Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
Q1. Highlighting the evolution of Panchayati Raj in India (PRI). Mention the reasons why it has not been able to achieve its targets and the efforts of the government to strengthen the PRIs. (150 Words, 10 Marks)
Decoding the Question:
- Introduction: Give a brief overview of Panchayati Raj.
- Body:
o Give an evolutionary perspective of PRI.
o Mention the reasons why they have not achieved their targets.
o Describe the efforts of the government to strengthen PRIs.
- Conclusion: Conclude by stating why power devolution needs to be done.
Answer:
In India, “Panchayati Raj” refers to the local self-government in rural areas. The establishment of grassroots democracy in all Indian states has been mandated by state legislature Acts. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 gave it a Constitutional status.
Evolution of Panchayati Raj:
- Balwant Rai Mehta Committee: A Committee was established to Review the operation of the National Extension Service (1953) and the Community Development Programme (1952). It proposed “democratic decentralisation,” or Panchayati Raj as it is presently known. Its major recommendation includes:
○ Three-tier Panchayati Raj system: Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zilla Parishad. ○ Planning and development are the primary objectives of the Panchayati Raj system.
- Ashok Mehta Committee: It was established in 1977 and recommended how to revitalise the Panchayati Raj system. Its recommendation includes:
○ A two-tier system of Mandal Panchayat (a group of villages) and the Zilla Parishad (at the district level).
○ A district should be the first point for decentralisation.
- G.V.K Rao Committee: It was appointed by the Planning Commission in 1985. It recommended: ○ Zilla Parishad should be of pivotal importance in the scheme of democratic decentralisation.
○ The district and the lower tiers of the Panchayati Raj are tasked with the planning, execution, and oversight of the programs for the development of rural areas.
- L. M Singhvi Committee: Under L.M. Singhvi, the government appointed a Committee in 1986 to prepare a concept paper on “Revitalisation of Panchayati Raj Institutions for Democracy and Development.” Its recommendations include:
○ The Panchayati Raj institutions should be constitutionally recognised, protected, and preserved.
○ The Village Panchayats should have more financial resources.
- 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992: This Act added a new Part-IX to the Constitution of India. This part is entitled ‘The Panchayats’ and consists of provisions from Articles 243 to 243 O.
○ The Act gives constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and brought them under the justiciable part of the Constitution.
○ A new Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution was added. It contains 29 functional items of the panchayats. It deals with Article 243-G.
Reasons for Not Achieving the Targets:
- Lack of adequate devolution
- Excessive control by bureaucracy
- Tied nature of funds
- Overwhelming dependency on government funding
Efforts of Government to Strengthen PRIs:
- Grants and fund allocations for local organisations have both expanded significantly under successive Central Finance Commissions.
- The 15th Finance Commission recommended a total of Rs 90,000 crore for grants to the local bodies in 2020-21.
- Under the SWAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme, the Prime Minister started handing out e-property cards.
Power devolution must now take the place of political representation. The state political establishment must recognise the significance of PRIs and grant them the authority required by the Indian Constitution. Building the PRIs’ capacities as planners and evaluators, rather than just as project implementers, would strengthen the existence of local government.
