New Delhi, July 28 -- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj on Tuesday 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, including assessment of the status of financial and administrative empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), an official release said.

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 Accountabili...