Kochi, 7 July 2026: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India organised the third Outreach Workshop on the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme at Kochi, Kerala, in collaboration with the Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala.

Addressing the workshop, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, described the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme as a transformative initiative to strengthen Panchayats by enhancing their own source of revenue, promoting sustainable financial management and enabling them to harness local opportunities for inclusive development. He emphasised that Panchayats are at the forefront of grassroots transformation and play a pivotal role in mobilising communities, fostering innovation and driving participatory development. He called upon stakeholders to adopt a forward-looking approach to build financially empowered, resilient and future-ready Panchayats that will accelerate the journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.

In his inaugural address, Shri K. M. Shaji, Minister for Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala emphasized that financially empowered Panchayats are essential for effective grassroots governance. He noted that while Panchayats have been entrusted with greater responsibilities, strengthening their own-source revenue has become equally important to ensure their long-term sustainability.

Smt. Tinku Biswal, Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala, highlighted Kerala’s strong institutional framework for local governance and capacity building.

 Speaking on Kerala’s capacity-building ecosystem, Dr. N. Devidas, Director General, KILA, explained how continuous training, competency-based learning and institutional support have contributed to strengthening democratic decentralisation in the State.

 Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Principal Director, Local Self Government Department, urged Panchayats to adopt a long-term development vision by identifying local priorities, preparing professional project proposals and integrating future development needs into Gram Panchayat Development Plans.

 

Representatives from NABARD and HUDCO highlighted the institutional support available under the programme. They encouraged Panchayats to develop technically sound and financially viable projects capable of generating sustainable revenue and informed participants about the technical assistance, project appraisal and financing support available for eligible proposals.

 The Outreach Workshop featured an interactive question-and-answer session during which Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, shared his insights and responded to queries raised by participants in the presence of senior officials of the Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala. The session provided a valuable platform for addressing queries, exchanging ideas and sharing implementation perspectives. The workshop also included detailed technical sessions on the operational framework of the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme, eligibility criteria, preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), project financing, convergence with existing Government schemes, and the Challenge Mode process for submission, evaluation and technical handholding of innovative revenue-generating project proposals by Panchayats.

 

Implemented under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme seeks to promote financially self-reliant Panchayats by enabling them to unlock the economic potential of local resources and public assets. Selected Panchayats will receive technical support to develop bankable projects, with financing facilitated through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), institutional finance and convergence with Government schemes.

The Kochi workshop forms part of the Ministry’s nationwide outreach campaign to build awareness, strengthen institutional capacity and encourage Panchayats to adopt innovative approaches for sustainable local economic development and enhanced own-source revenue generation.

Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Shri K. M. Shaji, Minister for Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala; Smt. Tinku Biswal, Principal Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala; Dr. Divya S. Iyer, Principal Director, Local Self Government Department; Dr. N. Devidas, Director General, Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA); officials of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Government of Kerala; representatives of NABARD and HUDCO; and elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions participated in the workshop. Held in hybrid mode, the workshop witnessed participation from representatives of more than 210 Panchayats in person, while nearly 600 Panchayats joined virtually from across Kerala. 

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