Why in news?
The “Meri Panchayat” mobile application won the Champion award in the “Cultural Diversity and Local Content” category at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2025 in Geneva. The award recognised India’s efforts to promote grassroots digital governance.
What is it?
- Meri Panchayat is an m‑Governance platform jointly developed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Informatics Centre.
- It empowers rural citizens and Panchayati Raj Institutions by making Panchayat‑level information accessible, interactive and transparent.
- The app is available in more than 12 Indian languages to ensure inclusivity.
Objectives
- Promote digital inclusion in rural areas by bridging the information divide.
- Improve transparency and accountability in Gram Panchayat operations.
- Strengthen participatory democracy by enabling citizens to engage directly with local governance.
Key features
- Real‑time information: Users can view Panchayat budgets, payments, completed works and development plans.
- Civic engagement: Citizens can access Gram Sabha agendas, follow decisions and propose new projects or feedback through the app.
- Geo‑features: Projects are geo‑tagged and geo‑fenced, enabling better tracking and grievance redressal.
- Weather and infrastructure data: Panchayat‑wise weather forecasts and details of civic assets (roads, water supply) are available.
- Social audit tools: The app provides transparency in fund utilisation and monitors performance of local bodies.
Recognition and significance
- The WSIS Champion Award acknowledges the app as a model of citizen‑centric rural governance and cultural diversity.
- It demonstrates how digital tools can empower villagers, foster participatory planning and improve service delivery.
By bringing decision‑making closer to citizens, Meri Panchayat illustrates the potential of technology to strengthen democracy at the grassroots.