Bhubaneswar: Panchayats should not be viewed merely as implementation agencies but should be empowered to develop local systems, resources and ownership for sustainable rural development, said Avimuktesh Bhardwaj, Chief Operating Officer of Back to Village, at the third edition of the Earth Again Conference 2026 on Saturday.

Speaking at a session on ‘Smart Panchayats’ under the Rural Development/Climate segment, Bhardwaj stressed the need for stronger collaboration between panchayats and civil society organisations to create systems that can sustain development initiatives over the long term.

The session, moderated by Sailabala Panda, Lead, Centre of Excellence - Forest, PRADAN, was held at the MKCG Auditorium of Utkal University and organised by Sambad and Ama Odisha.

Bhardwaj said institutional structures and resources are available in many areas, but these need to be effectively utilised to enable communities to learn from one another and sustain successful initiatives.

He pointed out that while certain rules and practices in the government system can be transferred from one panchayat to another, continuity is essential in several areas of development.

“Civil society organisations can play a major role by working together with panchayats,” Bhardwaj said, adding that such organisations can provide administrative support and help strengthen institutional systems at the grassroots level.

According to him, four key elements are necessary to scale up any initiative or development model: a replicable model, an institutional framework, adequate resources and a sense of ownership among local communities.

He said panchayats should also develop their own entrepreneurial capabilities instead of depending entirely on government assistance, with the government playing the role of a partner and facilitator.

Bhardwaj stressed the importance of ensuring continuity in development work even when elected representatives such as sarpanches or other panchayat representatives change.

He said civil society organisations and panchayats should work together to establish durable systems so that development initiatives do not come to a halt with changes in local leadership.

He emphasised that empowering local institutions, strengthening community ownership and building institutional continuity are crucial for creating smart and resilient panchayats capable of addressing emerging rural and climate-related challenges.