MoPR Convenes Regional Workshop to Enhance Citizen-Centric Service Delivery Through Panchayats

Workshop brings together Panchayat representatives, officials and stakeholders from seven States to strengthen citizen-centric governance

Srinagar : The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Government of India, today organised the Seva Se Samriddhi: Regional Workshop on Panchayat-led Service Delivery at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, in the presence of Shri Javid Ahmad Dar, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Government of Jammu and Kashmir; Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj; Smt. Palka Sahni, Joint Secretary, MoPR; and Shri Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Jammu and Kashmir.

Organised in collaboration with the Common Services Centre Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC-SPV), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the workshop brought together Panchayat elected representatives, functionaries, Village Level Entrepreneurs, and senior officials from seven States, namely Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, said that Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) have emerged as powerful instruments of grassroots development, citizen-centric governance and inclusive growth. He highlighted the strengthening of PRIs in Jammu & Kashmir through effective devolution of Funds, Functions and Functionaries, participatory planning and greater empowerment of elected representatives.

Emphasising the transformative role of technology in governance, Shri Sinha said Jammu & Kashmir has made remarkable progress in digital service delivery under the administration’s “People First” approach. He noted that online public services have expanded from a few dozen in 2020 to over 1,100 services, while more than 98 per cent of Panchayats are now digitally connected, enhancing transparency, accountability, efficiency and last-mile service delivery.

Shri Sinha said good governance is reflected in the effective delivery of services and responsiveness of institutions to citizens’ aspirations. He highlighted initiatives such as Back to Village and Block Diwas, which have strengthened public participation, improved grievance redressal and ensured that development priorities emerge from the grassroots. He stressed the need for governance systems to continuously evolve and deepen trust between citizens and institutions.

Describing service delivery as the cornerstone of good governance, he appreciated the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and DARPG for introducing a dedicated Gram Panchayat category under the National Awards for e-Governance from 2025. He also lauded the Ministry for securing four National Awards for e-Governance this year for Panchayati Raj initiatives, reflecting the growing role of technology-enabled governance at the grassroots.

Shri Sinha urged States stressed greater participation of citizens, particularly women, in local governance and advocated the establishment of Village Innovation Labs to promote locally driven solutions for community development and improved public service delivery.

Addressing the workshop, Shri Javid Ahmad Dar, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, thanked the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for organising the event in Jammu & Kashmir. He highlighted the role of technology in strengthening Panchayat-led governance and service delivery, reiterated the Government’s commitment to empowering local self-government institutions, and expressed confidence that the workshop would promote the exchange of best practices and advance the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, said that Panchayati Raj Institutions have emerged as digitally empowered centres of grassroots governance, with nearly 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats managing planning, implementation, financial management and audits through the eGramSwaraj platform. He noted that over ₹3 lakh crore has been processed through the integration of eGramSwaraj and PFMS.

Highlighting the Ministry’s AI-powered platform SabhaSaar, he said the application generates Gram Sabha proceedings in 23 Indian languages and has been adopted by around 1.5 lakh Panchayats. He added that Panchayati Raj initiatives secured three Gold and one Silver Award under the National Awards for e-Governance 2026, underscoring the growing role of technology in promoting transparent, accountable and citizen-centric governance.

Smt. Palka Sahni, Joint Secretary, MoPR, underscored the importance of inter-State learning in strengthening Panchayat-led service delivery. She highlighted innovative initiatives such as Jan Sugam, Panchatantra, Himachal Online Seva, Jharsewa, Saral Haryana, Apuni Sarkar and the Gram Sachivalaya model, and appreciated the contributions of CSC-SPV, participating States, Panchayat representatives and Village Level Entrepreneurs in advancing last-mile service delivery and grassroots democracy.

Shri Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Department, Jammu & Kashmir, highlighted efforts to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions and appreciated the Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s support, including the sanction of 500 Panchayat Bhawans. He said the workshop would promote knowledge-sharing and strengthen citizen-centric service delivery at the grassroots.

During the programme, top-performing Gram Panchayats and Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) were felicitated for their outstanding contributions to service delivery and digital governance at the grassroots level. Pandithpora Gram Panchayat, Kupwara District, Jammu and Kashmir, and Hudikeri Gram Panchayat, Kodagu District, Karnataka, were felicitated as top-performing Gram Panchayats in service delivery. Outstanding Village Level Entrepreneurs from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand were also honoured for their sustained contribution to last-mile digital service delivery.