Agartala, March 14, 2024: In a significant move towards modernizing rural governance, Tripura’s state government has announced the adoption of a Unified Payment Interface (UPI)-based payment system at the Gram Panchayat and Village Committee level. This initiative aims to streamline the collection of both tax and non-tax revenue, making governance more accessible to residents at the grassroots level.

Sandeep R Rathod, Secretary of the Rural Development Department, emphasized Tripura’s pioneering status in integrating new-age payment methods into rural administration. He stated, “Tripura is among the very few states in the country that has successfully adopted the new age payment methods for both collections of tax and non-tax revenue at the village level. This is a step forward to make governance accessible to all.”

Impressed by Tripura’s advancements in Panchayati Raj, elected representatives from Maharashtra and Assam visited the state to study its rural governance model. This indicates the growing interest in replicating Tripura’s success in other regions.

Furthermore, in the fiscal year 2023-24, the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission has been instrumental in forming 5,843 women self-help groups, benefiting 81,331 rural families. The mission has included a total of 4,68,256 impoverished rural families in 51,555 women-led self-help groups, empowering them economically.

Financial support has been substantial, with the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission disbursing Rs. 26.11 crore as revolving funds and Rs. 18.27 crore as community investment funds to the self-help groups. Additionally, Rs. 9.03 crore has been allocated as vulnerability reduction funds for Village Organizations. The mission has also facilitated bank loans totaling Rs. 403.93 crore in the fiscal year 2023-24, aimed at boosting livelihood activities among self-help group members. Notably, the cumulative amount of bank loans disbursed thus far stands at Rs. 1127.41 crore.

To further aid self-help groups, 600 custom hearing centers have been established, with approximately 121 centers inaugurated in the current fiscal year alone.

Tripura’s initiatives underscore a concerted effort towards inclusive and progressive rural development, setting a commendable example for other states to follow.