NITI Aayog organised a national workshop on “Viksit Panchayat: Connecting People, Places, Resources and Opportunities” on 28th September 2026, in collaboration with the Golap Borbora State Institute of Panchayat & Rural Development (GBSIPRD), Government of Assam. The workshop focused on strengthening Panchayats as institutions capable of driving inclusive growth, effective public service delivery, and sustainable development at the grassroots, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

The one-day National Workshop was inaugurated by Shri Atul Bora, Minister, Panchayat & Rural Development Department, Government of Assam, as the Chief Guest; Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Member, NITI Aayog, as the Guest of Honour; Dr. Ravi Kota, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam; and Shri Rohit Kansal, Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development.

The inaugural session highlighted the importance of decentralised governance, spatial planning, capacity development, digitalisation, and convergence for advancing Viksit Gram Panchayats. The deliberations focused on four key areas: decentralised and spatial planning, grassroots capacity development, spatial planning for priority sectors, and integration of spatial planning into the GPDP process.

Participants discussed the constitutional foundation of Panchayati Raj under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment and Part IX of the Constitution. Discussions also focused on clearer activity mapping, adequate financial resources, appropriate staffing, greater decision-making authority, Gram Sabha participation, and institutional accountability. The workshop emphasised the need to move from a sectoral to a spatial and integrated approach to local development. GIS, geospatial data, village master plans, and digital platforms were discussed for identifying local resources, infrastructure gaps, land-use patterns, and development opportunities. Integrating spatial information with GPDP, eGramSwaraj, and Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) was highlighted as a means of strengthening evidence-based and convergence-oriented planning.

Capacity development and institutional strengthening were also central to the deliberations. Participants emphasised equipping elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries with skills in data interpretation, investment prioritisation, resource mobilisation, convergence, and outcome monitoring. Discussions covered devolution, activity mapping, District Planning Committees, digital and hybrid learning, competency development, and last-mile technical handholding. Dr. R. Balasubramaniam (Member, NITI Aayog) called for a shift from sectoral planning to a spatial planning approach, with greater emphasis on human and social capital and the development of local economic clusters.

The workshop identified priorities including clearer functional devolution and activity mapping, improved fiscal resources and own-source revenue mobilisation, stronger capacity and technical support, operational District Planning Committees, and greater convergence across departments and schemes. It also highlighted the need to strengthen the use of spatial and administrative data in GPDPs, Gram Sabha and community participation, and rural-urban planning at the district level.

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