A two-day workshop was held in Assam to create a roadmap for strengthening Own Source Revenue and making Gaon Panchayats financially self-reliant, aligning with the “Viksit Panchayat to Viksit Bharat@2047” vision.
The Golap Borbora State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development (GBSIPRD), Assam, under the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, organised a two-day state-level workshop on Thursday and Friday to deliberate on a roadmap for strengthening Own Source Revenue and promoting financially self-reliant and economically sustainable Gaon Panchayats in the State.
The initiative aligns with the national vision of “Viksit Panchayat to Viksit Bharat@2047” and aims to develop a comprehensive framework to enhance the financial capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions, strengthen local resource mobilisation, and enable Panchayats to respond more effectively to the development needs of rural communities. Arup Sarma, ACS, Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development Department of Assam, attended the inaugural session and participated in the interactive deliberations. The valedictory session on Friday was attended by Atul Bora, Assam Minister, Panchayat and Rural Development; B K Chakravarty, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development Department; and Oinam Sarankumar Singh, IAS, Commissioner, P&RD Commissionerate, Assam, along with other senior government officers from the Assam Secretariat and the P&RD Commissionerate.
Minister Stresses Financial Empowerment of Panchayats
Addressing the workshop, Atul Bora emphasised the need to strengthen the Own Source Revenue base of Panchayati Raj Institutions to make Panchayats more financially sustainable, accountable and responsive to the needs of rural communities.
The Minister stressed that financially empowered Panchayats are essential for strengthening grassroots governance and enabling local institutions to take greater ownership of development priorities. He highlighted the importance of moving beyond the conventional understanding of Panchayats primarily as implementing agencies for government schemes towards recognising them as capable institutions that can mobilise local resources, manage community assets and contribute meaningfully to local economic development. Strengthening Own Source Revenue, he emphasised, is an important step towards building self-reliant Panchayats that can plan and undertake development initiatives in accordance with locally identified needs and priorities.
Accountability and Transparency Emphasised
The participation of multiple departments and PRI representatives provided an opportunity to examine revenue-generation possibilities from different administrative and local-development perspectives, while emphasising the importance of accountability, transparency and community-oriented governance.
Call for a Comprehensive and Transparent Framework
In his concluding remarks, B K Chakravarty appreciated GBSIPRD’s initiative to develop a comprehensive framework for enhancing Panchayat Own Source Revenue. He observed that a Viksit Panchayat must possess the institutional capacity not only to implement government schemes and utilise grants effectively but also to plan, mobilise resources, generate revenue, manage assets, deliver services and remain accountable to the Gram Sabha and citizens.
He urged the GBSIPRD team to develop a transparent and accountable framework for revenue generation and collection in Gaon Panchayats. He also called upon representatives of Zilla Parishads, Anchalik Panchayats and Gaon Panchayats participating in the workshop to contribute their practical experience, offer feedback and identify innovative opportunities for revenue generation, keeping in view the emerging needs and changing dynamics of rural Assam. (ANI)
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