Governance reforms must begin at the grassroots to bring about long-lasting and meaningful change, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Wednesday, as he launched the ‘Viksit Panchayat Karmayogi’ initiative.

Launched on the Good Governance Day, celebrated to mark the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the initiative, which is part of the broader ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur’ campaign, aims to enhance the capacity and competence of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by equipping elected representatives and officials with the tools and knowledge required for effective governance and participatory planning.

Dr Singh emphasised that governance reforms must begin at the grassroots to bring about long-lasting and meaningful change as well as to fill up the capacity gaps.

Piloted in Odisha, Assam, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, “the initiative leverages e-learning platforms, AI-powered chatbots, and mobile apps to bridge knowledge gaps and enhance service delivery,” said the minister.

The programme aligns with the government’s broader mission to decentralise governance and foster participatory decision-making at the grassroots level.

“The initiative is expected to create scalable models of citizen-centric governance, enabling PRIs to drive equitable and sustainable development across rural India,” said the minister.

Dr Singh also launched a series of other transformative initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and citizen-centric governance.

These initiatives, rooted in leveraging technology and fostering collaboration, underscore the government’s commitment to inclusive and accountable administration.

One of the initiatives is a new dashboard on the ‘iGOT Karmayogi’ platform, along with the milestone introduction of the 1600th e-learning course.

The enhanced dashboard is designed to empower ministries, departments, and state administrators with advanced tools to monitor user registrations, course completions, and overall progress in capacity-building efforts.

With customisable views and robust data filtration capabilities, the dashboard provides detailed insights to improve decision-making and optimise training initiatives.

Other initiatives included the ‘Single Simplified Pension Application Form’ and the ‘Compendium of Pension Related Instructions, 2024’ — a comprehensive document consolidating all updated rules, procedures, and guidelines related to pensions.