News: Union Minister of Panchayati Raj launched the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme and SAMARTH Panchayat Portal to strengthen the financial self-reliance of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme

About

• Initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
• Aims to convert idle local assets and untapped opportunities into bankable, revenue-generating projects.

Objective

• Build sustainable Own Source Revenue (OSR) for Panchayats.
• Reduce dependence on Central and State grants.

Key Highlights

• Duration: 4 years.
• Target: Develop 350 projects (50 in Year 1; 100 each in Years 2–4).

Eligibility:

• Gram Panchayats: Minimum ₹50 lakh annual OSR.
• Block Panchayats: Minimum ₹1 crore annual OSR.
• At least 3 years of tenure remaining (relaxed for Special Category States).
• Provides technical assistance for preparing bankable projects.
• Promotes PPP, CSR, bank credit, and scheme convergence for financing.

SAMARTH Panchayat Portal

• A national digital platform for end-to-end management of Panchayats' Own Source Revenue (OSR).

Objective

• Digitize and standardize revenue collection.
• Improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability in rural taxation.

Key Highlights

• Enables taxpayer registration, demand notices, online payments, receipts, and real-time monitoring.
• Covers property tax, user charges, trade licences, and non-tax fees.
• Operational: Chhattisgarh & Himachal Pradesh.

Achievements:

• 51 lakh+ taxpayers registered.
• ₹95 crore demand notices generated.
• ₹27 crore+ revenue collected.
• Expansion underway in Maharashtra, Mizoram, Assam, Haryana, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh.