Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan

Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan was introduced by the Union Finance Minister on 29 February 2016 in the Union Budget for 2016-17. 

• The scheme is aimed at energizing rural India and transforming lives of rural population.

Key Features of the scheme :

• The scheme seeks to develop governance capabilities of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.

• Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan has been proposed with allocation of Rs. 655 crore.

• The scheme will help Panchayat Raj Institutions deliver Sustainable Development Goals.

• It will cover 52,000 village panchayats.

The Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan will strengthen the Panchayati Raj system across the country and address critical gaps that constrain its success. 

RGSA seeks to:

• Enhance capacities and effectiveness of Panchayats and the Gram Sabhas;
• Enable democratic decision-making and accountability in Panchayats and promote people's participation;
• Strengthen the institutional structure for knowledge creation and capacity building of Panchayats;
• Promote devolution of powers and responsibilities to Panchayats according to the spirit of the Constitution and PESA Act;
• Strengthen Gram Sabhas to function effectively as the basic forum of peoples participation, transparency and accountability within the Panchayat system;
• Create and strengthen democratic local self-government in areas where Panchayats do not exist;
• Strengthen the constitutionally mandated framework on which Panchayats are founded.