India, July 21 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
Rank
DI
Framework
Functions
Finances
Functionaries
Capacity Building
Accountability
State
Score
State
Score
State
Score
State
Score
State
Score
State
Score
State
Score
General Category States
1
Karnataka
72.23
Kerala
83.56
Tamil Nadu
60.24
Karnataka
70.65
Gujarat
90.94
Telangana
86.19
Karnataka
81.33
2
Kerala
70.59
Maharashtra
74.74
Karnataka
57.62
Kerala
62.89
Tamil Nadu
84.25
Tamil Nadu
84.29
Kerala
81.18
3
Tamil Nadu
68.38
Karnataka
74.43
Odisha
57.46
Tamil Nadu
55.78
Kerala
82.99
Gujarat
83.96
Maharashtra
80.36
4
Maharashtra
61.44
Haryana
73.3
Rajasthan
56.13
Rajasthan
54.56
Karnataka
80.11
Goa
77.7
Uttar Pradesh
76.07
5
Uttar Pradesh
60.07
Madhya Pradesh
70
Kerala
53.86
Odisha
53.57
Chhattisgarh
78.33
Andhra Pradesh
76.69
Tamil Nadu
71
6
Gujarat
58.26
Odisha
69.2
Uttar Pradesh
46.89
West Bengal
52.96
Bihar
75.13
Uttar Pradesh
74.44
Andhra Pradesh
60.49
7
Rajasthan
56.67
Rajasthan
68.54
Maharashtra
46.52
Uttar Pradesh
51.76
Maharashtra
73.63
Maharashtra
73.35
Telangana
60.43
8
West Bengal
56.52
Chhattisgarh
68.51
Chhattisgarh
42.39
Chhattisgarh
51.45
Andhra Pradesh
68.78
Karnataka
71.59
Chhattisgarh
58.17
9
Chhattisgarh
56.26
Tamil Nadu
66.83
Gujarat
41.23
Telangana
46.86
West Bengal
67.76
Kerala
71.11
West Bengal
57.87
10
Telangana
55.1
West Bengal
62.3
Madhya Pradesh
39.47
Bihar
43.86
Rajasthan
64.03
West Bengal
70.63
Odisha
51.92
11
Andhra Pradesh
54.43
Gujarat
61.65
Telangana
38.77
Andhra Pradesh
43.19
Uttar Pradesh
63.13
Madhya Pradesh
70
Bihar
51.64
12
Madhya Pradesh
50.94
Andhra Pradesh
60.08
West Bengal
33.07
Maharashtra
42.96
Madhya Pradesh
62.22
Rajasthan
61.43
Gujarat
47.9
13
Odisha
50.03
Uttar Pradesh
54.64
Punjab
31.97
Madhya Pradesh
42.34
Telangana
58.01
Bihar
55.27
Haryana
41.93
14
Bihar
48.24
Goa
52.88
Andhra Pradesh
30.5
Gujarat
41.63
Goa
46.31
Chhattisgarh
47.61
Rajasthan
41.43
15
Haryana
39.33
Bihar
49.76
Jharkhand
27.56
Haryana
40.38
Haryana
38.48
Odisha
43.43
Madhya Pradesh
36.55
16
Goa
37.71
Punjab
47.26
Bihar
18.69
Punjab
36.36
Jharkhand
27.83
Haryana
35.35
Goa
31.75
17
Punjab
29.34
Telangana
45.35
Haryana
16.82
Jharkhand
30.05
Odisha
27.42
Punjab
26.34
Punjab
24.87
18
Jharkhand
27.73
Jharkhand
42.3
Goa
6.63
Goa
26.88
Punjab
8.2
Jharkhand
24.72
Jharkhand
16.47
Northeastern / Hilly Area States
1
Tripura
57.58
Uttarakhand
70.95
Sikkim
42.59
Tripura
59.16
Himachal Pradesh
70.06
Himachal Pradesh
83.68
Tripura
70.69
2
Himachal Pradesh
53.17
Tripura
66.5
Assam
28.66
Himachal Pradesh
48.41
Assam
65.12
Tripura
76.82
Assam
57.14
3
Uttarakhand
49.11
Sikkim
65.27
Himachal Pradesh
23.01
Uttarakhand
47.11
Uttarakhand
60.49
Assam
71.96
Uttarakhand
52.72
4
Assam
49.06
Himachal Pradesh
62.22
Tripura
21.5
Sikkim
43.5
Tripura
52.22
Uttarakhand
56.02
Himachal Pradesh
39.41
5
Sikkim
43.81
Assam
54.04
Uttarakhand
16.68
Assam
34.06
Sikkim
31.42
Sikkim
53.23
Sikkim
34.94
6
Arunachal Pradesh#
17.96
Arunachal Pradesh#
41.5
Arunachal Pradesh#
12.7
Manipur#
13.17
Manipur#
21.4
Arunachal Pradesh#
37.4
Manipur#
28.75
7
Manipur#
17.13
Manipur#
34.05
Manipur#
11.23
Arunachal Pradesh#
6.83
Arunachal Pradesh#
5.74
Manipur#
3.75
Arunachal Pradesh#
22.56
Union Territories
1
Jammu and Kashmir
27.85
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
55.21
Jammu and Kashmir
11.88
Puducherry
16.16
Lakshadweep#
39.53
Jammu and Kashmir
55.08
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
45.73
2
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
27.15
Lakshadweep#
31.42
Ladakh
11.08
Jammu and Kashmir
13.29
Jammu and Kashmir
36.97
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
54.82
Jammu and Kashmir
39.76
3
Lakshadweep#
18.32
Jammu and Kashmir
23.07
Lakshadweep#
10.36
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
9.09
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
31.69
Ladakh
29.32
Puducherry
29.33
4
Ladakh
16.18
Ladakh
22.21
Puducherry
4.63
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
5.45
Ladakh
25.25
Lakshadweep#
15.18
Lakshadweep#
28.13
5
Puducherry
16.16
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
22.06
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
4.5
Lakshadweep#
3.99
Puducherry
21.49
Puducherry
13.75
Ladakh
27.43
6
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
13.62
Puducherry
9.31
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
0
Ladakh
0
Andaman &Nicobar Islands
20.94
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
8.57
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu#
24.91
National Average
43.89
54.29
29.18
37.04
50.96
54.63
47.51
"Panchayat", being "Local Government", is a State subject and part of State List of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts. States have made their own Panchayati Raj Act, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. Article 243G of the Constitution empowers the Legislature of a State to make provisions, by law, for the devolution of power and responsibilities upon Panchayat at the appropriate level, subject to such conditions as may be specified, with respect to the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice and implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as may be entrusted to them including those in relation to matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution. The State legislatures are to consider the 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule for devolution of power and responsibilities to Panchayats. Accordingly, all matters relating to Panchayats, including, to review the functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions, to devolve greater administrative, financial and functional powers to Gram Panchayats, details of the funds, functions and functionaries devolved to Panchayats and to take steps to strengthen local self-Governance and ensure greater autonomy, accountability and capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions, fall within the purview of State Government.
However, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj reviews performance of Panchayats, from time to time, through studies, review meetings, field visits, video conferencing, Information Technology applications etc. Year-wise details of the funds, functions and functionaries devolved to Panchayats by States are not maintained by Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
The Ministry has released a report titled "Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States - An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024" in February 2025 to assess the effectiveness of devolution and the role of local governments in strengthening grassroots democracy. This report presents the Devolution Index, which provides the overall scores and ranks for all States/Union Territories (UTs) covered under Part-IX of the Constitution, based on six identified dimensions: Framework, Functions, Finances, Functionaries, Capacity Enhancement, and Accountability. This report reveals that the extent of devolution has increased from 39.9% to 43.9% between the period 2013-14 to 2021-22. Ranking of States/UTs in Devolution Index and Sub-indices is attached as Annexure-I.
In these six identified dimensions, Framework includes reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes and women, Panchayats elections & State Election Commission, Panchayats duration, dissolution & bye elections, constitution and function of District Planning Committee, role of Panchayats in Committees and parallel bodies/institutions, autonomy to Panchayats. Functions include functions assigned to Panchayats including Activity Mapping, expenditure incurred and actual involvement of Panchayats, involvement of Panchayats in important Schemes. Finances include Fifteenth Finance Commission Grants to the Panchayats, State Finance Commission (SFC), money transfers to Panchayat on accounts of the SFC recommendations, empowerment of Panchayats to impose and collect revenue, funds available with Panchayats, expenditure of Panchayats, initiatives related to finance, accounts and budget. Functionaries include physical infrastructure of Panchayats, e-connectivity of Panchayats, Panchayats officials. Capacity Enhancement includes training institutions, training activities-training of elected representative and officials. Accountability includes accounting and audit of Panchayats, social audit of Panchayats, functioning of Gram Sabha, transparency & anti-corruption, Panchayats assessment & incentivization.
To strengthen local self-Governance and ensure greater autonomy, accountability and capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions, the Ministry has implemented a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), w.e.f. financial year 2022-23, with the objective of supporting Panchayati Raj institutions by imparting trainings to Elected Representatives and other stakeholders to develop leadership abilities, thereby enabling Gram Panchayats to function effectively across all States/UTs. Under the scheme, capacity building support is provided to elected representatives, functionaries, and other stakeholders of Panchayats under different categories, viz. basic orientation and refresher programmes, thematic interventions, specialized trainings and Panchayat Development Plan-related programmes, etc. The scheme also supports exposure visits to facilitate experiential learning and replication of best practices for strengthening Panchayat governance, as well as development of training modules and materials etc.
Further, to enhance skills and knowledge, a major step has also been taken to build capacity and train elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayats through Institutes of excellence such as IIMs/IITs under the Leadership/Management Development Program (MDP).
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, has also developed a training module on Own Source Revenue (OSR) to strengthen the financial self-reliance of Gram Panchayats. The module helps elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries understand how OSR is generated through tax and non-tax sources.
Additionally, the Ministry has launched a Specialized Training Module as a part of "Shashkta Panchayat Netri Abhiyan" for the capacity building of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions. The focus of this training module is to build the capacity of Women Elected Representatives across different aspects of rural governance and enhance their knowledge and practical skills for the effective discharge of roles and responsibilities as elected representatives, thereby promoting women-led governance.
ANNEXURE-I
Ranking of States/UTs in Devolution Index (DI) and Sub-indices
Source: Report titled "Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States - An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024"
Note: #States for which previous data is used
This information was given by Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 21st July 2026.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
