Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a proposal on Wednesday to extend the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), a scheme to improve Panchayati raj institutions’ governance capacities, until 2025-2026.
At a meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CCEA authorized the extension of the plan, which was set to expire on March 31, for a total cost of 5,911 crores, of which 3,700 crores would come from the Centre and 2,211 crores from the States.
RGSA scheme would assist over 2.78 lakh rural local bodies
“The authorized RGSA scheme would assist over 2.78 lakh rural local bodies…in developing governance competencies to deliver on SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] through inclusive local governance with an emphasis on optimum utilization of available resources,” according to a government release.
“Poverty-free and enhanced livelihood in villages; healthy village, child-friendly village; water-sufficient village; clean and green village; self-sufficient infrastructure in the village; socially secure village; village with good governance; engendered development in the village” would be the goals of the scheme.
Panchayats must be strengthened.
Panchayats will be reinforced, and a spirit of healthy rivalry will be instilled, according to the administration. The program will not create permanent positions, but “need-based contractual human resources may be allocated for overseeing the scheme’s implementation and providing technical support to States/UTs.”
Anurag Thakur, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, said the government’s focus had been on the development of rural areas, which he said had been ignored after Partition when announcing the decision to prolong the scheme that began in 2018-2019.