Panchayati Raj

Panchayati Raj

The Panchayati Raj is a three-tier administrative structure that looks after the development of rural areas. It aims to develop local self-government in villages, zones, and districts. The Panchayati Raj has been successful in achieving the goals in all the states in India, except for Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Darjeeling district, and almost all Union Territories except Delhi.

How Panchayati Raj Has Developed

The Panchayati Raj has been around in rural India for many centuries. In ancient India, they were elected councils that consisted of judicial powers and executives. However, foreign powers such as the Mughal and the British often undermined their importance. The Panchayati Raj system witnessed a huge evolution with the achievement of independence and the drafting of the constitution. Article 40 of the Indian constitution says that it is the state that can organise village panchayats and support them with the powers and authority necessary to help them act as legions of self-government.

The Government has appointed many committees responsible for implementing the Panchayati Raj and recommended the steps to attain this goal, including the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee, Ashok Mehta Committee, G V K Rao Committee, and L M Singhvi Committee.

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee came into existence in 1957. It aimed to examine and recommend measures for the betterment of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service. It was this committee that advised to set up what is Panchayati Raj system, which will be a democratic, decentralised local government. Furthermore, it made the following recommendations –

• To set up a Three-tier Panchayati Raj system, which will constitute the Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad.

• The Gram Parishad should have directly elected representatives, whereas the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad must have indirectly elected representatives.

• The Panchayati Raj should look after the planning and development of the rural areas.

• The executive body is the Panchayat Samiti, and the advisory body is the Zila Parishad. 

• The district collector is the chairman of the Zila Parishad. 

• It asked to be provided with resources to help them discharge their duties. 

The Ashok Mehta Committee

The Ashok Mehta Committee came into existence in 1977 to suggest measures that shall strengthen the Panchayati Raj system. It made the following recommendations –

• The Panchayati Raj system should be 2 tiered – Zila Parishad for district level and the Mandal Panchayat for a group of villages. 

• After the state level, the district level should be the first level of supervision. 

• Zila Parishad is the executive body that plans at the district level.

• The institutions must have mandatory taxation powers that shall mobilise their financial resources.

G V K Rao Committee

The G V K Rao Committee was appointed in 1985 by the planning commission. It found that bureaucratism stopped the Panchayati Raj institutions from developing at grassroots levels. Thus, it made the following recommendations –

• The Zila Parishad is to be made the principal body that will look after all developmental programs at the district level. 

• The lower levels of the Panchayati Raj will be given specific planning, implementation, and supervising tasks of the rural development programs. 

• A District Development Commissioner post has to be created, who will be the chief executive officer of the Zila Parishad. 

• Panchayati Raj elections should be held regularly. 

L M Singhvi Committee 

The L M Singhvi Committee was appointed in 1985 to advise steps that shall revitalise the Panchayati Raj system for development and democracy. It made the following recommendations –

• The Panchayati raj system needs to be recognised constitutionally. Constitutional provisions should also be made to hold a free and fair election for the system. 

• Villages should be reorganised to make gram panchayats more viable. 

• Village panchayats should be given more finances for their functions. 

• Each state should have a judicial tribunal that will adjudicate factors related to the Panchayati raj elections and functions.

73rd Constitutional Amendment Act

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act added part XI to the Indian constitution, “the Panchayats”, and the 11th schedule that contains the 29 functions of the panchayats. It directs the state to organise the gram panchayats and give them the power to function as self-government. With this act, the Panchayati raj came under the justiciable part of the constitution and mandated the adoption of panchayats in all states. The features of the act are as follows –

• Gram Saha is the primary body of the Panchayati raj system. It is a village assembly that shall have all registered voters in the area and exercise powers determined by the state legislatures. 

• It is 3 tier system, including the village, intermediate, and district levels. If the state has less than 20 lakh people, the intermediate level is not required. 

• The members of Panchayati Raj are to be elected directly, whereas the chairpersons have to be indirectly elected by the elected members. 

• Reservation of seats for SC, ST, OBC, and women have to be made. 

• All levels of the panchayat will hold the office for a term of 5 years, but it can be dissolved before its completion.

• The gram panchayat will plan for the economic development, social justice, implementation of schemes for the economic development of villages. 

• The state legislatures give power to the panchayat to levy and collect taxes, suits, and fees, to fund the workings of the panchayats. 

• This act does not apply to the states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Darjeeling district in West Bengal, and a few other scheduled and tribal areas.

Conclusion

The Panchayati raj system in India has existed forever; It’s not just a post-independence phenomena. Panchayats of the villages have been the dominant political institutions for decades and even centuries in the rural areas. It has travelled through changes and yet has remained a supporting pillar throughout the history of India.