Panchayat Advancement Index 2.0 portal launched

New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): The two-day National Writeshop on Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Version 2.0 for FY 2023-24 commenced on Monday at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi in the presence of Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, an official statement said.
Other officials present in the event were Saurabh Garg, Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI); Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Rajib Kumar Sen, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog.
"During the inaugural, the PAI 2.0 Portal was launched. Local Indicator Framework (LIF) Booklet for FY 2023-24 along with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was also released on this occasion," read a statement from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Delivering the inaugural address Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj emphasized upon the transformational potential of the Panchayat Advancement Index in enabling Panchayats to systematically assess and improve their performance across key areas of governance and service delivery.
Referring to the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks, he said, "We must now take that spirit forward in our Panchayats. When we record accurate data, we do not merely count; we contribute to the nation's transformation".
He highlighted that the PAI is not just a data collection tool but a mechanism to institutionalize transparent, accountable and performance-based Panchayat-level governance. He urged the ground functionaries to enter accurate data on the PAI portal 2.0 that will give a comprehensive view for holistic development of India.
"PAI data serves as the bedrock for equitable development, transparency, and participatory governance," he added.
He called upon all Gram Panchayats to display their PAI scorecards prominently at GP Bhawans to promote public participation and local accountability.
Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, in his keynote remarks, commended the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for building a strong evidence-based platform aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He noted that "India's SDG data availability has risen from 55% to nearly 95% in the last five years. PAI 2.0 embodies the spirit of 'Measure what we treasure and treasure what we measure'."
He highlighted how the PAI framework, through improved standardisation, harmonisation and visualisation, advances the national goal of inclusive, outcome-oriented governance. He stated that PAI will become the basis for achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat through "Sabka Prayas" based on the bottom-up participatory approach for development and serve as a benchmark for many other indicators that help in measuring India's progress.
Rajib Kumar Sen, Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog, observed that PAI 2.0 is a powerful bridge connecting local efforts to national and global commitments. He stated that it complements the SDG India Index and enhances India's readiness for future Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at global forums. He appreciated the thoughtful design of PAI 2.0 and its relevance for enabling local institutions to evaluate the real-time impact of various schemes.
Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, stated that the National Writeshop reflects the government's commitment to institutionalizing data-backed and evidence-based planning and monitoring in Panchayats. He emphasized that "PAI 2.0 equips Panchayats with practical tools to assess their own progress, identify gaps, and plan meaningfully. It encourages a culture of healthy competition and continuous improvement."
PAI is a multidimensional assessment framework developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to enable performance tracking of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across nine themes aligned with the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). While PAI Version 1.0 served as the baseline and covered data from 2.16 lakh Gram Panchayats across 29 States/UTs, PAI Version 2.0 represents a major leap forward in functionality, efficiency, and usability. The transition from PAI 1.0 to 2.0 reflects a focused refinement of the framework, with a sharper and more practical set of indicators and data points to improve usability and reliability while retaining thematic comprehensiveness.
The revised framework not only reduces the reporting burden but also improves data quality and reliability. The nine LSDG-aligned themes include: Poverty-free and Enhanced Livelihoods Panchayat, Healthy Panchayat, Child-Friendly Panchayat, Water-Sufficient Panchayat, Clean and Green Panchayat, Panchayat with Self-Sufficient Infrastructure, Socially Just and Socially Secured Panchayat, Panchayat with Good Governance, and Women-Friendly Panchayat.
This Writeshop includes live demonstrations, technical walkthroughs, and hands-on exercises on portal configuration, data flow and validation. Day two will feature presentations from States and UTs on field experiences from PAI 1.0 and how they plan to utilize PAI 2.0 to enhance local planning and governance. It has brought together over 250 participants from 32 States/UTs, senior officials from relevant Ministries/Departments, representatives from Panchayati Raj Departments /Institutions/ SIRD&PRs of States/UTs, and technical and knowledge partners including NITI Aayog, MoSPI, National Informatics Centre (NIC), UNICEF, UNFPA, Transform Rural India (TRI), and the Piramal Foundation. (ANI)