Why in News?

• At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, the “Meri Panchayat” app won the WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion Award in the Cultural and Linguistic Diversity category, honouring India’s pioneering work in grassroots digital governance.

Concerning the Meri Panchayat App:

What is it?
• A mobile-based m-Government platform called “Meri Panchayat” was created to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and rural residents by facilitating the accessibility, interactivity, and transparency of data at the Panchayat level.
• The National Informatics Centre (NIC), a division of the Ministry of Electronics and IT, and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj collaborated on its development.

Goals:
• Encourage rural communities to adopt digital technology.
• Increase accountability and openness in Gramme Panchayat operations.
• Boost citizen participation and participatory democracy.
• At the local level, close the information and knowledge gap.

Important Features:
• Current Information: Get access to development plans, budgets, and payments at the panchayat level.
• Participate in civic life by reading the agendas, rulings, and GPDPs (Gramme Panchayat Development Plans) of the Gramme Sabha.
• The public has the ability to rate finished projects, suggest new ones, and provide comments.
• Geo-Features: Geo-fencing and geo-tagging for projects and grievance resolution.
• Interface in Multiple Languages: To guarantee inclusivity, it is available in more than 12 Indian languages.
• Weather and Infrastructure Information: Service details, civic assets, and weather forecasts by panchayat.
• Tools for Social Audits: Openness in tracking performance and using funds.

Acknowledgement of Awards:
• Honoured with the 2025 WSIS Champion Award in the category of “Cultural Diversity and Local Content.”
• Presented at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event, which was organised by UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, and ITU.
• Renowned throughout the world as an example of digital, citizen-centered rural governance.