PANCHAYATI RAJ AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Panchayati Raj was a pious dream of our great leader Mahatma Gandhi who

wanted to strengthen the democracy at the grassroots level by this system.

In our country, 70 per cent of the population is in rural areas and the panchayats

have been the backbone of the Indian villages since independence. Panchayati Raj

refers to the system of rural local self-government in India

The History of Panchayati Raj

The history of Panchayati Raj goes back since the days of our independence.

Efforts were made to strengthen the system of Panchayati Raj in order to give

citizens a sense of participation in the nation building programme. It was in

pursuance of this objective that community development programme was launched

in 1952. It was an effort to provide and encourage development and employment

in rural areas, use of scientific methods of agriculture, encourage cotton and small

scale industries among other things.

Different Committees Reports Regarding Panchayati Raj

To evaluate the effects of community development programme Balwant Rai Mehta

Committee was set up in 1953, that suggested setting up of Panchayati Raj

Institutions.

The underlying idea was to usher in an era of ‘Democratic Decentralisation’. Few

other committees that were formed on Panchayati Raj were : VT Krishnamachari,

1960; Ashok Mehta Committee, 1977; GVK Rao Committee, 1985; LM Singhvi

Committee, 1986. Finally, in 1993 through 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act,

Panchayati Raj Institutions were established.

Three Tier Structure of Panchayati Raj

The Constitution provides for a three tier structure of Panchayati Raj. The District

Panchayat or Zila Parishad at District level, a Block Panchayat at the intermediate

level and a Gram Panchayat at the village level. In most of the states, members of

Gram Panchayat constitute a body called Gram Sabha and all the voters of this

constituency are members of this body. Gram Sabha is not a tier of the system. It

doesn’t have any executive function and operates only as a recommending body.

Areas of Work of Panchayat

Almost all the states have delegated powers and responsibilities in varying degrees

to the panchayats. Article 243G of the Constitution has broadly outlined areas of

functions for preparing plans for socio-economic development of their areas. These

areas are explicitly highlighted in the 11th Schedule of the Constitution. The

functions highlighted are ensuring safe drinking water, maintaining community

assets, health and sanitation, rural electrification, physical infrastructure viz roads,

bridges, waterways etc.

There are many changes that these institutions have brought about. Under Articles

40 and 246 (3), the Constitution grants powers to the states to make laws to

enable the functioning of the self-government units. Haryana and Rajasthan are

the states who mandate to fix minimum education qualification for those

contesting in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s). In August 2015, the Bihar

Assembly also passed amendments making it mandatory for candidates contesting

Panchayat Polls to have toilets in their homes.

Through Gram Panchayats, activities in MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National

Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) are handed out and auditing of work is

done. MGNREGS has brought a sigh of relief for rural populace as rural distress

was brewing due to unemployment. MGNREGS has become a cog in the wheel of

growth and development. Gram Sabha acts as a pivotal body that is involved in

building infrastructure and providing employment to people in rural areas.

Different Schemes Implemented by It

Many State and Central Government schemes have been implemented at the

grassroot level by these bodies. Schemes of rural housing (Pradhan Mantri Awas

Yojana), rural electrification (Gramin Vidyut Abhiyantas), health and sanitation

(ICDS and Swachh Bharat Mission), physical infrastructure (Pradhan Mantri Gram

Sadak Yojana) etc., have made conspicuous difference in rural areas.

These schemes have been implemented with the assistance of the Panchayati Raj

Institutions. Similarly, Gram Panchayats have worked as the first response entity

during the times of disaster. Mock drills, awareness programme have enabled these

bodies to respond quickly during the needful times.

Significant Role Played by Panchayati Raj Institutions to Transformthe Face of Rural India

Panchayati Raj Institutions have broken the caste, age and gender structures of

village. No more higher caste people, old members and males are at the helm of

decision-making. The provision of 33% reservation for women and provision for

reservation for SC/ST in the body has enabled villagers and the government to

achieve parity in the village. This has broken the age old structures and has

mainstreamed the marginalised.

Among the states that already follow 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj

are Bihar, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. The

reservation of seats for women, Scheduled Castes and Tribes in Panchayats is a

welcome step, for it would make the institution of Panchayat more democratic,

representative and balanced.

Similarly, in the field of agriculture, these bodies have contributed enormously.

Awareness about organic farming, soil health card scheme has been implemented

with the help of Gram Sabha. Similarly, many infrastructure projects, animal

husbandry activities, fisheries etc., have been carried out by these bodies.

Cooperatives like AMUL were conceived at these levels. Therefore, pooling of

resources and efforts have been their hallmark.

Similarly, concepts of social forestry, agroforestry have been encouraged by

panchayats. The government has planned to set up formal markets which would

remove the intermediaries. So, that the maximum share of profit lands in the

hands of farmers. Panchayats will be an enabling factor in this scheme. Also,

panchayats have mandate to make plans and implement them in the areas of

small scale industries, food processing industries, khadi and cottage industries.

These industries require proper planning and financing. With coordination among

Central, State and Panchayat level bodies it will help in realising the full potential.

Challenges Faced by Panchayati Raj institutions

Panchayati Raj in India has not been an absolute success. Its functioning all these

years has demonstrated numerous shortcomings. These include

(i) The inadequacy of funds has stood in the way of successful working of the

Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(ii) The tendency on the part of the higher structure to treat the lower structure as

its subordinate is markedly visible.

(iii)Participation of the people hardly happens in reality since the key administrative

and technical positions are manned by the government officials.

(iv)The performance of Panchayati Raj Institutions has been vitiated by political cum

caste factionalism, rendering developmental projects into chimeras.

(v) These bodies also experience several administrative problems like politicisation of

local administration, lack of coordination between the popular and bureaucratic

elements etc.

These structural and functional issues, which have created impediment in realising

the full potential, needs to be dealt with strong hand.

Conclusion

Panchayati Raj Institutions have enormous potential to transform the face of

the rural India. But, there are some structural and functional issues which have

created impediments in realising the full potential. Thus, the Panchayat System

in India assumes a very significant role. This system is quite rational, practicable

and in perfect harmony with the spirit of democracy and should be further

strengthened and encouraged. It should be made economically viable and

self-sufficient by providing adequate resources, funds and generous grants.