Context
Recently, the Union Cabinet recently approved the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM-VGSY), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at transforming rural local governance.
Key Features and Financial Outlay
- Scheme Type: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) operating with shared funding between the Union and States.
- Implementation Period: Runs from 2026-27 to 2030-31, aligning perfectly with the 16th Finance Commission cycle.
- Financial Outlay: Total allocation is ₹7,395.55 crore, split into a Central share of ₹4,869.48 crore and a State share of ₹2,526.07 crore.
- Geographical Coverage: Encompasses all States and Union Territories, specifically including traditional rural local bodies in non-Part IX areas where standard Panchayats do not exist.
- Target Demographics: Aims to train around 32 lakh elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries, though no stipend is provided to these beneficiaries.
Implementation and Approval Mechanism
- Annual Action Plans: State Governments and UT Administrations must formulate and submit tailored plans outlining local priorities.
- Nodal Approval Body: A designated Central Empowered Committee holds the sole authority to appraise and approve these Action Plans.
- Administrative Structure: The scheme strictly prohibits the creation of permanent posts but permits the engagement of contractual technical personnel at State, District, and Block levels.
Digital Interventions and Portals
- eGramSwaraj: A comprehensive work-based application integrated with PFMS (payments), GeM (procurement), BHASHINI (multilingual AI), and IMD (weather data).
- PANCHAM: A WhatsApp-based, AI-enabled chatbot operating in 17 Indian languages designed for direct, two-way communication regarding scheme updates.
- AuditOnline: An application for the digital auditing of Panchayati Raj accounts, targeting the completion of 2.55 lakh online audit plans annually.
| Important CTC from this Article: Bhashini Platform |
Q. With respect to the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana, consider the following statements:
I. It is a Central Sector Scheme exclusively funded by the Union Government to strengthen rural governance.
II. The implementation period of the scheme aligns with the tenure of the Sixteenth Finance Commission.
III. It provides a mandatory monthly stipend to all participating Panchayat representatives during their training period.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) I and III only
(d) I, II and III
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
• Statement I is incorrect: PM-VGSY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, meaning its financial outlay is shared between the Central Government (₹4,869.48 crore) and the State Governments (₹2,526.07 crore).
• Statement II is correct: The scheme is scheduled for implementation from 2026-27 to 2030-31, deliberately coinciding with the Sixteenth Finance Commission period to optimize the utilization of rural local body grants.
• Statement III is incorrect: While the scheme comprehensively targets the capacity building of around 32 lakh elected representatives and functionaries, it explicitly does not offer any stipend to these individuals.