Delhi,April 29: In a major step towards strengthening grassroots governance and promoting inclusive rural development, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day celebrated on 24th April 2026 released the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Report for the FY Year 2023–24.
Serving as a report card for each Panchayat, the report highlights that (based on composite scores) 3,635 Gram Panchayats fall under the Front Runner category, while 1,18,824 Gram Panchayats (around 45.72% of participating GPs/Traditional Local Bodies) are placed in the Performer category. The top-performing themes, under which GPs have shown strong outcomes, include Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods in Panchayat and Healthy Panchayat. Under Theme 1: Poverty Free and Enhanced Livelihoods in Panchayats, a total of 3,313 Gram Panchayats (GPs)/Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs) across the country have achieved the A+ grade, reflecting significant performance in poverty reduction and livelihood generation at the Panchayat level. Similarly, under Theme 2: Healthy Panchayats, a total of 1,015 Gram Panchayats/TLBs have attained the A+ grade, demonstrating strong outcomes in preventive healthcare, nutrition awareness, sanitation practices and community engagement.
PAI 2.0 has recorded an exceptional national participation of 97.30 per cent, with 2,59,867 Gram Panchayats across 33 States and Union Territories submitting validated data – a marked and commendable improvement over the 80.79 per cent participation achieved under PAI Version 1.0. Among the key improvements in this version are a single integrated data entry form, mandatory Gram Sabha validation for transparency and accountability, enhanced auto-porting of data from national portals of nodal Union Ministries and Departments, soft and cross-data validation mechanisms for improved data accuracy, real-time dashboards for intuitive navigation, and embedded vernacular language support. The release of PAI 2.0 (FY 2023–24) reinforces the Government’s commitment to strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions and advancing the vision of “Viksit Gram Panchayats” through participatory, transparent, and data-driven local governance.
The Panchayat Advancement Index serves as a robust tool for evidence-based planning, performance monitoring, and incentivising Panchayati Raj Institutions. It is increasingly being adopted by States and Union Territories to prioritise developmental interventions, support the preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans, and identify high-performing Panchayats as learning hubs and models of best practice. India’s first nationwide data-driven framework to assess Gram Panchayat performance, PAI 2.0 evaluates each of the more than 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across the country against 150 indicators and 230 data points spanning nine thematic areas under the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) – covering Poverty, Health, Child Welfare, Water, Environment, Infrastructure, Social Justice, Good Governance, and Women’s Empowerment. A significantly refined and strengthened version of its predecessor, PAI 2.0 has rationalized the indicator framework from 516 indicators and 794 data points in PAI Version 1.0 to 150 indicators and 230 data points, ensuring sharper focus, greater usability and stronger linkage with national planning frameworks. Based on their composite PAI scores, Gram Panchayats are classified into five performance categories – Achiever (A+: 90 and above), Front Runner (A: 75 to below 90), Performer (B : 60 to below 75), Aspirant (C: 40 to below 60), and Beginner (D: below 40) – enabling meaningful benchmarking, healthy competition, and targeted interventions at the grassroots level.
