Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa has been ranked 16th among 18 general category States in the Panchayat Devolution Index, scoring 37.71 per cent, according to the latest assessment released by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
The findings were presented in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry, based on the report “Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States – An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024”, which evaluates the extent of decentralisation and the powers given to Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The index measures States on six parameters — Framework, Functions, Finances, Functionaries, Capacity Building and Accountability — to determine how effectively responsibilities, resources and decision-making powers have been transferred to local bodies.
While the national average stood at 43.9 per cent, Goa’s overall score remained lower. The report highlighted that the State’s performance was below the national benchmark in five of the six categories, with capacity building being the only area where Goa performed better.
Goa recorded its poorest performance in the Functions category, securing just 6.63 per cent and ranking last among the general category States. The State also recorded the lowest score in the Finances category with 26.88 per cent, indicating limited financial empowerment of village panchayats.
In other indicators, Goa scored 52.88 per cent in Framework, 46.31 per cent in Functionaries, and 31.75 per cent in Accountability, all below the respective national averages.
The State’s strongest showing came in Capacity Building, where it achieved a score of 77.27 per cent, placing it fourth among general category States.
Nationally, Karnataka emerged as the top performer with 72.23 per cent, followed by Kerala with 70.59 per cent and Tamil Nadu with 68.38 per cent. Goa was placed above only Punjab and Jharkhand in the overall ranking.
The Ministry stated that initiatives like the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan are aimed at improving digital systems, transparency and accountability in Panchayati Raj Institutions and strengthening grassroots governance.
