Panchayats & Rural Development Department, Govt. of West Bengal, formulates the policies for administration and facilitation of functioning of the three-tier Panchayats in the State. The Department also administers all rural development programmes, either Central Sector or State Sector in the State. Following are the specific activities undertaken by the Department:

• Amendment in the West Bengal Panchayat Act and related Rules from time to time,
• Framing of Rules, Guidelines governing functioning of the Panchayats in the State including people’s participation at Gram Sabha and at the Gram Sansad,
• Functioning as the government in matters pertaining to elections in the Panchayats,
• Facilitating preparation of participatory planning involving people’s representatives, other stake-holders and the rural people at large,
• Providing implementation support to different rural development programmes in the sectors of wage employment and guarantee, livelihood augmentation, shelter, social assistance and social protection, development of rural infrastructure including roads,public health involving Panchayats, additional educational support in the rural areas, environmental sanitation and personal hygiene.

The Department also takes regular measures for capacity building of Panchayats and other measures to strengthen the Panchayat system in the State. The Department manages the activities of the Comprehensive Area Development Corporation (WBCADC), the Society for Training & Research on Panchayats & Rural Development (STARPARD), the B R Ambedkar Institute of Panchayats& Rural Development (BRAIPARD) and the West Bengal State Rural Development Agency (WBSRDA)