Panchayati Raj

The level of governance varies and is specifically benchmarked in each tier of government. The Panchayati raj system is predominantly a vital and eminent tier of the Indian governing system. The origin of the Panchayati Raj can be traced back to the 2nd Millenium BCE in India during the then prevailing Vedic period. The unit “grama” or the “gram” is considered the fundamental level of self-administration since historic times in India. The foundation of establishing Panchayati raj and the idea of strategic building of the ministry of Panchayati raj was first advocated by Mahatma Gandhi. The move for developing and re-establishing the long historic idea of Panchayati Raj systems was considered a vital and a very prominent move towards providing the then British rule India with a new method of “Gram Swaraj” or “village self-governance” that started from the basic level of administration. This also granted a sense of freedom and allowed more people to unite together to fulfill the dream of an Independent India. The Panchayati Raj is considered not only to be a vital step toward creating a developing India rather it might also be considered a bold and more strategic approach toward instilling a sense of freedom and strength in the minds of British ruled Indian people. This mentioned fascinating fact about the Panchayati Raj system might intrigue us to know what Panchayati Raj is and how the Panchayati Raj works such as the strategic part of the Ministry of Panchayati raj and its working.

What is Panchayati Raj?

The Panchayati Raj also called the “committee” or “organization” of five individuals is the governing system of localised grass-root government of areas in primary sections of India. The Panchayati Raj system works in an opposed manner concerning secondary and municipality-based cities. The Panchayati raj system consists of various Panchayati Raj bodies or organizations at various levels such as the Ministry of Panchayati Raj where basic self-administration and maintenance of the rural areas are mainly obtained. The organization or occurrence of the Panchayati Raj is depicted in segment ninth including in the Constitutional ordinance of India. The ninth part describes that any state or union territory of India constituting greater than a figure of more than 10 lakhs of the population comes under the Panchayati Raj institutions (PRI) mainly comprises:

• the Panchayats present at the village tier
• the Mandal Sabha or Block organization or local body Samiti at the block tier
• the Zila organization at the district tier

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj

The Panchayati Raj is the fundamental administrative tier of governance for rural areas and villages in India. The Panchayati Raj management mainly centres on a five member-based council or committee who are responsible for maintaining the basic structure of governance and administration in the respective region or rural area. The basic government-based identity that is responsible for proper upholding and maintenance of the smooth administration and upholding of the Panchayati Raj system & its bodies is the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The Panchayati Raj Ministry has seen several ministers of the Panchayati Raj system maintain their responsibilities through the years. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is primarily responsible for advocating for and watching over the norms laid by the Constitution 73rd Amendment Act, the Provisions of the Panchayats and the Panchayati Raj system. Some of the Ministers who have held this position are Gopinath Munde, Giriraj Singh, Upendra Kushwaha, etc. It is also vital to learn the fact that the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is different for both the State and Union governments as India is a union of states. The Panchayati Raj Ministry was created in 2004. 

Functions of the Panchayati Raj

The working of the Panchayati Raj system is mainly based on rural areas such as tehsil, Zilla and village areas. They are also headed respectively by Block Development Officer (BDO), Indian Administrative Service Cadre and The Sarpanch. The Panchayati raj working is monitored by the Ministry of Union and State governments respectively. Some of the functions of the Panchayati raj mainly include:

• Provide fundamental services and facilities to the rural population
• Supply enhanced seeds to farmers and aware them of improved farming techniques
• Establish and run schools and libraries in rural sections
• Maintain availability of clean drinking water, proper drainage and establishment/improvement of roadways and communications
• Establishment of youth-oriented groups and organizations in various sections of the Panchayati raj system

Conclusion

The article attempted to portray the fundamentals of what is Panchayati Raj and how it came into implementation. The narrative has also tried to explain the brief history of the prehistoric presence of the Panchayati Raj and its association with the independence events of India. The article has also described the ministry of Panchayati Raj and its role in the government body’s maintenance. Few functions of the Panchayati Raj and brief knowledge about the Panchayati Raj system are also described in the article.