Panchayati raj institutions shine at national e‑governance awards

Jaipur: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj and grassroots institutions emerged among the top performers at the national awards for e‑Governance (NAeG) 2026, securing four national awards for their digital governance initiatives.

The awards were presented during the 29th National Conference on e‑Governance in Jaipur, by Union minister Jitendra Singh.Vivek Bharadwaj, secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, who received the awards, said the awards reflect sustained digital reforms across rural India, enabling Panchayats to become more transparent, accountable and responsive.He described the Panchayat Advancement Index as India’s first comprehensive data‑driven framework covering nearly 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats, aligned with nine Localised SDGs.By leveraging platforms such as eGramSwaraj, AuditOnline, Gram Manchitra and PAI, the ministry continues to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions, strengthening service delivery and accelerating the vision of a digitally empowered rural India, he added.