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Learning Circle- Banking Theory & Practice
Rural Development - Panchayati Raj System in
Independent India
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maintained by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, URL - http://sdnp.delhi.nic.in/node/ies/overview/overview.html ]
After the independence, Community Development Programme was started in 1952 AD. But because it was not attached with the people, therefore it couldn't prove to be a success story. People took it as a burden put on them by the government. A team, under the leadership of Balwantrai Mehta tried to find out the cause for the failure of this programme and came up with the inference that there should be an organisation at village level, which would select the true beneficiaries and implement various government programmes and schemes. This organisation would act as the representative of all the villagers and should ensure the development of the village as well as participation of villagers. In this way Balwantrai Mehta tried to achieve local self-government though Panchayats (the organisation). This concept of local self-government was the right step towards decentralized democracy. In this process, the State of Rajasthan for the first time adopted the three leveled structure of Panchayati Raj - Village Level, Intermediate Level and District Level. In 1977 AD. Ashok Mehta Committee was set up to review the working of Panchayats. The committee found out that Panchayati Raj is the soul of democracy and therefore it should be empowered with more authority. Those Panchayats which formed after 1977 AD. are known as Second Generation Panchayats. In West Bengal, the Panchayats became more effective after accepting the suggestions made in this report. During the decade of 1990, it was realized that without constitutional power, the self-government can't be fruitful, therefore the Central Government passed the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1992, which became effective from 20th April 1993 (from the date of publication in the Gazette of India). The basic concept of Panchayati Raj is that the villagers should think, decide and act for their own socio-economic interests. Thus Panchayati Raj Act is related to village self-governance, where the people in the form of an organisation will think, decide and act for their collective interest. Self-government allows us to decide about ourselves without hampering others interest. Whenever we talk about collective benefit one point is clear that there is no conflict between the villagers' collective interest on one side and societal and national interest on the other, rather they are complementary. Where the Panchayats end their activities the state govt. takes them up. The state govt. plays their major roles.
Besides these, once the democratic institution in the villages and towns becomes strong, the people's representatives can express the problems of their constituency in a better way. This will help in policy determination for national interest. This plan for 'Swaraj' (Self-government) can't be fulfilled only by making a new law. For the success of self-government self reliance is must. The self-reliance means: every village must produce according to its capacity and try to increase its capacity, which can be achieved in following ways:
Thus we find that self-governance is a concept which is the base for success of democracy. And for self-governance Panchayati Raj System is a must. Constitutional Status : Three Leveled System : Election : Reservation of Seats : The number of reserved seats for Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes will be proportionate to the ration of population of SCs and STs to Total Population of the Panchayat area. One third of the total seat will be reserved for women. It will include the reserved seats for SCs and STs. Responsibility :
Powers and Authorities : Constitution of Finance Commission : Panchayat and Environment :
During the decade of 1990, it was realized that without constitutional power, the self-government or Panchayati Raj couldn't be fruitful; therefore the Central Government passed the 73rd constitutional Amendment Acts of 1992, which became effective from 20th April 1993. The basic concept of Panchyati Raj is that the villagers should think, decide and act for their own socio-economic interests. Thus, it is related to village self-governance, where the people in the form of an organisation will think, decide and act for their collective interests. For integrated rural development decentralization of power and resources to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) is an essential element. It has been also realized that Panchayat can play effective role through drawing local people's participation in sustainable harvesting and management of local resources. If financial and technical assistance is provided to them, they will certainly take positive initiatives in solving local environmental problems. Agriculture, land improvement, forestry, tree planting, animal husbandry, village and cottage industries, drinking water, poverty alleviation programmes, health, sanitation, family welfare etc. are necessarily the concern of the village Panchayats. To fulfil the expectations of rural development consideration of environment in its totality (economic, political, technological, cultural, historical, moral and aesthetics) is very essential. Documenting environmental issues form local, national and international points of view for providing insight into environmental problems and to promote environmental consciousness among rural masses are equally important. Therefore, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, has set up ENVIS Centre on Panchayati Raj and Environment at Indian Environmental Society (IES), Delhi under the ENVIS scheme, with the following main objectives. OBJECTIVES:
IES publish a quarterly newsletter named "Panchayat" to disseminate various environmental news, government schemes and other information useful for empowerment of Panchayats and grass root people. Besides, the Centre has published resource materials for environmental awareness among common people and organizes training camps and workshops. The newsletter and booklets are widely distributed among user groups. The Centre also provides useful information about various publications and resource materials on Panchayati Raj and Environment as well as about organizations involved with Panchayats. The Centre is also compiling Success Stories in this context from various parts of the country.
*Elected members of Mandal/Gram Panchayat are elected by college of eligible voters of the Gramsabha | ||
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