The UP government would create panchayat report cards

In order to apply the panchayat development index (PDI) and accomplish the localized sustainable development goals (LSDGs) via panchayats, the Uttar Pradesh government has started the process of doing so.

PDI increases the visibility of grassroots development and serves as a report card for panchayat success.

A GO was reportedly issued in this respect by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra in response to recent directives from the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj setting up several committees to monitor and execute the PDI.

A senior Panchayati Raj Department official said, “The chief secretary issued a GO with regard to the PDI framework here on September 20, constituting committees with immediate effect.”

India has ratified the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda for the year 2030.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary, Union Secretary for Panchayati Raj Sunil Kumar wrote, “Panchayats being pivotal in achieving the SDGs, Ministry of Panchayati Raj has initiated a thematic approach by aggregating 17 SDGs into nine broad themes to localise the SDGs at grass-roots level through panchayats.”

According to him, the National Indicator Framework (NIF) was used to monitor the progress of the SDGs across states in the SDGs India Index created by the NITI Ayog, but until recently there was no system in place for tracking the development of localized SDGs generated by panchayats.

“The baseline report of the PDI 2023-24 will be based on the data as of March 31, 2023,” Kumar said in the letter.

A state-level Panchayat Development Index committee working under the Chief Secretary has been established in accordance with the Chief Secretary’s GO in order to execute and oversee the PDI, which will be created annually based on the state development index.

The committee’s vice-chairman has been designated as the commissioner for agricultural output.