Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme and SAMARTH Portal Launched

Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme and SAMARTH Portal Launched

#GS-2 #Indian Polity & Constitution #Local Government #Governance & Social Justice #E-Governance #GS-3 #Economy #Current Events #National #Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme #SAMARTH Portal #Own Sources of Revenue

Key takeaways

  • The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme and SAMARTH Panchayat Portal to boost local self-revenue.
  • The initiative aims to implement 350 projects over 4 years using blended funding models like PPP and CSR.
  • Gram Panchayats with an annual internal revenue of ₹50 lakh and Block Panchayats with ₹1 crore are eligible to participate.
  • The SAMARTH Portal digitizes rural tax operations and has already gathered over ₹27 crore from 51 lakh taxpayers across two test states.

Why in News

  • The Union Minister of Panchayati Raj recently launched the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme alongside the SAMARTH Panchayat Portal.

About The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme

  • The Ministry of Panchayati Raj runs this initiative under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) framework to help local bodies convert unused resources into profitable projects.
  • The central Ministry of Panchayati Raj directly controls and oversees the execution of this strategic initiative.
  • This initiative aims to create strong Own Sources of Revenue (OSR) for panchayats, cutting down their dependence on government grants.

Key Features of Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme

  • The government plans to build 350 projects over 4 years, starting with 50 projects in the 1st year and 100 projects each in the following three years.
  • Gram Panchayats need an annual internal revenue of ₹50 lakh and Block Panchayats need ₹1 crore to qualify, with at least 3 years left in their tenure.
  • The ministry provides direct expert technical support to shape local village ideas into commercially viable proposals that banks can fund.
  • The programme uses diverse funding models like Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), CSR funds, scheme merging, and commercial bank credit.

About the SAMARTH Panchayat Portal

  • The SAMARTH Panchayat Portal is a single nationwide digital system designed to manage all revenue generation processes for Gram Panchayats.
  • This platform digitizes and unifies rural tax collection to improve financial openness, efficiency, and operational accountability.

Key Features of SAMARTH Panchayat Portal

  • The portal handles all revenue steps online, including taxpayer sign-ups, automated demand notices, digital payments, receipts, and live tracking.
  • It digitizes diverse local income sources such as property taxes, service charges, trade licenses, and non-tax fees into a unified platform.
  • The system operates successfully in Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, enrolling over 51 lakh taxpayers and collecting more than ₹27 crore in revenue.
  • The central government is currently expanding the platform to Maharashtra, Mizoram, Assam, Haryana, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.