The Ministry of Panchayati Raj today released National Study Report on Low Participation in Gram Sabha across States and Union Territories in New Delhi. The report was released by NITI Aayog Member Dr. R. Balasubramaniam.
The Study provides an evidence based roadmap for strengthening Gram Sabha as a vibrant institution of participatory democracy, local accountability, and community-led development across rural India.
On the occasion, Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj Vivek Bharadwaj said that in the last decade, problems related to road connectivity, water and electricity supply in rural parts of the country have been resolved.
The findings of the Report demonstrated that low participation in Gram Sabha is multidimensional, influenced by socio-economic, institutional, governance and behavioral factors rather than a single underlying cause. The findings underscore that sustained citizen engagement depends not only on mobilizing people to attend meetings but also on ensuring that Gram Sabha relevant, trusted, responsive, and capable of addressing community priorities.
