Objective & Significance
- Launched by Ministry of Panchayati Raj to localize SDGs and empower grassroots governance.
- Measures progress of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) across India.
- Enables evidence-based planning and promotes bottom-up, participatory development.
- Aligns Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with local rural realities.
Collaborative Effort
- Developed with support from Union Ministries, State Governments, and UN Agencies.
- Data validation and support by 29 States/UTs.
- 11,712 Panchayats’ data excluded due to pending validation (from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Goa, Puducherry, and West Bengal).
Nine Themes of Localized SDGs (LSDGs)
- 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
- Women-Friendly Panchayat
PAI Structure
- Composite Index based on 435 indicators (331 mandatory + 104 optional).
- 566 unique data points aligned with National Indicator Framework (NIF) of MoSPI.
- Five Performance Categories:
- Achiever: 90+
- Front Runner: 75–89.9
- Performer: 60–74.9
- Aspirant: 40–59.9
- Beginner: Below 40
FY 2022-23 Baseline Findings
- Total Gram Panchayats: 2,55,699
- Validated data submitted by: 2,16,285 GPs
- Distribution:
- Front Runners: 699 (0.3%)
- Performers: 77,298 (35.8%)
- Aspirants: 1,32,392 (61.2%)
- Beginners: 5,896 (2.7%)
- Achievers: None
Top States
- Front Runners:
- Gujarat: 346 GPs
- Telangana: 270 GPs
- Performers (High Numbers):
- Gujarat: 13,781
- Maharashtra: 12,242
- Telangana: 10,099
- Madhya Pradesh: 7,912
- Uttar Pradesh: 6,593
- More Aspirants: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh
- No inter-state comparisons made yet.
PAI Portal
- Website: www.pai.gov.in
- Multilingual data management system.
- Allows Panchayats to track progress, enter data, and monitor development metrics.
- Validation of data is done by respective State/UT authorities.
Purpose & Impact
- Identifies development gaps across thematic areas.
- Helps Panchayats in target setting, resource allocation, and priority planning.
- Promotes healthy competition among Panchayats.
- Aids policymakers (MPs, State Govts) in monitoring ground-level progress.
- Facilitates the creation of Panchayat Development Plans (PDPs) aligned with SDGs.
The PAI is a landmark in rural governance. Reinforces transparency, accountability, and grassroots empowerment. A crucial step in India’s journey towards achieving SDG 2030 Agenda.
