Ministry of Panchayati Raj

The Panchayati Raj has always been associated with rural development and the growth of infrastructure. The institutions of the Panchayati Raj were established with the idea of these bodies governing themselves with the support and guidance of central and state governments. Through the census, the Indian government had realised that the number of rural areas and communities far exceeds urban areas. The state of development and administration in these regions was abysmal. That is why through the workings of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee and Ashok Mehta Committee through the 1960s and the 1970s, rural development was emphasised in administration. 

Panchayati Raj

The Panchayati Raj was tasked with the rural development of India. The Panchayati Raj and rural development was not a rapid process but took time and effort to come about. The rural regions of the country were in shambles and were suffering from corruption and a lack of proper administration. The health and education systems were not introduced or upheld properly and the risk of spread of deadly pathogens was the most in these areas. No proper infrastructure had been established to spread education and awareness about health and hygiene and the people were suffering because of it. That is why Panchayati Raj and rural development were so important at this intersection of changes. 

Ministry of Panchayati

The Ministry of Panchayati is a part of the Indian government and acts as a separate branch imbued with federal duties and functions. Giriraj Singh and Kapil Moreshwar Patil are notable personalities associated with the Ministry of Panchayati. Relevant information can also be found in the Panchayati Raj article. This is done through the establishment of schools, primary health care centres, trade unions, and colleges. Through the infrastructure being promoted, roads and water supply, and drainage systems are also improved. Rural development is also promoted by the Panchayati Raj by promoting business and trade and encouraging people to register themselves as businessmen. 

Panchayati Raj and Rural Development

The recommendation made by the Ashok Mehta Committee is more or less followed in West Bengal, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, with emphasis on the two self-governing bodies of Zila and Mandal Parishad. Elsewhere, various combinations of the three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj are visible. The Panchayati Raj and rural development focus on bringing more businesses to invest in the rural economy, promoting factories and industrialization as well as promoting indigenous art and craft on a national and international level. Rural development is geared toward spreading education and healthcare facilities amongst the rural masses for their benefit. 

Structure of Panchayati Raj

The Panchayat is made up of three tiers. Gram Panchayat is at the village level, and Panchayat Samiti and Mandal Parishad are at the block level with the Zila Parishad being at the top or district level. The Panchayati Raj forms the local government side of the infrastructure in an effort of democratic decentralisation. Through these institutions, rural development is geared toward spreading education and healthcare facilities amongst the rural masses for their benefit.

Conclusion

The development of the Panchayati Raj itself took many iterations. The three-tiered system seemingly promoted more bureaucracy and was shown to be ineffective in most cases. Therefore, a two-tier structure consisting of only the Zila Parishad and the Block Samiti was espoused but was not systematically adopted.