Road to decentralisation: Rural local bodies need to be strengthened

Overall, devolution to rural local bodies increased from 39.9 per cent in 2013-14 to 43.9 per cent in 2021-22, said the govt report

A recent report released by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Indian Institute of Public Administration offers a comprehensive analysis of India’s decentralisation efforts by creating a state-level devolution index (DI). The index assesses key aspects such as the institutional framework guiding panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), the operations of gram panchayats (GPs), their finances, local capacity building, and accountability. The report does well to present evidence-based rankings of states, showcasing both advancements and areas that need further attention. Overall, devolution to rural local bodies increased from 39.9 per cent in 2013-14 to 43.9 per cent in 2021-22. Across all