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What are eGramSwaraj and SVAMITVA Scheme ?

eGramSwaraj – Government eMarketplace Integration

• eGramSwaraj (eGS) was launched on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on  24th April 2020 which was designed to operate as a single window solution for all day-to-day functioning of the Panchayats from Planning to Online Payments.
• eGramSwaraj has almost 100% usage and adoption across the country with more than 2.3 lakh Gram Panchayats and Traditional Local Bodies are already using it for online payments.
• Till date more than 35 Lakh crore payments have been effected online through this system. The grants spent through this system were primarily central finance commission grants and all funds for XV FC grants (worth Rs. 2.5 Lakh crores) are being expended through eGramSwaraj application only.
• In FY 2022-23, funds to the tune of nearly Rs. 50,000 crores were spent online by the Panchayats across India.
• The payments are made through Public Finance Management System (PFMS) directly to the vendor accounts.
• While the expenditure was being done online, the procurement was being made in the traditional methods of offline tenders etc. by the Panchayats.
• Hence, upon the endeavour of Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) and also as requested by many Panchayats across the country, it was decided that the procurement process shall also become a feature of eGramSwaraj.
• Therefore, MoPR and GeM collaborated to integrate eGramSwaraj and GeM, and the initiative of technical integration between eGramSwaraj and Government eMarketplace (GeM) applications was carried out. The objective is to enable the Panchayats to procure their goods and services through GeM leveraging the eGramSwaraj platform directly.
• This initiative shall take the benefits of online procurement through GeM to the lowest tier of governance and not just restricted to Central/State Government Ministries and Departments.
• Since Panchayats are already accustomed to using eGramSwaraj, procurement through GeM will be an extension to their online work and the fund management.

Salient features of the eGramSwaraj – Government eMarketplace Integration:

1. Existing User base of GeM of nearly 60,000 is envisioned to increase to more than 3 lakhs in a phased manner.
2. Bringing transparency in procurement by Panchayats by making the process digital, a major demand raised by Panchayats
3. Encouragement of local vendors (Proprietors, Self Help groups, Cooperatives etc.) to register on GeM as Panchayats procure largely from such vendors. Also, selling online by such vendors can open new markets for them.
4. Mitigation of audit objections as procurements would follow General Financial Rules (GFR) by virtue of GeM usage.
5. Arbitrary award of contracts shall cease, compliant vendors would receive timely payments. Panchayats will access to doorstep delivery of quality assured goods on standardized and competitive rates
6. Major Capacity building being taken by MoPR where trainings have been conducted multiple times at both Central and State level. GeM has also trained and appointed business facilitators in all States for handholding of the Panchayat users.

SVAMITVA Scheme

• SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Prime Minister on 24th April 2020 on the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day.
• SVAMITVA Scheme aims to provide “Records of Rights”/ Property Cards to rural household owners of the inhabited area of the village.
• The scheme covers multifarious aspects viz. facilitating monetisation of properties and enabling bank loans; reducing property-related disputes; comprehensive village-level planning
• It will further enhance the socio-economic profile of the Panchayats, making them self-sustainable. The Property Card generated under the Scheme provides the right of the property to the household in the rural abadi area. The Scheme covers each section of society including SCs, STs, differently-abled, minorities, women and other vulnerable groups.
• Drone flying has been completed in 2.39 lakh villages which make up 63% of the overall target of 3.72 lakh villages, and Drone survey is completed in the state of Madhya Pradesh, UTs of Lakshadweep, Delhi, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. Property Cards of all the inhabited villages of Haryana followed by Uttarakhand, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Goa have been prepared.
• With close coordination between the States and the Survey of India, a milestone of preparation of over 1.24 crore property Cards for nearly 74,000 villages is achieved.