IIM Ahmedabad to train panchayats for fiscal self-reliance
New Delhi, June 23 (UNI): In a major step towards empowering grassroots governance, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad to train panchayats in generating their own revenue and becoming financially self-reliant.
A three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme on 'Generation of own source revenue by gram panchayats,' was inaugurated by Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj here on Monday, said a statement from the Ministry.
Bharadwaj emphasised the national vision of creating Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) panchayats, with Own Source Revenue (OSR) seen as a key pillar in achieving this goal. He said, 'The capacity of panchayats to generate and manage their own revenue is not just about finances—it reflects their leadership, credibility, and institutional maturity.'
Calling the ToT a bridge between knowledge and practice, Bharadwaj urged participants to return to their states with actionable strategies that encourage financial autonomy through local innovation and community engagement.
He also lauded IIM Ahmedabad for developing a research-based, field-aligned training module, and called for greater involvement from states and local functionaries to implement the learnings in mission mode.
States and Union Territories were encouraged to institutionalise revenue planning at the panchayat level, adopt the Ministry's model frameworks, and replicate similar trainings at state and district levels. 'This will help build panchayats that are financially resilient, administratively accountable, and development-ready,' Bharadwaj noted.
Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, outlined several ongoing initiatives for fiscal empowerment, including the development of Model OSR Rules and a digital tax collection portal tailored to local needs. These, he said, will enhance transparency, ease of collection, and digital integration.
The training modules, developed and delivered by faculty from IIM Ahmedabad, focus on both theoretical and practical dimensions of revenue generation.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Ranjan Kumar Ghosh from IIM Ahmedabad said the programme aims to transform panchayat governance from administrative compliance to proactive, citizen-centric financial planning.
UNI AJ
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
34 minutes ago
- Hans India
Govt sets up task force to roll out India Energy Stack for digital push to power sector
New Delhi: The Ministry of Power has announced the launch of a task force to conceive the India Energy Stack, a pioneering initiative aimed at creating a unified, secure, and interoperable digital infrastructure for the country's energy sector. The India Energy Stack will play a vital role in integrating renewable energy, enhancing DISCOM efficiency, and delivering transparent, reliable, and future-ready power services, the official statement said. As India charts its path to becoming a $5 trillion economy and advances towards its Net Zero commitments, the power sector faces both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. Rapid growth in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and consumer participation in energy markets is transforming the sector, but fragmented systems and a lack of seamless digital integration remain key barriers, the statement explained. To address these, the Ministry of Power is reimagining the sector's digital foundation through the India Energy Stack - a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that will provide a standardised, secure, and open platform to manage, monitor, and innovate across the electricity value chain. The IES will offer unique IDs for consumers, assets, and transactions with real-time, consent-based data sharing. It will also offer Open APIs for seamless system integration and tools for consumer empowerment, market access, and innovation. Speaking on this development, Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar said, "There is an urgent need for developing robust Digital Public Infrastructure in the power sector to manage the country's rising demand, ensure grid stability, and empower consumers. DPI, such as India Energy Stack, will play a vital role in integrating renewable energy, enhancing DISCOM efficiency, and delivering transparent, reliable, and future-ready power services." "What Aadhaar did for identity and UPI achieved for digital payments, the India Energy Stack (IES) will accomplish for the power sector - unlocking seamless, secure, and consumer-centric energy services for every citizen," the minister added. Apart from conceiving the IES, the Ministry will undertake a 12-month Proof of Concept to demonstrate IES through real-world use cases in partnership with selected utilities. This includes piloting the Utility Intelligence Platform (UIP), a modular, analytics-driven application built on IES to support utilities, policymakers, and consumers with real-time insights and smarter energy management. To guide these above initiatives, the Ministry has constituted a dedicated Task Force comprising experts from the technology, power sector, and regulatory domains, which will steer the development, pilot implementation, and nationwide scale-up of the India Energy Stack. This initiative, being spearheaded by the Ministry of Power, will come up with an India Energy Stack White Paper for public consultation. It will also undertake pilot testing of the Utility Intelligence Platform with DISCOMs in Mumbai, Gujarat and Delhi and draw up a national roadmap for the rollout of the India Energy Stack.
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
New and Renewable Energy Ministry issues revised guidelines for Waste-to-Energy projects
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued revised guidelines for the Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Programme under the National Bioenergy Programme, the Ministry said in a release. These revisions aim to foster a more efficient, transparent, and performance-oriented ecosystem for Bio Waste to Energy deployment in India. By simplifying procedures, expediting financial assistance, and aligning support with plant performance, the updated guidelines are designed to significantly enhance the ease of doing business for private as well as public sector. Under the new framework, Ministry has simplified several processes, such as cutting down on paperwork and easing approval requirements, which will enable the industry especially MSMEs to enhance their production of CBG, Biogas & Power. These changes align well with improvement of waste management including stubble, industrial waste, and India's broader goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. A key highlight of the revised guidelines is the improved system for releasing Central Financial Assistance (CFA). Considering the challenges faced by the developers to achieve 80 per cent generation, flexible provisions have been made in the Scheme for release of CFA based on plant performance. Previously, companies had to wait until the entire Waste-to-Energy project attains 80 per cent generation to receive support. Moreover, as per the revised guidelines, there is a provision to release the CFA in two stages. Based on performance of the projects, 50 per cent of total CFA will be released after obtaining the Consent to Operate certificate from State Pollution Control Board, against the bank guarantee, while the balance CFA would be released after achieving the 80 per cent of the rated capacity or the maximum CFA eligible capacity, whichever is lesser. In notably, even if a plant does not achieve 80% generation for above both conditions during performance inspection, provision is made for pro-rata based disbursement based on the percentage output. However, no CFA will be given if the PLF is 50 per cent. This change acknowledges real-world challenges and supports developers by offering financial flexibility and viability during operations. The inspection process has also been refined to ensure greater credibility, transparency and accountability. The revised norms mandate joint inspections led by National Institute of Bio-Energy (SSS-NIBE), an autonomous institute of MNRE, along with any one agency among respective State Nodal Agencies (SNAs), Biogas Technology Development Centers (BTDCs), or any agency empaneled by MNRE. For developers not opting for advance CFA, only a single performance inspection is required, reducing procedural delays. The revision introduced provides the flexibility to the project developers in claiming CFA either within 18 months from the date of commissioning, or from the date of In-principle approval of CFA, whichever is later. Overall, these revised guidelines represent a proactive step by the government to support the clean energy in industries. By aligning financial support with actual performance, simplifying compliance, and making funding more accessible, MNRE is fostering a more business-friendly environment. This initiative not only helps private players in the WtE space but also strengthens India's progress toward sustainable waste management and Renewable Energy goals. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Govt revises biomass guidelines to boost bio energy and ease of doing business
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): The Centre has revised guidelines for the Biomass Programme under Phase-I of the National Bioenergy Programme to promote cleaner energy solutions, ease of doing business, and accelerate the adoption of biomass technologies across the country, according to a statement. 'The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued revised guidelines for the Biomass Programme under Phase-I of the National Bioenergy Programme, applicable for the period FY 2021-22 to 2025-26. These amendments aim to promote cleaner energy solutions, ease of doing business, and accelerate the adoption of biomass technologies across India,' the statement said. Under the new framework, Ministry has simplified several processes, such as cutting down on paperwork and easing approval requirements, which will enable the industry especially MSMEs to enhance their production. These changes align well with improvement of stubble management and India's broader goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070, the statement added. One of the major highlights of the revision is technological integration by enabling the use of IoT-based monitoring solutions or quarterly data submissions instead of expensive and high-tech systems like SCADA. This cost-effective step promotes digital monitoring and accountability, especially for smaller business operators. The guidelines also encourage significant simplification of documentation requirements. Developers of briquette and pellet manufacturing plants will no longer be required to submit a number of documents related to clearance matters. This change will save time, and promote ease of doing business. In a move to enhance operational flexibility, the earlier requirement for a two-year briquette or pellet sale contract has been replaced with a general sale agreement. This change will allow project developers to respond more dynamically to market conditions without being constrained by long-term contracts, as per the Ministry's statement. The amended guidelines allow flexible selling of biomass products, meaning businesses no longer need long-term contracts to get started. Furthermore, the subsidy disbursement mechanism under the Central Financial Assistance (CFA) component has been made performance-based and transparent. Projects that run efficiently, above 80%, will receive full financial assistance, while below 80 percent will receive on pro-rata basis. The performance inspection period has been simplified. Earlier, it has to be done within a period of 18 months from the date of commissioning, but now, it can be carried out within 18 months period either from the commissioning date or from the date of In-principle approval, whichever is later. Additionally, to cater on-ground operational challenges of developers, Secretary, MNRE may extend the time period, the Ministry added. During inspection, a performance report was made on the basis of Operation Plant at an average of 80 per cent of rated capacity measured over a period of three consecutive days, taking average 16 Hrs per day. However, now it has been reduced to just 10 hours as the inspection process primarily aims to verify the claimed and operational capacities and inspection for 10 hours of continuous operation would suffice for this purpose. Recognising the urgent need to address air pollution, especially from stubble burning in northern India, the new guidelines include a provision allowing biomass pellet producers in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and NCR districts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to choose the most beneficial support scheme, either from MNRE or CPCB. These revisions will not only support the smooth implementation of the biomass programme and timely delivery of approved financial support to commissioned plants, but also encourage the sector to establish more biomass-based plants. This would ultimately help in addressing the menace of crop residue burning and ensure sustainable management of agricultural waste. Overall, the updated guidelines will make it easier for businesses to adopt biomass technologies, provide financial incentives for efficient operations, and support India's clean energy efforts, all while promoting practical, business-friendly solutions to waste management and pollution reduction. (ANI)
