Department of Panchayat and Rural Development in Chhattisgarh

The structure of Panchayati Raj is not a new emerging concept in India, the conceptualization of the same has been played by the ancestors for a long time. Strong Panchayati system is accustomed to be the hallmark for Indian civilization. The mode of panchayat is being treated as the best dispute solving mechanism in comparison with awaited litigation. 

The Panchayati raj at village level and municipalities at town level are treated as third tier governments after state and union governments. The introduction of this structure was the most demanded development in the Indian political structure by the opposition of that time and it is a result of the Balwant Mehta committee which recommended the inception of the same concept in the year of 1957.  

In India there is two sets of bifurcation can be drawn in the terms of third tier government structure, there is one group of states where two tier government structure exists which includes Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Goa, Manipur etc, and in other group where the states follow the three tier structure which populations exceed 20 lakhs like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh etc.   

The Panchayati Raj Institution in particular,  plays a very essential role in rural development as the real problem is more known to the population of the concerned village rather than the person who is seated at state level.   

Structure of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Chhattisgarh 

 Chhattisgarh was a part of Madhya Pradesh and got separated on 1st of November in the year of 2000 along with Jharkhand which weeded out from Bihar and Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh. 

The introduction of the Panchayati Raj Institution in the Indian Constitution took effect via the 73rd constitutional Amendment in 1993.

The political structure of Madhya Pradesh used to be a third tier government and the same structure transferred to the newly created state Chhattisgarh and it is also stated in Section 78 and 79 of the Madhya Pradesh Reorganization Act came in the year of 2000, as per the words of the above mentioned section the Chattisgarh will operate the three tier System. 

The three tier will be divided in the followings heads:

At Village Level

There are two bodies operating at Village level, one is Gram Sabha which provides the platform to the local people to share their views on the matter of daily urgency and the second statutory body is Gram Panchayat, which is accountable to work for the development assignments. 

Gram Panchayat

It is an elected executive body made out at village level. It is further divided into various wards and each elected ward will choose the panch of the respective ward and elected Panch will shape the structure of the Gram Panchayat which further will be headed by the Sarpanch. The state government also sends one representative of state as a Panchayat Secretary.  

Gram Panchayat is responsible for various bits and pieces like it recommends to the state government regarding upcoming construction work coming from that village, also suggests developing projects concerning health, sanitation and education of children and women etc. 

Gram Sabha

It reflects the true visuals of direct democracy in India which is quite common in Switzerland. In the Gram Sabha,  every registered voter of that village becomes the de facto member and they also can take part in discussion in order to make the system transparent and effective. 

At Block Level 

At every Block level there is a Janapad Panchayat formed by combining various villages of that Block.  

Janapad Panchayat

Its members are elected directly by the registered voters of that area. Every block consists of a number of constituencies overthere voters can vote for them. Every Janapad Panchayat is headed by the President who is elected by elected members of that block. 

At District Level

Zila Panchayat is established in every District of the state. A zila Panchayat formed by combining various Janapad Panchayats.

Zila Panchayat

Zila Panchayat or Zila Parisad is formed through elected members of every constituency sanctioned for that district. It is responsible to take care of developing work at District level like budgeting, taxation, construction, education and implementation of government policy at District. 

Roles and Functions of Panchayati Raj Department in Rural Development 

Establishment of Panchayati Raj Department under the cap of Panchayati Raj Institutions can play a very significant role in implementation of various schemes and policies of the state and union government at every corner and remote area of India. 

The Department of Panchayat and Rural Development has implemented numerous center sponsored schemes like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Rural Housing, Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana etc. and also brought considerable changes in the sector of education, health, skill development and more than meets the eye.  

Conclusion

Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Neheru were the big supporters of the Panchayati Raj Institutions as through which decentralization of power can be maintained and no one can take action as per their own whims and fancies. Money will be in control of the real executor as no one can know the actual problems of the concerned village other than villagers. After the establishment of the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development in the State, the center funded schemes effortlessly reached to the actual needy of the village population.