National Writeshop in Delhi Launches Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0

In a significant step toward promoting data-driven rural development, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 during a two-day National Writeshop held on 26–27 May 2025 at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. The initiative aims to empower Gram Panchayats with tools for better planning, monitoring, and governance aligned with Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs).

Why in News?

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is organizing a Two-Day National Writeshop to officially roll out the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 for FY 2023–24. This enhanced index marks a crucial transition from the baseline PAI 1.0, streamlining indicators and improving data quality to support decentralized, transparent, and effective governance.

Background

• PAI 1.0 (FY 2022–23) served as the baseline tool to measure the performance of Gram Panchayats across nine key themes.
• Based on feedback and implementation experience, PAI 2.0 has now been launched with significant refinements.

Key Enhancements in PAI 2.0

• Indicators reduced from 516 (PAI 1.0) to 147, emphasizing quality and reducing the data burden.
• Auto-integration of data from national portals of Union Ministries and Departments.
• A user-friendly and mobile-compatible portal interface with improved dashboards.
• Built-in validation tools and anomaly detection mechanisms to ensure accuracy.
• A Decision Support System (DSS) to help Panchayats detect development gaps and plan interventions.

Themes Covered (Aligned with LSDGs)

• Poverty alleviation
• Health
• Education
• Water sufficiency
• Clean environment
• Infrastructure
• Governance
• Social justice
• Women’s empowerment

About the National Writeshop (26–27 May 2025)

• Venue: Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi

Inauguration by,

• Shri Vivek Bharadwaj (Secretary, MoPR)
• Shri Saurabh Garg (Secretary, MoSPI)
• Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani (Addl. Secretary, MoPR)
• Shri Rajib Kumar Sen (Senior Advisor, NITI Aayog)

Participants

• Teams from 32 States and UTs
• Officials from departments like Health, Education, WCD, PHED, etc.
• Experts from NITI Aayog, NIC, and development partners like UNICEF, UNFPA, Piramal Foundation, etc.

Key Highlights of the Event

• Launch of PAI 2.0 Portal, LIF Booklet, and SOPs.

Technical sessions on,

• PAI 1.0 baseline report
• Methodology and framework of PAI 2.0
• Demonstrations of portal usage
• Hands-on training on:
• Portal configuration
• Data validation and entry
• Planning using PAI outputs
• State/UT experience-sharing on implementing PAI 1.0 and plans for PAI 2.0.

Linguistic Inclusivity

• The event is livestreamed in 11 Indian languages: Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.