Obtaining the’micropicture’ at panchayat level

• Delays in conducting Census operations and releasing data to researchers.

• Changes in methodology, making time series data difficult to access.

• Lack of data visualization tools on government portals.

• Decisions based on experience and intuitions of Ministers and senior bureaucrats at Union and State levels.

Data Generation and Use

• Data at grassroots level is generated and fed into the system for use by senior officials at State and national headquarters.

• Portals are designed to meet the requirements of heads of departments and secretaries, not government functionaries and elected representatives.

• Data at the gram panchayat level is linked to a household and family, making it difficult to ignore.

Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report 2022-23

• PAI is a composite Index based on 435 unique local Indicators and 566 unique data points across nine themes of LSDGs.

• Validated data relating to over 2.16 lakh gram panchayats have been analyzed and presented in a form that can be understood by even a sarpanch or ward member.

• Data relating to over 11,000 GPs were not included in PAI as they could not be validated as in laid down procedure.

Implications of PAI Score Card

• Gaps can be easily identified and plugged in a short period.

• The role of all stakeholders such as the individual, community, elected representatives and frontline workers of the health department is suggested.

• Excellent coordination between frontline workers of development departments is seen as a very important factor in the performance of GPs on PAI.

Need for Analysts

• Urgent need to provide trained data analysts at the block and district panchayat levels who can prepare and provide regular report cards for various stakeholders.

• PAI is more than a ranking of GPs, Districts or States; it is a call for action.