As the country is observing social distancing through the nationwide lockdown to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister would interact with various participants through video conferencing, the ministry said in a statement.

 

National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24 as it marks a defining moment in the history of decentralisation of power to the grassroots, with the institutionalisation of Panchayati Raj through the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, which came into force on April 24, 1993.

 

The Prime Minister will launch the unified e-Gram Swaraj portal and a mobile app on this occasion, according to the ministry.

 

The portal is a new initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj which will provide the gram panchayats with a single interface to prepare and implement their Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

 

The Prime Minister will also launch the Swamitva Scheme on the occasion. The scheme provides for an integrated property validation solution for rural India; the demarcation of inhabited land in rural areas would be done by the use of latest surveying methods -- Drone technology with the collaborated efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Panchayati Raj Departments, State Revenue Departments and Survey of India.

 

Every year, on this occasion, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been awarding the best performing panchayats/states/UTs across the country under the Incentivisation of Panchayats programme in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public goods.

 

This year, three such awards viz. Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar (NDRGGSP), Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award (CFGPA) and Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) Award have been finalised which will be shared with the concerned states/UTs.