GETTING THE ‘MICROPICTURE’ AT THE PANCHAYAT LEVEL

The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) portal, launched in April 2025, empowers 2.16 lakh gram panchayats with data-driven governance. Tracking 435 indicators across nine SDG-aligned themes, PAI simplifies data for sarpanches, promotes transparency, and links metrics to outcomes. Challenges include incomplete data, limited skills, and weak visualization, requiring better tools and training.