UPSC Prelims 2026 Q74: Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan Explained
Which of the following statements with respect to the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is/are correct?
1. The period of its implementation is 1st April, 2021 to 31st March, 2026.
2. The key objective of the Revamped RGSA is to develop the governance capabilities of the Panchayati Raj Institutions to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.
3. The share of the Central funding for the Revamped RGSA is 100% for all States and Union Territories.
- 1 and 2
- 2 only
- 1 and 3
- 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 only
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: incorrect — The Union Cabinet approved the Revamped RGSA in April 2022 for 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026, which covers FY 2022-23 to 2025-26. The statement moves the start back to 2021 and so gives a five-year window. The real period is four years. The first restructured RGSA ran from 2018-19 to 2021-22. The revamped version took over after that period ended.
- 2: correct — The Cabinet approval names the scheme's purpose: to develop the governance capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. It covers more than 2.78 lakh rural local bodies, including traditional bodies. It focuses on the nine themes of Localisation of SDGs (LSDGs), such as Healthy Village, Water Sufficient Village and Village with Good Governance.
- 3: incorrect — Central funding is not 100% everywhere. The State component is shared 60:40 between the Centre and the States. The ratio is 90:10 for the North-Eastern States, the hilly States and the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. The Centre pays 100% only for the other UTs and for the separate Central component. Of the ₹5,911 crore outlay, the Centre's share is ₹3,700 crore and the States' share is ₹2,211 crore.
How to eliminate
Statement 3 is the easiest to test. RGSA is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, not a Central Sector Scheme. CSS funding is normally 60:40 for most States and 90:10 for NE and Himalayan States. A claim of '100% for all States and Union Territories' would make it a Central Sector Scheme. Treat the absolute word 'all' as a red flag. Once statement 3 is out, only two options remain: '1 and 2' and '2 only'. Statement 2 is in both, so it needs no checking. The question now turns only on the dates in statement 1. Basic knowledge cannot settle that. You need to remember that the Revamped RGSA runs from 2022-23 to 2025-26, with the Cabinet approving it in April 2022. The '2021' in the statement is a close-but-wrong date of the kind UPSC often uses as a trap.
Know more
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is the Ministry of Panchayati Raj's main scheme for building the capacity of panchayats. Its core work is training elected representatives and functionaries, along with support for the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), e-governance and the Panchayat Advancement Index.
| Feature | RGSA (restructured) | Revamped RGSA |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet approval | April 2018 | April 2022 |
| Period | 2018-19 to 2021-22 | 1 Apr 2022 to 31 Mar 2026 |
| Focus | Capacity building, PRI strengthening | Governance capability to deliver on SDGs (LSDGs) |
| Outlay | — | ₹5,911 cr (Centre ₹3,700 cr; States ₹2,211 cr) |
Funding pattern (Revamped RGSA)
| Component | Centre : State |
|---|---|
| Central component (national activities) | 100 : 0 |
| State component: general States | 60 : 40 |
| State component: NE, hilly States, UT of J&K | 90 : 10 |
| State component: other UTs | 100 : 0 |
Nine LSDG themes: poverty-free and enhanced livelihood village; healthy village; child-friendly village; water-sufficient village; clean and green village; self-sufficient infrastructure; socially secured village; village with good governance; and engendered (women-friendly) development.
Why it matters: The 73rd Amendment (1992) gave panchayats a constitutional status. Real devolution still depends on the three Fs: functions, funds and functionaries. RGSA works on the functionaries side through training and staff support. Finance Commission grants supply the funds. The 29 subjects of the Eleventh Schedule set out the functions.
Exam tip: For any CSS, learn four things: the ministry, the period, the funding ratio and the stated objective. UPSC's statement-based questions about schemes almost always test these.
In the news
The Revamped RGSA was due to end on 31 March 2026, two months before Prelims 2026. Its continuation, its SDG-linked targets and the Panchayat Advancement Index were all in the news around Panchayati Raj Diwas (24 April 2026).
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan: The question is about this scheme. Its status as a centrally sponsored scheme matters for judging any claim about its funding.
- Panchayat Advancement Index: The PAI measures panchayat performance across nine SDG themes, which links to the objective tested in one statement.
- Gram Panchayat Development Plan: The GPDP is the planning tool through which RGSA-trained panchayats are meant to turn SDG targets into village plans.
- Three Fs of devolution: The Revamped RGSA mainly targets the 'functionaries' and capacity side of the three Fs of devolution.
- Panchayati raj: Panchayati raj institutions are the rural local bodies whose governance capability the scheme aims to build.