Union Minister of State Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel Felicitates Panchayat Leaders Invited as Special Guests for Republic Day 2026

On the eve of the 77th Republic Day, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel in a special felicitation function honoured Elected Panchayat representatives invited as Special Guests to witness the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. Shri Vivek Bharadwaj Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj and other senior officials of the ministry were also present on this occasion. The event also marked the release and launch of key Ministry initiatives and publications, including PANCHAM – Panchayat Assistance and Messaging Chatbot developed in collaboration with UNICEF, PESA Rankings of the States for the year 2024-25, the 17th issue of Gramoday Sankalp magazine, the Compendium of Basic Statistics on Panchayati Raj Institutions–2025 and the Expert Committee Report on Service Delivery at the Panchayat Level.

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel in his address congratulated the Special Invitees on the eve of the 77th Republic Day and noted that, after a period of ten years, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s tableau on the SVAMITVA scheme would be displayed at the grand Republic Day Parade. He highlighted the transformative impact of the SVAMITVA scheme, stating that it has covered about 1.84 lakh villages and enabled the issuance of nearly three crore property cards, significantly reducing land disputes and easing the administrative burden. He said that women pradhans are role models for all in their villages so they should work zealously to nurture leadership especially women leaders at the grassroots. Emphasizing the role of Panchayat leaders in last-mile service delivery, he urged them to ensure that benefits of key welfare schemes of the government like Ayushman Bharat, Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana etc. reach every eligible household.

Shri Vivek Bharadwaj stated that the Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s SVAMITVA tableau that will roll down the Kartavya Path on the occassion of 77th Republic Day, will showcase how use of technology has empowered citizens in rural India. He highlighted that intiatives by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj like the launch of the Pancham chatbot, use of SabhaSaar tool launched by the ministry on 15th August 2025 for automated Gram Sabha minutes, use of AI tools for mapping village drainage in seven villages in Varanasi district etc. underscores the Ministry’s focus on empowering Panchayats through innovation and use of AI technology.

About Pancham Chatbot

Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched PANCHAM – Panchayat Assistance & Messaging Chatbot on 25th January 2026, on the eve of Republic Day, as a flagship digital initiative aimed at empowering Panchayat Elected Representatives and Functionaries. PANCHAM is designed as a digital companion for Panchayats, providing timely and contextual guidance, simplified workflows, and easy access to information to support day-to-day governance and service delivery functions. PANCHAM marks a historic milestone as it enables, for the first time, a direct digital connect between the Government of India and over 30 lakh Elected Representatives and Panchayat Functionaries across the country. By establishing two-way communication channels, PANCHAM will facilitate quicker decision-making, faster resolution of field-level issues, and stronger feedback loops between the grassroots and decision-making centers, thereby strengthening responsive and accountable governance. The launch of PANCHAM is part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to deepen digital governance at the grassroots, where over 95% of Gram Panchayats are already implementing work-based planning and accounting systems. By integrating decision-support with existing digital platforms, PANCHAM aims to reduce procedural complexity, minimize dependency on intermediaries, and enhance institutional confidence at the Panchayat level. [To know more Click Here]

Maharashtra Bags 1st Prize in PESA Rankings; Madhya Pradesh is 2nd & Himachal Pradesh Bags 3rd Position

Among the 10 States with Fifth Schedule Areas where PESA Act applies, Maharashtra bagged the first position in implementation of PESA, closely followed by Madhya Pradesh in second position and Himachal Pradesh in third position. Minister of State for Panchayat Raj Shri SP Singh Baghel congratulated the top performing States and encouraged the other States to follow their foot-steps so that the spirit of PESA Act can be implemented in letter and spirit to strengthen Gram Sabhas and Panchayats in the Fifth Schedule Areas. These rankings aim to encourage PESA States to strengthen Gram Sabha-centric self-governance, promote evidence-based policy interventions and identify areas requiring focused support. The release of the PESA Ranking symbolizes a collective commitment of the Centre and States towards measurable and outcome-oriented implementation of PESA.

The performance of the States in PESA Ranking is as follows:

To Know More About:

PESA rankings, process of development and PESA indicators: Click Here

Compendium on Basic Statistics for PRIs 2025: Click Here