Panchayati Raj system  has been in existence since long in India and always been hailed  as a classic example of decentralization  of governance  for achieving sustainable development of villages. During last decade it has got a shot in the arm with the aid of technologies  which has made it more robust and  people-friendly. Geographical Information System or  GIS is one such and  the recent state level training-cum-workshop on GIS Based Gram Panchayat Planning under MGNREGA was  of  vital importance  since  it is actually the homework   process for  implementation of this great technological aid  in socio-economic upliftment  of the state’s villages.

GIS, which is basically the science of obtaining information from a  distance is  ushering in solid changes  in economic, social and scientific endeavours  of nations all over world. For  India, a country vast in every sense  in terms of area,  population and evolving economic challenges, it is really a great  gift of modern science to count on,  in quest of  inclusive growth, social equity and development. It is little wonder why GIS has been given such huge importance by  policy makers of the country and viewed as not just essential but an urgent necessity. Time and again it had proved that it can be an indisputable tool for bringing  inclusive economic growth, expedite development  and reduce disparity among common people who are the actual intended beneficiaries.

It is often repeated that India lives in villages and it wouldn’t also be wrong to remark  that most of the nation’s woes have their severe  manifestations in villages. Gram Panchayats are the lowest units of rural local self-government system  and  their importance  in rural India hardly needs any  elaboration as they  are in actual  touch with the  rural masses and  understands  the ground realities far better than most of the  administrative  hierarchies. To make   the institution of Panchayati Raj stronger, it has been planned to incorporate GIS  comprehensively  in all states. The basic data which form a  part and parcel of  any rural development planning  regarding infrastructure of roads, drinking water resources, schools,  household information, housing structure, type of material used in house construction, basic amenities like electricity, water, telephone , house & water  taxes etc  will now be more efficiently gathered via GIS, thus ushering in transparency and  efficiency.

GIS can be of  great assist to Arunachal not only for MGNREGA alone but also in its overall rural  developmental strategies keeping in mind the landlocked nature of its topography and long history of below average development. 

It’s an appreciable and extraordinary tool and full use of it will ensure materialization of  Arunachal’s  rural aspirational goals within the set out time frames.