(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Gram Manchitra Aiding in Village Planning

(APRIL-2025)

Gram Manchitra Aiding in Village Planning

Introduction:

Panchayats have been mandated for the preparation of Panchayat Development Plan (PDP) for economic development and social justice utilizing the resources available to them. The PDP planning process must be comprehensive and based on participatory process which involves the full convergence with Schemes of all related Central Ministries / Line Departments related to 29 subjects enlisted in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.

Background:

Panchayats have been the fulcrum of local self-government since ancient times, exercising both executive and judicial powers over village-level issues ranging from land distribution and tax collection to disputes. However, they were not part of the formal government structure.

Article 243G of the Constitution of India acknowledges Panchayats as institutions of local self-government and mandates them to prepare plans for economic development and social justice. As local government, GPs are responsible for delivery of basic services to local citizens and address vulnerabilities of poor and marginalised ones.

Gram Manchitra for Viksit Bharat

Viksit Bharat is a comprehensive vision plan by the Government of India, aiming to transform India into a developed nation by the year 2047, and encompasses various aspects of development including development at village level.
The soul of India is Gram. Viksit Bharat aims to empower local governance at Gram Panchayat level through effective Gram Panchayats. Gram Manchitra (Geo-spatial Visualization and Planning Tool) plays a pivotal role in this vision by:
Empowering local bodies to develop and implement initiatives which improve socioeconomic results through decentralisation of authority.
Integrating digital tools like Gram Manchitra accords with the Digital India initiative’s aims of improving openness and efficiency in public service delivery

Vision

Use of Digital Technology for effective planning / governance of gram panchayat to make steps towards self-sustenance.
Combining digital technology with community participation and local governance structures can significantly improve the quality of life in villages, fostering self-sufficiency and sustainable development.
Tailoring these solutions to the specific needs and capacities of each community is crucial for their successful implementation and long-term impact.

Tools and Village Planning

Planning tools that have been developed and used can be summarized as follows which support in day-to-day planning activities for villages / village development officers:
Asset Report Tool -Summary of all the assets at selected District/Block/Gram Panchayat is available for planning and download for any report preparation at District /Block panchayat level. This helps in giving the holistic view of providing the current assets available within the selected block / gram panchayat. The gaps in these assets can be used during the planning activity and reports can be generated for effective village planning.

Asset Report

Connectivity Analysis - Based on the type of roads (width) found at gram panchayat / village level vehicle navigation feasibility tool has been integrated. This helps in transportation (and also of important commodities, firetrucks etc. in any gram panchayat / village by making apt choice of vehicle.

Showing connectivity

Street Light Analysis- Based on type of light used and illumination of light, providing an estimate of light poles required for selected streets in a gram panchayat. This tool provides the gap areas of the village / gram panchayat where streetlights need to be installed. This tool provides the tentative count of the light poles that would illuminate the area based on the type of light source used for lighting.

Street Light Tool

Road Analysis - Based on the road length, width and road height, an estimate could be provided for its construction along with spatial attributes. This is useful for the village / block planners to assess the road requirement and provide tentative cost estimates.

Road Estimation Tool

Profile for Abadi areas - Generation of surface profile at finer level using the digital elevation modes generated under SVAMITVA Survey using Drone technology.
Solar energy estimation Tool - Estimation of renewable energy in terms of solar power that could be generated by the villages of the gram panchayat. Assessment of sustainable energy generation capacity of gram panchayat leads to reducing the electric power consumed from the electric power stations. The tool developed helps the planners to assess the roof types based on the RCC / Tiled Roofs, Tin Sheets and other types. This provides information of number of houses that can be used for solar energy estimation. Solar energy estimation Tool.
Vehicle Navigation -The tool helps the planners to plan for the respective vehicle’s entry inside the gram panchayat / block. This can help to stop the roadblocks within the block /gram panchayat after vehicle reaching the destination.

Vehicle Navigation from source to destination

Climate Data Integration - The climate tool provides the current temperature along with rainfall, cloud cover, relative humidity and wind speed. It also provides forecast hourly / 3hr / 6hr duration.