Agartala, May 3, 2025: Panchayati Raj institutions have become a crucial driver of India’s grassroots development, and Tripura has emerged as a shining example of effective local governance, said Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha while inaugurating the state-level celebration of Panchayati Raj Diwas at the Gram Swaraj Bhawan, State Panchayat Resource Centre in Arundhutinagar. Highlighting the state’s achievements, the Chief Minister noted that Tripura received seven national-level Panchayati Raj awards, including the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 for Gomati district and Ganganagar Block in Dhalai district. These accolades, he said, reflect the integrity, transparency, and commitment with which Panchayats in the state are functioning.
He emphasized that since 2014, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, there has been significant focus on rural development, and Tripura has followed suit. “Without the upliftment of villages, holistic development of the country is impossible,” he asserted. In the past two years, the state has constructed 44 new Panchayat Bhawans, four District Panchayat Resource Centres, and eight Panchayat Learning Centres.
Tripura is working towards upgrading 25 institutions, including 15 Panchayats, to ISO standards. Every Panchayat now features e-office systems and UPI-enabled digital transactions, promoting transparency and accountability. CM Saha proudly shared that Tripura now ranks 7th in the country in the Panchayat Devolution Index, a remarkable leap from 13th in 2015. In the Panchayat Development Index, 3.6% of the state’s Panchayats have secured A-category status. Skill development training is being provided to elected representatives and staff to further improve governance and local planning.
The Chief Minister also announced budgetary provisions for strengthening 3,500 self-help groups (SHGs) with revolving funds and providing Community Investment Funds to 4,500 SHGs. A new District Panchayat Resource Centre will be set up in West Tripura under RGSA at a cost of ₹2 crore. Plans are also underway to establish one Panchayat Learning Centre in each of 27 identified Panchayats and construct 61 new Panchayat buildings.
During the event, awards were distributed to the best-performing Panchayats and officials. Rajnagar Block secured first place, followed by Hezamara and Amarpur. Among the top three Panchayats, Purba Tamakari VC (Hezamara) ranked first, Mare Haduk VC (Padmabil) second, and Paschim Dalak GP (Amarpur) third. Zirania Block’s Paschim Majlishpur GP received recognition in the e-Governance category. Panchayats excelling in climate and self-reliance categories were also honored. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Panchayat Department and the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong for training and capacity building. IIM Shillong Director Prof. Nalini Prabha Tripathi and Panchayat Secretary Abhishek Singh signed the agreement.
The event concluded with the release of several publications, including the department’s annual report and the monthly booklet Grameen Srijan. In a progressive move, all Panchayats in Tripura were officially declared Divyangjan-friendly (inclusive of persons with disabilities).
