As per information, there are 6,62,841 villages in the country. Further, out of 2,71,770 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/ Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) across the country, 51,508 are not having their own building.

‘Panchayat’ being State subject, providing infrastructural facilities such as Panchayat Building, electricity, computers etc. are primarily the responsibility of the States. However, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) supplements the efforts of the States, through its schemes and programmes.

Support for infrastructural facilities of computers & peripherals, electricity connections, water etc. in GPs is provided under various schemes/ programmes of MoPR viz. Rashtriya Gram SwarajAbhiyan (RGSA), Central Finance Commission grants etc. Financial support on a limited scale for construction of GP Bhawans is provided to States under RGSA Scheme. Since 2018-19, approximately 10,556 GP Bhawans have been approved for construction.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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