Yogi government allocates Rs 278 crore to digitally empower Uttar Pradesh panchayats

The Yogi Adityanath-led government is taking significant strides to modernise rural governance in Uttar Pradesh by allocating ₹278 crore for developing a digital workforce and setting up learning centres across gram panchayats.

According to a government spokesperson on Sunday, the initiative is part of the National Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and seeks to empower panchayats with digital tools to enhance the delivery of public services in villages.

A detailed action plan by the panchayati raj department includes the establishment of District Panchayat Resource Centres and Panchayat Learning Centres, focusing on strengthening the capabilities of panchayat officials through extensive digital training.

To ensure effective execution and faster rollout of welfare schemes, human resources will be appointed at the state, district, and block levels. These employees will undergo systematic training to improve their competence on digital platforms, with an emphasis on ensuring government benefits reach the grassroots.

“The move is in line with the chief minister’s directive to bring systemic transformation to rural governance and boost transparency, accountability and responsiveness at the grassroots,” the spokesman said.

For oversight, the implementation will be monitored by a structured four-tier system: a State Advisory Committee headed by the Panchayati Raj Minister, a Steering Committee led by the Chief Secretary, an Executive Committee under the Principal Secretary, and a Monitoring Committee chaired by the Director of Panchayati Raj.

An official noted that the project aligns with the state’s larger vision for digital transformation, which includes the AI Pragya programme. This initiative aims to train 10 lakh individuals—including panchayat staff—in the use of artificial intelligence tools and applications, thus extending digital literacy and capability to the village level.