24 April 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis

April 24th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. e-GramSwaraj Portal and Mobile App
2. National Panchayati Raj Day
3. Swamitva Scheme
4. ‘Kisan Rath’ mobile app turns big hit within a week of its launch

1. e-GramSwaraj Portal and Mobile App

• The Unified Portal is a new initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. 
• It will provide the Gram Panchayats with a single interface to prepare and implement their Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

Significance

• The portal will ensure real time monitoring and accountability. 
• The portal is a major step towards digitization down to the Gram Panchayat level.

2. National Panchayati Raj Day

Background

• 24th of April  is observed as Panchayati Raj Day because, on this day in 1993, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment was implemented, setting up the three-tier panchayat system — village panchayats, panchayat unions and district panchayats — for grass root-level governance.

Details

• Accordingly, the Government of India decided in consultation with the States to celebrate 24th April as National Panchayati Raj Day. 
• The commemoration is being anchored by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. 
• The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010. Since then, the National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24th, every year, in India.
• Every year on National Panchayati Raj Day, Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj organises National Conference and awards best performing Gram Panchayats with ‘The Panchayat Shashakatikaran Puraskar/Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar’.

Quotes by Mahatma Gandhi

• “When the panchayat raj is established, public opinion will do what violence can never do.” 
• ​”The voice of the people may be said to be God’s voice, the voice of the Panchayat.”

Key Statements

• Manmohan Singh in 2010 urged panchayats to play a big role in helping the Centre tackle the rebels by working more effectively and ensuring administrative transparency.
  • He mentioned that if Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) functioned properly and locals participated in the development process, the Maoist threat could be countered.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 called for an end to the practice of “husbands of women sarpanches” or “sarpanch pati” exercising undue influence on the work of their wives elected to power.

Context

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with Sarpanchs of Gram Panchayats throughout the country through Video Conferencing, on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day 2020.

3. Swamitva Scheme

• The scheme provides for an integrated property validation solution for rural India. 
• Through this scheme, the surveying and demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas will be done by the use of latest surveying methods such as drone technology, with the collaborated efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Panchayati Raj Departments, State Revenue Departments and Survey of India.

Significance

• The scheme will ensure streamlined planning, revenue collection and provide clarity over property rights in rural areas. 
• This will open up avenues for applying for loans from financial institutions by the owners. 
• Disputes related to the property would also be settled through the title deeds allotted through this scheme.

4. ‘Kisan Rath’ mobile app turns big hit within a week of its launch

This topic has been covered in 17th April 2020: PIB Summary & Analysis.

April 24th, 2020 PIB:- Download PDF Here

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