SDG setback for Tripura: Only 42 of 1,176 Panchayats earn Grade A in PAI Index
The majority—728 Panchayats—received a “Grade B” rating, while the remaining 406 were graded “C”, the report says;
A shot of a gram panchayat sabha (Photo: @nhm_tripura / X)
Agartala, April 10: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has reported that just 42 out of 1,176 Panchayats in Tripura have secured a “Grade A” rating in the latest Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)—an initiative designed to assess how effectively local bodies have integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their governance frameworks.
According to the PAI portal, all 1,176 Panchayats in Tripura submitted data for evaluation.
Panchayats scoring between 80 and 90 were awarded “Grade A” status; however, only 42 reached this benchmark.
The majority—728 Panchayats—received a “Grade B” rating, while the remaining 406 were graded “C”, indicating significant scope for improvement.
The report also spotlighted top-performing Panchayats, with Rupaichari leading at a score of 82.08, followed by Bampur (80.95), West Malbasa (79.72), Dudhpur (79.31), and Madhya Brajapur (79.14).
Other notable names included West Dalak, Ambedkar Nagar, Kanchanbari, Fatikroy, and Krishnanagar—all scoring just under 80.
At the other end of the spectrum, Gardang registered the lowest score at 48.70. Other underperforming Panchayats included Adipur, East Badlabari, Kalachari, Ekinpur, and East Singhicherra, all scoring below 52.
The Panchayat Advancement Index is a comprehensive tool developed to align global development goals with grassroots governance.
It evaluates performance across nine thematic areas - poverty alleviation and livelihood enhancement, child-friendliness, environmental health, water sufficiency, cleanliness and greenery, infrastructural self-reliance, social justice and security, women-friendly governance, and good governance practices.
The PAI framework comprises 435 unique indicators—331 mandatory and 104 optional—spanning 566 data points.
This robust system enables Panchayats to identify their strengths and weaknesses, promoting data-driven decision-making for sustainable and inclusive rural development.
Nationally, over 2.16 lakh Gram Panchayats across 29 States and Union Territories have uploaded their performance data to the PAI portal.
According to the Ministry, 35.8% of these Panchayats have been recognised as “performers”, while 61.2% are considered “aspirants”, indicating ongoing efforts to meet SDG localisation targets.
Gujarat and Telangana have emerged as frontrunners in the initiative, demonstrating strong alignment with SDG parameters.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj emphasised that the PAI aims to foster a bottom-up approach to development, positioning rural governance as a cornerstone of India’s SDG success story.
