Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has launched the ‘Drishti’ Online Platform, a new digital system designed to make financial audits of gram panchayats faster, more transparent and efficient. Alongside the platform, the Chief Minister also inaugurated a payment gateway on the Panchayat Darpan Portal, enabling citizens to make online payments for panchayat services.
The launch took place during the State Cabinet meeting at the Mantralaya in Bhopal. The government said the initiative marks a significant step towards fully digital remote financial audits of panchayats, making it one of the first such systems of its kind in India.
‘Drishti’ Platform to Speed Up Audits Across 23,011 Gram Panchayats
The Drishti Online Platform has been developed by the Panchayat Raj Directorate with technical support from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the guidance of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
The platform has been created to ensure timely financial audits of the state’s 23,011 gram panchayats, a mandatory requirement for receiving grants from the Central Finance Commission.
Using the online platform, auditors can securely access financial records, including income and expenditure statements, from their homes or offices without visiting panchayat offices. This will significantly reduce audit time while improving transparency and accountability.
According to the government, the digital system will enable even a limited number of auditors to complete financial audits across all gram panchayats within the prescribed timeline.
Digital Audits to Strengthen Financial Accountability
The state government believes the new platform will simplify the audit process while ensuring better financial governance.
Key benefits of the Drishti platform include:
- Faster financial audits across all gram panchayats
- Remote access to financial records for auditors
- Improved transparency in fund utilisation
- Reduced paperwork and administrative delays
- Better financial accountability and good governance
- Savings in time, manpower and public resources
The government expects the platform to strengthen monitoring of public funds and improve the efficiency of panchayat administration.
Payment Gateway Launched on Panchayat Darpan Portal
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also launched a new payment gateway on the Panchayat Darpan Portal.
The digital payment facility has been developed by the Panchayat Raj Directorate in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Madhya Pradesh Jal Nigam, and Union Bank of India.
Through the portal, gram panchayats can now generate bills for various citizen services, while residents can make payments online from anywhere and instantly receive digital receipts.
The system will automatically update panchayat records, reducing manual work and ensuring accurate documentation.
Online Services to Improve Citizen Convenience
The newly launched payment gateway is expected to make public services more accessible and transparent.
The facility will help:
- Citizens pay panchayat bills online from home
- Generate instant digital payment receipts
- Reduce visits to panchayat offices
- Save time and effort for both citizens and officials
- Maintain digital financial records automatically
- Ensure timely delivery of public services
The government said the initiative will increase transparency in service delivery while improving efficiency in local governance.
Government Focuses on Digital Governance and Transparency
The launch of the Drishti Online Platform and the Panchayat Darpan payment gateway reflects the Madhya Pradesh government’s focus on digital governance and administrative reforms.
By modernising financial audits and citizen payment services, the state aims to strengthen transparency, improve accountability and promote better governance at the grassroots level across all gram panchayats.
