Editorial 1: Getting the ‘micropicture’ at the panchayat level

Context

The PAI portal can be a helpful tool for officials in different departments and support local and State governments.

Introduction

Critics point to the delay in the Census and the lack of access to Census data for researchers. They also mention that changes in government surveys and methods make it hard to get time series data, affecting evidence-based decision-making. On the other hand, government officials highlight the large amount of data on various Ministry portals and the National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP), 2012, which aims to make non-sensitive data open and reusable through platforms like data.gov.in.

• Researchers say that the available data is not in a simple format that the public or elected representatives can easily understand.
• Even citizens and trained researchers often feel overwhelmed by the huge volume of data.
• Data visualisation tools on platforms like data.gov.in and other government portals are still underdeveloped.
• The quality of data analytics is not up to the mark.
• As a result, many decisions are still based on the experience or intuition of Ministers and senior bureaucrats at both the Union and State levels.

Data generation and use

• At the grassroots level — gram panchayats, blocks, and districts — data is mostly collected and entered for use by senior officials at the State and national levels.
• Most portals are built to serve the needs of department heads and secretaries, not the local officials or elected representatives at lower levels.
• This leads to a focus on the ‘mega picture’, while the ‘micro picture’ is often missing.
• Gram panchayat-level data is directly linked to households and families, making it more relevant and harder to ignore—if presented clearly to the local residents.

On the PAI

Need for analysts

• There is an urgent need to deploy trained data analysts at the block and district panchayat levels to prepare and share regular report cards for different stakeholders.
• The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) has greater potential to be a gamechanger for State and local governments than for the Union Government.
• A similar Achievement Index should be developed for urban local governments.
• The baseline PAI report should be followed by regularly published updates, especially once the initial groundwork is complete.

Conclusion

PAI is far more than just a ranking of Gram Panchayats (GPs), Districts, or States; it is a call for action. GPs performing poorly require support. It is essential not only to track where funds are allocated or how they are used (or misused) but also to leverage the latest data visualization tools to help all stakeholders grasp their vital role. This will ensure that the goal of driving India’s development forward becomes a reality.