Page 15 - PDI Vol 2

Executive Summary

Regular measurement of developmental transitions has proven results at the global level. It has been extensively used
to illustrate the progress of a country, state or region in transition towards reaching economic, social and
environmental goals. Statistical measurement of developmental indices through various parameters and sub-
parameters clearly defines the growth trajectory of the given country, state or region across sectoral areas particularly

in the case of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The vitality of the Panchayat Development Index (PDI) in
bridging the developmental deficit at the lower-most level of human settlement in rural India – Gram
Panchayats (GPs), for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, is unmatched as of the Central / State
Government programs in rural India are being implemented within the Village Panchayat area.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, in taking forward the SDGs with the Panchayati Raj Institutions
in rural India, has taken leadership role in Localization of SDGs through 9 Themes that resonate with the aspirations of
the people in the villages, which have catalyzed the Gram Panchayats into coming to their own in this country-wide

movement to achieve these global goals at local level.

SDGs are measured at global level using global targets and indicators, measuring progress across countries. The SDG
India Index developed by NITI Aayog, measures SDGs progress across States and ranks them, using select indicators
from the NIF. States are preparing the State Indicator Framework, some moving to next level of District and Block
Indicator Frameworks. With the landmark initiative of MoPR to localize SDGs with Panchayati Raj Institutions, the
measure of progress on the LSDGs at grassroots level of the functional unit of the Gram Panchayat can be seen
through the Panchayat Development Index, that would scale up visibility of development levels in rural India.

This Committee for PDI had been tasked with evolving measures for assessment of progress including the PDI,
suggest mandatory or common indicators for inclusion in assessments of GPs, work out the weightage, preparation of
baseline for computation of PDI, and identification of data sources for LIF/Indicators, mechanism for incremental
changes, suggest extra weightage for innovative works of GPs for incentivisation as well as suggest a mechanism to
compute performance of block, district panchayats for incentivisation including any other matters of importance
related to PDI.

The Committee took up the LIF that had been presented by the Expert Group in the Localisation of SDGs with PRIs.

This was discussed with Ministries, to also identify/suggest indicators of priority to the Ministry, availability of data
source for the Indicators connected to the Ministry/ Department at GP level and GIS systems available connected to
the GP and indicator. The discussions, naturally, showed the excellent focus of Flagship schemes and KPIs and other
output indicators thereunder, but revealed limited availability of indicator / data and monitoring at GP level, and
showed availability of data at service / facility / administrative set up based levels. Some Departments like Department
of School Education, had come with suggestions for the LIF, and also on how the data can be fetched at GP level from

the MIS of the Department, though currently not being collated or seen at GP level. National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) brought in amongst others an excellent perspective of gender in disaster management for inclusion
in the LIF. Ministries like MoRD was a mixed bag with some indicators and data available at GP level, such as under
MGNREGA, and Mission Antyodaya Survey, data available through aggregation under NRLM, and not so easily
under PMGSY. The schemes such as JJM and SBM of the Ministry of Jal Sakthi have excellent correlation down to

hamlet level and individual households. Overall, it showed that few indicators are available at GP level, more can be
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