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What is Panchayati Raj System?
Our country’s top leaders and independence fighters, such as Mahatma Gandhi, had a deep belief in the system.
The framers of the Constitution were similarly convinced of the need for this system and included particular provisions in the Directive Principles of State Policy for the Panchayati Raj. According to the Constitution, the state will create Village Panchayats. It will assist in their improvement by providing them with the necessary rights and authority to operate as a part of local self-government.
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The Community Development Programme, which occurred during the First Five-Year Plan, was the first time Panchayati raj and its core tasks were put into operation.
A special committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Balwant Rai Mehta to improve the effectiveness of the Panchayati Raj. In its final report, the famous Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommended that the government establishes a three-tier Panchayati Raj system where:
- The Gram Panchayats will work at the most basic village level,
- Panchayat Samitis will work at the intermediate block level, and
- Zila Parishad will work at the ground district level
The National Development Council proposed a similar local government structure in 1958, with the village at the bottom of the system and the district at the top. However, it was not until the 73rd Constitutional Amendment of 1992 that the Panchayati Raj System received its current framework.
Panchayati Raj systems have been established at three levels in most states and places: village, intermediate, and district. However, in smaller states with less than 20 lakh people, there are just two tiers: village and district.
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The 73rd Constitutional Amendment 1992
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act of 1992 begins a new era in the country’s federal democratic setup, giving the Panchayati Raj Institutions constitutional legitimacy (PRIs).
The main features of the Act are
- Establishment and creation of a three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat (Village Panchayat), Panchayat Samiti (Intermediate Panchayat), and Zila Parishad (District Panchayat)
- Keep track of regular elections, which happen roughly every five years
- Special reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be provided and secured in proportion to their numbers
- The one-third reservation of total seats for women at three different levels of rural development and panchayat raj. It is also called the three-tier system of Panchayati Raj
- It will aid in the formation of State Finance Commissions that will suggest methods to enhance panchayat finances and payments and the formation of special State Election Commissions to oversee the organisation’s elections
- District Planning Committees are being formed to draft development strategies for various districts
- They will also assist in creating programmes for economic growth and, on the other side, social justice and the 29 issues included in the Constitution’s 11th Schedule
- Grama Sabha’s major formation and empowerment as a powerful entity at the local level; and
- It also participates in the rotation in compliance with the allotment of seats in the PRIs for classes such as women and Scheduled Castes
- The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act grants the Panchayati Raj the rights and authority to administer justice at the local level, allowing them to function
- It contains several special action powers that give them the authority to disperse powers and other responsibilities related to (a) developing various plans for economic development and ensuring swift and equitable social justice, and (b) implementing all such plans for economic development and social justice
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Organisation
The Gram Panchayat, also known as the Village Panchayat, is the central entity of the Panchayati Raj System. A Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat with a distinct Chairperson called Gram Pradhan or Sarpanch (Mukhia), a Vice-Chairperson, and certain Panches can be found here.
In truth, Village Panchayats are in operation, and they operate only in compliance with state legislation. However, Panchayati Raj Institutions are often stringent and well-organised. They operate as follows: A Gram Sabha, also known as a Village Assembly, is made up of all adults, or voters (those over the age of 18), who live in a Gram Panchayat, which is a village or a group of minor villages.
The Gram Sabha has gained a reputation as a legal authority. The judicial system functions as a legislative body. At least two Gram Sabha meetings are conducted each year. The Gram Sabha discusses the amount or budget of the Gram Panchayat during its first meeting.
It reviews Gram Panchayat’s most critical and relevant reports during its second meeting. Gram Sabha’s key responsibilities are to evaluate the panchayat’s yearly finances, consider various audits and administrative reports, and file the panchayat’s tax proposals. It also takes community service, additional voluntary labour, and newer Panchayat projects.
Members of the Gram Sabha elect the members of the Gram Panchayat and the head chairperson. The States will ensure that all Gram Sabhas in their respective districts are fully operational.
The Village Panchayat, also known as the Gram Panchayat, is Gram Sabha’s main executive council. It is the most important source of local self-government in rural areas. All members of Gram Sabha are voters with the authority to elect members of the panchayat by a secret ballot. In most parts of India, a Village Panchayat comprises between 5 and 9 members known as Panches. In every panchayat, there is a rule that one-third of the seats be designated for women. However, in other parts of India, the proportion of seats allotted for women is higher. People from the Scheduled Castes and Tribes are given reservation seats.
All of the electors in the village elect the Sarpanch (Mukhia) of the Panchayat. 1/3rd of Sarpanch posts are reserved for women, while others are reserved for people from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Sarpanch is the most important person in the panchayat since he can summon and preside over Panchayat meetings. Every month, he or she must preside over at least one Panchayat meeting. The Panches can also request special meetings on crucial matters.
He or she has the authority to summon such a special meeting within three days of receiving the request. Every meeting of the panchayat’s agenda is kept on file by the Sarpanch. The members of the panchayat choose the Vice Chairperson in most cases. The Village Panchayat has a 5-year term limit.
All of the Gram Panchayat’s essential functions are linked to the overall well-being and growth of the village. Every Gram Panchayat has to perform some very important functions to meet the needs and basic requirements of the villagers, such as providing safe drinking water, paving streets, and even developing and maintaining a good drainage system, ensuring village cleanliness, upkeep of street lights, dispensary, and so on. These are described as “main” or “obligatory” functions.
Other panchayat functions are optional and can be carried out if the panchayat has the funding. These include tree and herb planting, the establishment and maintenance of a cattle insemination centre, the development and maintenance of sports centres, and the establishment and operation of a library. It is the state government or the federal government that performs duties and delegates them to Panchayats from time to time. One should maintain his or her home’s surroundings clean, not squander drinking water, and continue to grow trees.
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Sources of Income of Gram Panchayats
Financial resources and any other contributions are required for Panchayats to present their functions, whether they be developmental or otherwise. Gram Panchayats can function effectively and efficiently if they have a sufficient budget. State governments have increased the Panchayats’ ability to charge taxes and collect revenues in addition to the Grants-in-Aid.
Some of the sources are as follows
Revenue taxes on particular property, unique and special land, products, and other livestock; the rent earned for various facilities is distinct from the panchayat’s other properties. Fines of various forms are collected from all other offenders. It can also assist in obtaining grants-in-aid from other governments.
Panchayats receive a portion of the basic land revenue and other associated earnings for the state and the federal government and additional special money and donations from the villages for some urgent reason.
Conclusion
In India, the Panchayati Raj system is not a post-independence development. For decades, the village panchayat has been the most powerful political entity in rural India. Panchayats were elected councils in ancient India that had administrative and judicial authority. Panchayati Raj is a three-tiered administrative framework in India that focuses on rural development. The Panchayati Raj is a system of local self-government that is used to build districts, zones, and villages.
