AHMEDABAD: In a startling revelation, the Centre disclosed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that 806 Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs) in Gujarat still lack their own buildings, while 110 operate without computers. The government admitted that not a single rupee has been released under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan in the past five years for Gujarat, leaving these local bodies stranded without essential resources.Raising alarm over the state of local governance, MP Sunetra Ajit Pawar on Wednesday pressed the Panchayati Raj Minister in Rajya Sabha on the glaring infrastructure gaps crippling Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) nationwide. She demanded clarity on whether panchayats across the country face a severe infrastructure crunch and, if so, whether PRIs are struggling due to inadequate facilities.The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, responding with nationwide statistics, revealed a grim picture—Gujarat has 14,674 GPs and TLBs, yet 806 lack their own buildings, and 110 function without computers.While the government touted the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)—implemented from 2018-19 to 2021-22 and revamped from 2022-23—to support states with Panchayat Bhawan construction and computer provisions, the reality tells a different story. In a shocking admission, the Centre disclosed in Rajya Sabha that Gujarat has not received a single rupee under RGSA in the last five years, exposing a massive gap between policy and execution.Despite India’s rapid digital transformation, grassroots governance remains crippled by infrastructure gaps. Unofficial data suggests that over 35,000 GPs still function without an office, while a staggering 40,000 lack even a single computer. Out of 2,68,938 GPs and TLBs nationwide, only 2,29,958 have Panchayat Bhawans, exposing a massive shortfall in basic facilities critical for local administration.In a major push to bridge the infrastructure gap, in year 2024 the Central Government has sanctioned funds for constructing GP Bhawans at 4,604 locations, reliable sources confirm. Once completed, this will ensure that every GP with a population exceeding 3,000 finally has its own office, marking a crucial step toward strengthening grassroots governance.
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