Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to launch an online panchayat proceedings system – Him e-Panchayat Proceedings System – aimed at bringing meetings of panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads into the digital domain.Rural development and panchayati raj minister Anirudh Singh launched the portal at Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration during a two-day national-level orientation workshop on the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and departmental schemes.He said the system would improve transparency, accountability and record management while reducing dependence on physical documents.The portal will enable online updating of meeting agendas, proceedings and attendance of pradhans, deputy pradhans, ward members and gram sabha members. It will also digitally determine quorum and provide an e-signature facility for approved proceedings.The minister said the portal would be linked with the panchayati raj department’s official website, eventually allowing citizens to access proceedings of panchayat meetings.He also stressed effective utilisation of govt funds, women’s empowerment through the NRLM and developing new revenue sources to make panchayats self-reliant.
