Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme to Build Financially Independent Villages

Addressing the gathering, Ministry of Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj said empowered and self-reliant Panchayats are essential to achieving the national goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has intensified efforts to promote financially independent village governments with the rollout of the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme, a new initiative designed to help Panchayats generate sustainable revenue and reduce dependence on government grants.

An outreach workshop on the programme was held in Gandhinagar on 9 June 2026 in collaboration with the Government of Gujarat. The event brought together senior government officials, financial institutions, Panchayat representatives and development agencies to discuss strategies for building self-reliant local governance institutions.

More than 100 participants attended the workshop in person, while over 300 joined virtually. Among them were 78 Panchayat representatives, including several recognised for their strong performance in generating Own Source Revenue (OSR).

Financial Independence Seen as Key to Rural Transformation

Addressing the gathering, Ministry of Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj said empowered and self-reliant Panchayats are essential to achieving the national goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.

He described Panchayats as frontline institutions capable of driving grassroots transformation by mobilising communities, strengthening local governance and creating sustainable development models. Bharadwaj urged local leaders to adopt innovative approaches and think beyond conventional methods of governance to create lasting impact in their villages.

Gujarat Principal Secretary for Panchayat, Rural Housing and Rural Development Dhananjay Dwivedi echoed this view, stating that India's journey towards self-reliance must begin with financially empowered Gram Panchayats. He stressed the need to improve local revenue generation, strengthen financial planning and reduce excessive dependence on external funding.

Officials noted that while government grants remain important, stronger local revenue systems would provide Panchayats with greater flexibility to address community needs and pursue development priorities more effectively.

Programme to Support Bankable Projects and New Revenue Models

A key focus of the workshop was the operational framework of the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme. Ministry officials presented the scheme's structure and demonstrated the newly developed Atmanirbhar Panchayat Portal, which will serve as the digital platform for implementation.

The programme is designed to help eligible Gram Panchayats and Block Panchayats develop financially viable and bankable projects capable of generating sustainable revenue. Through a national challenge-based selection process, promising proposals will receive technical support from the project development stage through to financial closure.

Selected Panchayats will receive assistance in accessing Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding, bank financing and convergence with existing government schemes. Community participation remains a central requirement, with all proposals needing approval through Gram Sabha processes before implementation.

Representatives from NABARD and HUDCO also expressed support for the initiative. NABARD highlighted its willingness to assist Panchayats in developing revenue-generating projects, while HUDCO reaffirmed its commitment to providing technical assistance, infrastructure support and capacity-building programmes.

An interactive session allowed Panchayat representatives to raise questions on project development, financing mechanisms and implementation processes. Senior officials from both the Ministry and the Gujarat government addressed concerns and encouraged participants to learn from successful models already operating in different parts of the country.

The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme will be implemented over four years and seeks to create a new generation of financially independent Panchayats that can drive local development through stronger governance, innovative revenue models and active community participation.