Article 243-I of the Constitution mandates setting up of the State Finance Commission (SF

The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed an agreement to collaborate in the areas of knowledge sharing and strengthening monitoring mechanisms for the localisation of the sustainable development goals. The agreement was signed by the Secretary in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj Sunil Kumar and UNDP resident representative Shoko Noda on the final day of the Iconic Week Programme organised as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) celebrations. Kumar pointed out that the panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) have been a critical component of local self-governance across rural India, contributing in achieving last-mile connectivity and in the execution of various schemes of different departments and ministries. “Sustainable development goals (SDGs) too can be achieved only if we actively involve the PRIs. We thank the UNDP for its collaborative support in the iconic week of amrit mahotsav. We look forward to its increased and continued engagement with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to strengthen the monitoring of SDGs at the grassroots,” he was quoted as saying in a statement. About 65 per cent of India’s population lives in rural areas and the Centre is increasingly routing the funding of social sector schemes in sectors such as sanitation, housing, solid waste management etc. through the rural local bodies.