliver a ‘micro picture’.
• Deficient Analytical and Visual Tools: Poor data visualisation and analytics result in policymaking based on bureaucratic intuition rather than evidence, undermining localized planning and informed interventions.

Significance and Features of Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)

• Composite Framework with 566 Data Points: PAI uses 435 unique local indicators (331 mandatory + 104 optional) across nine LSDG themes, mapped to the National Indicator Framework (MoSPI), to assess GP-level development comprehensively.
• Extent of Validation and Participation: The report analysed data from 2.16 lakh GPs, excluding around 11,000 due to non-validation; Uttar Pradesh notably submitted data for only 40% (23,207 of 57,702 GPs), raising concerns about coverage and accountability.
• User-Friendly and Actionable Interface: The PAI portal enables constituency-wise reporting and supports interventions by MPs, MLAs, and line department officials. It clearly identifies gaps in domains like health and education for immediate follow-up by multiple stakeholders.

Transformative Potential and Way Forward

• Tool for Targeted SDG Interventions: The PAI links data to measurable outcomes (e.g., “Healthy Panchayat” indicators), encouraging accountability, stakeholder convergence, and precise interventions to plug development gaps.
• Role of Academic and Civic Institutions: Involvement of over 4,000 Unnat Bharat Abhiyan institutions is proposed for grassroots capacity-building, using PAI scores to educate communities and enable corrective action.
• Need for Institutional Support & Replication: Deployment of trained data analysts at block and district levels is crucial for periodic reporting. A similar index for urban local bodies is also needed to extend the evidence-based approach.

Practice Question:

Q. Discuss how the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) can redefine local governance in India. Examine its role in evidence-based planning, stakeholder convergence, and sustainable development. What institutional and structural support is essential for its effective implementation?