Odisha Plans Panchayat Restructure Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Odisha government intends to restructure gram panchayats ahead of the 2027 panchayati raj elections, as revealed by PR&DW Minister Rabi Narayan Naik. This follows Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati's advice to analyze panchayat structures for better decentralization and state funding. The review also covered various rural development schemes.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Bhubaneswar | Updated: 13-08-2025 16:20 IST | Created: 13-08-2025 16:20 IST

Odisha Plans Panchayat Restructure Ahead of 2027 Elections — This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

Country:
India

The Odisha government announced plans to overhaul its gram panchayats before the state's panchayati raj elections scheduled for 2027. Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik asserted the intent to restructure these local bodies and subsequently reorganize blocks ahead of the 2029 general elections for the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly.

This announcement follows a suggestion from Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, who called for a comprehensive examination of the existing panchayat and revenue village system to assess the potential for increasing their numbers. The governor highlighted that decentralization enhances program delivery and improves oversight, whereas a smaller number of panchayats could result in missed funding opportunities under certain schemes.

During a recent review, Kambhampati discussed the Jal Jeevan Mission's progress and evaluated several other rural development initiatives, including Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha, PMAY-Gramin, and MGNREGS. Direct engagement with executing agencies was emphasized to ensure projects adhere to timelines and effectively address challenges.

(With inputs from agencies.)