♦ Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, S.P. Singh Baghel launched a devolution index report titled ‘Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States – An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024’ in New Delhi on 13 February 2025.
♦ The report evaluates six critical dimensions of the Panchayats: Framework, Functions, Finances, Functionaries, Capacity Building, and Accountability.
♦ The Index report provides insights into the progress of decentralization across States and Union Territories of the country. It also examines how autonomous panchayats are in making and implementing independent decisions.
♦ Top 10 States in Panchayat Devolution Index (DI Score > 55) are
| Rank | State |
| 1 | Karnataka |
| 2 | Kerala |
| 3 | Tamil Nadu |
| 4 | Maharashtra |
| 5 | Uttar Pradesh |
| 6 | Gujarat |
| 7 | Tripura |
| 8 | Rajasthan |
| 9 | West Bengal |
| 10 | Chattisgarh |
♦ With the score in between 50 and 55, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, fall under the category of 'medium scoring States, showcasing commendable performance across all sub-indicators.