Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Most village panchayats in Goa have been marked as non-compliant by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj for not updating mandatory records related to Gram Sabha meetings and local development planning on the Centre’s digital governance platform.
According to official figures available through the Ministry’s monitoring system, 177 out of 191 village panchayats in the State have been listed as “Sankalp Defaulters” for the previous financial year. The list comprises 91 panchayats from North Goa and 86 from South Goa.
The classification applies to Gram Panchayats that fail to complete essential online procedures such as scheduling Gram Sabha meetings, uploading meeting agendas, documenting resolutions, and entering decisions linked to the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) on the Panchayat Nirnay Portal.
The Centre introduced the digital reporting mechanism as part of its Panchayat e-governance programme to promote transparency, improve public participation, and ensure better monitoring of rural administration.
Officials explained that the Panchayat Nirnay system serves as an online platform to maintain records of village-level governance activities. Panchayats are expected to use it for publishing meeting schedules, recording attendance, uploading developmental proposals, and preserving resolutions passed during Gram Sabha sessions.
The Ministry views the platform as a technology-driven system aimed at streamlining governance processes and reducing reliance on manual documentation.
Sources said the issue has continued into the current financial year as several panchayats have reportedly not uploaded any fresh meeting schedules on the portal so far.
Officials from the Panchayat Department said operational delays were mainly caused by shortage of staff, technical constraints, and lack of adequate training in handling digital systems at the local level.
The Centre’s wider digital governance initiative also covers online tracking of development plans, budget utilisation, social audits, and public access to records concerning village projects and financial decisions.
