Bhubaneswar, Aug 13: The Odisha government has decided to restructure gram panchayats across the state ahead of the upcoming three-tier panchayati raj elections scheduled for 2027.
Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water (PR&DW) Minister Rabi Narayan Naik stated on Wednesday that the government is committed to reorganising the panchayat structure to enhance administrative efficiency and accessibility.
He also revealed that a similar restructuring of blocks is planned before the 2029 Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections.
"We have decided to restructure the gram panchayats before the three-tier panchayati raj elections and also restructure blocks ahead of the 2029 general elections," Naik said.
Odisha has 6,794 gram panchayats distributed across 314 blocks.
The announcement follows a recommendation from Odisha Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, who recently urged the state government to strengthen the panchayat system. The Governor stressed the importance of robust local governance and suggested that restructuring could improve the delivery of government schemes.
The proposed changes aim to bring public services closer to citizens, increase transparency, and enhance the effectiveness of local administration.
