DOCSLIB.ORG

Strengthening of Panchayats in India: Comparing Devolution Across States

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Strengthening of Panchayats in India: Comparing Devolution Across States Strengthening of Panchayats in India: Comparing Devolution across States Empirical Assessment - 2012-13 April 2013 Sponsored by Ministry of Panchayati Raj Government of India The Indian Institute of Public Administration New Delhi Strengthening of Panchayats in India: Comparing Devolution across States Empirical Assessment - 2012-13 V N Alok The Indian Institute of Public Administration New Delhi Foreword It is the twentieth anniversary of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution, whereby Panchayats were given constitu- tional status.While the mandatory provisions of the Constitution regarding elections and reservations are adhered to in all States, the devolution of powers and resources to Panchayats from the States has been highly uneven across States. To motivate States to devolve powers and responsibilities to Panchayats and put in place an accountability frame- work, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India, ranks States and provides incentives under the Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Scheme (PEAIS) in accordance with their performance as measured on a Devo- lution Index computed by an independent institution. The Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) has been conducting the study and constructing the index while continuously refining the same for the last four years. In addition to indices on the cumulative performance of States with respect to the devolution of powers and resources to Panchayats, an index on their incremental performance,i.e. initiatives taken during the year, was introduced in the year 2010-11. Since then, States have been awarded for their recent exemplary initiatives in strengthening Panchayats. The Report on"Strengthening of Panchayats in India: Comparing Devolution across States - Empirical Assessment 2012-13" further refines the Devolution Index by adding two more pillars of performance i.e. ‘capacity building of panchayats’ and ‘accountability of panchayats’ to the existing ‘4 Fs’, i.e. framework, functions, finances, function- aries. The Report also presents six sub-indices of these pillars, expanding the scope of the Devolution Index, to a ‘Panchayat Strengthening Index’. During the Twelfth Five Year Plan, the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Shashaktikaran Abhiyan, a new Centrally Spon- sored Scheme of the Ministry will provide budgetary support to the efforts of the States for strengthening their Panchayats. 20% of available resources under this scheme,will be linked to States’ performance on criteria related to devolution and accountability. It is hoped that the findings of this Report would encourage State governments and other concerned authorities, to take greater and more effective steps for devolution of powers and resources to Panchayats as these continue to evolve as efficient instrumentalities of local self governance. New Delhi Loretta M. Vas 22 April 2013 Secretary to the Government of India Ministry of Panchayati Raj (iii) Acknowledgements This volume is based on the report of the study entrusted to the Indian Institute of Public Administration by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 7 August 2012. This volume is also the outcome of a research endeavour started in 2004 when the Ministry of Panchayati Raj organised a series of state consultations in the form of seven round tables of state ministers-in-charge of Panchayati Raj. In the fifth round on `Annual Reports on the State of the Panchayats including preparation of a Devolution Index’ held at Srinagar 28-29 October 2004, I presented a concept paper on the devolution index which was developed with Laveesh Bhandari. The paper formed the basis in the subsequent work undertaken at the NCAER and the IIPA in respect of Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS), a central sector scheme. Studies for the last four years conducted in IIPA have benefitted immensely from the support and intellectual inputs of Mrs. Rashmi Shukla Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. As the coordinator of this research project, I’d like, first of all, to thank Mrs. Loretta M Vas, Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Panchayati Raj who extended generous support, offered constructive comments and wrote the foreword of this volume. Over these four years, the work has benefitted from the support of a number of people and institutions whom I’d like to thank here. The project could never have been implemented without the co-operation of state governments. I wish to record my sincere thanks to the Principal Secretaries/Secretaries in charge of panchayats and nodal officers in the state governments or SIRD for their continuous support, assistance in making the data available to us and advice at various stages of the study. Officials dealing with the local finance in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Office of the Accountant General in states were also consulted. I’m grateful to elected representatives and officials at various panchayats for their valuable inputs in the validation of data. These four years were punctuated by a series of workshops that took place at IIPA, Delhi. These were crucial moments, spent discussing conceptual frameworks, research objectives, methodologies, identifying partners, field work related issues, preliminary findings, comparative perspectives etc. It provided the opportunity to submit our thoughts and receive feedback from a number of actors involved in Panchayat Raj. Some of them offered comments in the National Workshop organised on 5 October 2012 at IIPA, New Delhi. Participants include- Laveesh Bhandari, Jos Chathukulam, Joy Elamon, M.A. Oommen, G. Palanithurai, Mahesh Purohit, M.N.Roy, Atul Sarma, Rashmi Shukla Sharma, Loretta M. Vas, S.M. Vijayanand and state representatives. Some of them particularly, S.M. Vijayanand, M.N. Roy and Rashmi Shukla Sharma offered stimulating comments at the subsequent stages. I express my heartfelt thanks to all of them. In addition, I wish to thank all the State Secretaries and State Nodal Officers who participated in the National Workshop organised on 6 February 2013. In the past, I had benefitted from the wisdom of many domain experts and senior officers of the Ministry and multilateral institutions who participated and offered comments in various National Workshops organised in 2009 and 2010 with the UN Solution Exchange. The study draws upon the previous three study reports that were brought out in the form of a book. The first two of them were co-authored with Prof. P.K. Chaubey, who took keen interests in the subject. (v) Thanks are due to team survey agencies namely, Indicus Analytics, Samarthan, CRRID and CRM for the conduct of the survey in 23 states. Dripto Mukhopadhyay, Anup Srivastava, Hakikat Singh and Jos Chathukulum respectively guided the survey team. The very empirical nature of this research, also means that a number of young researchers, have helped in the investigations, literature survey and data analysis. I want to express our gratitude to all of them particularly to Poornima M, Ramandeep Kaur, Bharati Sahu, Anuj and Swastik. Mahesh Bisht, Dharmender Singh, Sanjeev Kumar, Raj Kumar Jindal and Bimla Goswami helped in the production of the volume. Other units of the Institute including the library, computer centre, account section and administration headed by Registrar Dr. C.Giri provided critical inputs at various stages of the study. I’m thankful to all of them. None of them is however responsible for the remaining errors. Finally, heartfelt thanks are due to Shri T N Chaturvedi, Chairman, IIPA for his encouragement and guidance. V.N. Alok (vi) List of Abbreviations AAO Assistant Accounts Officer ACA Additional Central Assistance ADC Additional Deputy Commissioner ADC Assistant Development Commissioner AEO Agriculture Extension Officer AEO Additional Executive Officer AEW Agriculture Extension Worker ANERT Agency of Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology APD Additional Project Director ARWS Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme ASHA Accredited Social Health Activist ATR Action Taken Report AWW Anganwadi Worker BDO Block Development Officer BDPO Block Development Panchayat Officer BPL Below Poverty Line BP Block Panchayat BRGF Backward Regions Grant Fund CAA Constitution Amendment Act C&AG Comptroller and Auditor General CBO Community Based Organisations CDO Chief Development Officer CEO Chief Executive Officer CRSP Central Rural Sanitation Programme CHC Community Health Centre CIC Chief Information Commissioner CO Chief Officer CPI Consumer Price Index CSS Centrally Sponsored Scheme DC District Collector DD Deputy Director DDC District Development Commissioner (vii) DDPO District Development Panchayat Officer DI Devolution Index DM District Magistrate DP District Panchayat DPAP Drought Prone Area Programme DPC District Planning Committee DRDA District Rural Development Agency DPO District Planning Office DPO District Planning Officer DPRO District Panchayat Returning Officer EA Executive Assistant EO Extension Officer EO Executive Officer EVM Electronic Voting Machine GDP Gross Domestic Product GIS Geographical Information System GoI Government of India GP Gram Panchayat GPEO Gram Panchayat Extension Officer GS Gram Sabha GS Gram Sevak HDI Human Development Index IAY Indira Awas Yojana ICDS Integrated Child Development Services ICT Information and Communication Technology IIPA Indian Institute of Public Administration ITDA Integrated Tribal Development Agency IWDP Integrated Wasteland Development Programme JD Joint Director JEO Joint Executive Officer KIC Karnataka Information
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Panchayati Raj and Watershed Management in India: Constraints and Opportunities
    Working Paper 114 PANCHAYATI RAJ AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT IN INDIA: CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES PARI BAUMANN December 1998 Overseas Development Institute Portland House Stag Place London SW1E 5DP 2 3 Acknowledgements This report is based largely on interviews with representatives from the Government, Panchayati Raj Institutions, NGOs, Self-help Groups and Academic Institutions. I would like to thank all of the respondents for the generous amounts of time they spared to discuss their experiences of Panchayati Raj and Watershed Development with me. I would like to thank Ashok Kumar of Development Alternatives in Bangalore for accompanying me on the visit to Gram Panchayats in Tumkur District. I would like to thank Write Arm in Bangalore for their logistical support in Bangalore, and for providing an inviting base from which to plan the work. Thank you also to Janet Seeley and Peter Reid, of the Rural Development Office of the Department for International Development in New Delhi, for suggesting contacts for interviews and for their interest in the study. 4 Contents Summary 6 Acronyms 9 1 Introduction 10 1.1 Introduction 10 1.2 Background 10 1.3 The terms of reference and research methodology 11 2 The legal framework and historical background 12 2.1 Brief outline of the new policies 12 2.2 Panchayati Raj and the 73rd Constitutional Amendment 12 2.3 State planning and the Guidelines 16 2.4 The research question 17 3 Decentralisation: the spirit and the letter of the law 19 3.1 Different types of decentralisation 19 3.2 Decentralisation
    [Show full text]
  • Law Legislative Department Code Section.Pdf
    GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR LAW (LEGISLATIVE) DEPARTMENT [COPE SEOTIONf Bihar Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads Act. 1961 [BIHAR ACT VI OF 1962] modified upto the 20th June, 1970] NIEPA G0262 PRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT SECRETARIAT PRESS. BIHAR. PATNA 1970 Price—Ee. 0.80 only.] 11 LIST OF AGENTS FOR THE YEAR 1970 (1) Messrs. Etwari Sahu & Sons, Maheiidru, Patna-6. (2) Messrs. Chaudhary & Sons, Law Book Sellers and Publishers, P. O. Mahendru, Patna-6. (3) Messrs. Western Liiw House, OM-Niwas, Opp. Amar Hotel, Fraser Road, Patna-1. (4) Messrs. Motilal Banarsidas, Book Seller, Bankipur, Patna. (5) Messrs. Pahuja Brothers, Law Book Sellers and Publishers, Patna-6, (only for Patna High Court Compound). (6) Messrs. Laxmi Trading Co., Padri-Ki-Haveli, Patna City. (7) Messrs. Pustak Mahal, Ranchi. (8) Messrs. Paper Stationery Stores, D. N. Singh Road, P. O. Bhagal pur-2. (9) Messrs. Raj Kamal Prakashan (Pvt.) Ltd., Patna-6. (10) Messrs. Bengal Law House, Chowhatta, Patna-4. (11) Messrs. Bias Bijaya Press, Jail Road, Arrah. M b. Nalicnal Syeteto* Unlfc I- Educationtl 0 C 0 X>OC.No... ^ t > t e ............................................. MST^OP AMENDING AOIB. 1. Bihar Panohayat Samitis and Zila Parii^ads (Amendment) Act, 1964 (Bihar Act IV of 1964). 2. The Bihar Panohayat Samitis and Zila Pariahads (Amendment) Act, 1970 (President Act no. I of 1970). LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS tfSJJD. Amendment. jBovt. Government. Ina. .. Inserted. L. S.-G. Local Self-Government. No. .. Number. P. .. Page. Pt. .. Part. Subs. Substituted. S. .. Section. Vol. .. Volume. 1^; Syattmm Unte. Nalicr><xl . r t 7 j ^ ^ Phr.n:-..- DOC. No ‘ ■ ‘ G m ».
    [Show full text]
  • POVERTY and REFORMS in INDIA T. N. Srinivasan1
    December 1999 POVERTY AND REFORMS IN INDIA T. N. Srinivasan1 Samuel C. Park, Jr. Professor of Economics Chairman, Department of Economics Yale University 1. Introduction The overarching objective of India's development strategy has always been the eradication of mass poverty. This objective has been articulated in several development plans, ranging from those published in the pre-independence era by individuals and organizations to the nine five year plans, and annual development plans since 1950 (Srinivasan 1999, lecture 3). However actual achievement has been very modest. In year 1997, five decades after independence, a little over a third of India's nearly billion population is estimated to be poor according to India's National Sample Survey (Table 1). It is also clear from the same table that until the late seventies, the national poverty ratio fluctuated with no significant time trend, between a low of 42.63 percent during April-September 1952 to a high of 62 percent July 1966-June 1967, the second of two successive years of severe drought. Then between July 1977-June 1978 and July 1990-June 1991, just prior to the introduction of systemic reforms of the economy following a severe economic crisis, the national poverty ratio declined significantly from 48.36 percent to 35.49 percent. The macroeconomic stabilization measures adopted at the same time as systemic reforms in July 1991 resulted in the stagnation of real GDP in 1991-92 relative to the previous 1I have drawn extensively on the research of Gaurav Datt and Martin Ravallion of the World Bank in writing this note.
    [Show full text]
  • Third State Finance Commission
    CHAPTER 5 STATUS OF DECENTRALISED GOVERNANCE A. Brief Historical Overview 5.1 Modern local government in India has a rather long history extending to the earliest years of British rule under the East India Company, when a municipal body was established in Madras in 1688 followed soon thereafter by Bombay and Calcutta. These earliest corporations neither had any legislative backing, having been set up on the instructions of the Directors of the East India Company with the consent of the Crown, nor were they representative bodies as they consisted entirely of nominated members from among the non-native population. They were set up mainly to provide sanitation in the Presidency towns, but they did not prove to be very effective in this task. Act X of 1842 was the first formal measure for the establishment of municipal bodies. Though applicable only to the Bengal Presidency it remained inoperative there. Town Committees under it were, however, set up in the two hill stations of Mussoorie and Nainital in 1842 and 1845 respectively, on the request of European residents. Uttarakhand thus has the distinction of having some of the earliest municipalities established in the country, outside the Presidency towns. Their record too was not very encouraging. When the Government of India passed Act XXVI in 1850 the municipal bodies of Mussoorie and Nainital were reconstituted under it. 5.2 The motivation for establishing municipal bodies in the initial years was not any commitment to local government on the part of the British. Rather it was inspired by the desire to raise money from the local population for provision of civic services.
    [Show full text]
  • India Freedom Fighters' Organisation
    A Guide to the Microfiche Edition of Political Pamphlets from the Indian Subcontinent Part 5: Political Parties, Special Interest Groups, and Indian Internal Politics UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS OF AMERICA A Guide to the Microfiche Edition of POLITICAL PAMPHLETS FROM THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT PART 5: POLITICAL PARTIES, SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, AND INDIAN INTERNAL POLITICS Editorial Adviser Granville Austin Guide compiled by Daniel Lewis A microfiche project of UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS OF AMERICA An Imprint of CIS 4520 East-West Highway • Bethesda, MD 20814-3389 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Indian political pamphlets [microform] microfiche Accompanied by printed guide. Includes bibliographical references. Content: pt. 1. Political Parties and Special Interest Groups—pt. 2. Indian Internal Politics—[etc.]—pt. 5. Political Parties, Special Interest Groups, and Indian Internal Politics ISBN 1-55655-829-5 (microfiche) 1. Political parties—India. I. UPA Academic Editions (Firm) JQ298.A1 I527 2000 <MicRR> 324.254—dc20 89-70560 CIP Copyright © 2000 by University Publications of America. All rights reserved. ISBN 1-55655-829-5. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................. vii Source Note ............................................................................................................................. xi Reference Bibliography Series 1. Political Parties and Special Interest Groups Organization Accession #
    [Show full text]
  • Lok Sabha Debates
    Foartb Series Vol. XLII-No. 3 Wednesday, Jaly 29, 1970 Sravana 7, 1892 {Saka) LOK SABHA DEBATES ( Eleventh Session) --- (Vol. XLII contains Nos. 1-10) LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI Price: .Re. 1.00 CONTENTS No. 3, Wednesday July 29, 1970/Sravana 7, 1892 (Saka). CoLUMNS Obituary Reference 1-7 Oral Answers to Questions- ·Starred Questions Nos. 61 7-27 Short Notice Question No. 1 28~33 Written Answers to Questions- Starred Questions Nos. 62 to 90 33-57 Unstarred Questions Nus. 401 to 40 ,407,408,410, 411, 413 to 460, 462 to 496 499 to 520, 5'<2 to 531 and 533 to 600. 57-216 Statement correcting answer to USQ No. 8777 dated the 6th May, 1970. 216--17 Calling Attention to Matter of Urgent Public Importance- Anti-Indian Demonstrations in Saigon 217-240 Papers Laid on the Table 240--45 Direction by Speaker Under Rules of Procedure 245 Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions- Sixty-fourth Report 245 Statement reo Strike 011 tile South Eastern and North Eastern Railways Shri Nanda 246 Business Advisory Committee- Fifty-first Report 246 Motion of No-Confidence in the Council of Ministers 246-380 Shri M. Muhammad Ismail 248-53 Dr. Govind Vas 233-58 Shri Sezhiyan 258-64 Shri S.A. Dange 265-76 Shri M.V. Krishnappa 276-81 Shri A.K. Gopalan ... 281-89 ·The sign +marked above the name of a Member indicates that the question was actually asked on the floor of the House by that Member. (ii) COLUMNS Shri K. Hanumanthaiya 289-97 Shri Surendranath Dwivedy 297-306 Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Good Governance Agenda for Decentralization in Uttarakhand, India: Implications for Social Justice
    The good governance agenda for decentralization in Uttarakhand, India: implications for social justice By NICOLA GIORDANO A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts degree in International Development Studies Saint Mary’s University April, 2010, Halifax, Nova Scotia Copyright © Nicola Giordano, 2010 Thesis approved by Supervisor Dr. Ryan Isakson First Reader Dr. Joe Tharamangalam Second Reader Dr. Jun Borras Date: April 22nd, 2010 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................9 Tables and Figures...................................................................................................................10 Abstract....................................................................................................................................13 CHAPTER I............................................................................................................................15 1.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................15 CHAPTER II ..........................................................................................................................15 2.1 Decentralization, the state and social justice: outcome for development .....................22 2.2 Good Governance: the Neoliberal Perspective ............................................................29 2.3 The good governance approach to
    [Show full text]
  • A Study on Effectiveness of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Health Care System in the State of Kerala
    A Study on Effectiveness of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Health Care System in the State of Kerala Dr. Jacob John Kerala Development Society (KDS-Delhi) 811-A, Jaina Tower I, District Centre, Janakpuri, New Delhi -110058 Ph :+91-11-41815051/+91-11-9811204487 Email : [email protected], [email protected] Website : www.kdsonline.org, www.nrlg.org Sponsored by Planning Commission Government of India November 2012 Preface The imperative role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the context of dual responsibilities and controls in public health care system has made a positive impact on rural health scenario of Kerala. The present study has brought out successful experiences of PRIs in Kerala for the consideration of other Indian states in the formulation of action plan for strengthening public health delivery system. For instance, Hospital Management Committee (HMC) under the leadership of the elected head of the concerned local government plays a vital role in the management of a public health institution in Kerala. While the chairperson of HMC is elected head of the local government, Medical Officer of the respective Public Health Institution is its convener. HMC is a democratically constituted body that provides a platform for elected representatives and officials of PRIs/ Municipalities and health officials to work jointly for the efficient functioning of PHIs. This experience can be shared with some of the Indian States where Rogi Kalyan Samities are not functioning as democratically run system. Similarly, there is a good scope for mobilizing local resources for the implementation of public health projects under the initiatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Indian States.
    [Show full text]
  • Poverty and Fertility in India: Some Factors Contributing to a Positive Correlation
    Global Majority E-Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2 (December 2011), pp. 87-98 Poverty and Fertility in India: Some Factors Contributing to a Positive Correlation Brittany Traeger Abstract India has diminishing population growth rates and fertility rates; however, they still remain high compared to the world average. The families living in poverty are those having the most children because they are consistently trapped in poverty from generation to generation with little opportunity. Poor families are typically larger because they use children as a source of generating income via child labor. Parents also have children for insurance purposes because they envision needing help when they get older. All children born into poverty, especially girls, have little opportunity to escape from it in adulthood because of the lack of education and power. Another cause for high fertility rates is the large unmet need for family planning among the poor. Investing in family planning amongst the poor would be efficient to reduce fertility rates and poverty. Furthermore, increases in school enrollments, (including for girls) result in more power for females and thus decreasing fertility rates. I. Introduction Currently, about one quarter of India’s population lives in poverty, i.e., on less than one dollar-a- day. 1 This is a sharp decrease from what the poverty rate was in previous decades but it remains high. India also remains to have relatively high fertility and population growth rates. Many consider high poverty and high fertility to be a vicious cycle poor people are caught in. The vicious cycle is that females of poor families get married at a young age and typically have many children.
    [Show full text]
  • Overview of Rural Decentralization in India, the First Formal Bank Study on This Topic
    OVERVIEW OF RURAL DECENTRALIZATION IN INDIA Volume 1 September 27, 2000 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACR Annual Confidential Report AP Andhra Pradesh BP Block Panchayat CEO Chief Executive Officer CFC Center Finance Commission CSS Centrally Sponsored Schemes DDP Desert Development Program DEA Department of Economic Affairs DPAP Drought Prone Area Program DPC District Planing Committee DRDA District Rural Development Agency EAS Employment Assurance System EGS Education Guarantee Scheme EO Executive Officer GOI Government of India GOMP Government of Madhya Pradesh GP Gram Panchayat IAS Indian Administrative Service IFS Indian Forestry Services IRDP Integrated Rural Development Program JRY Jawahar Rozgar Yojana JSGY Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana MLA Member of Legislative Assembly MLC Member of Legislative Council MP Member of Parliament; Madhya Pradesh NGO Non Governmental Organization OBC Other Backward Caste PRI Panchayat Raj Institution PS Panchayat Samitis Rs. Rupees SAS State Administrative Service SC Scheduled Castes SFC State Finance Commission SGSY Swarnjanyanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana ST Scheduled Tribes TAD Tribal Area Development UNDP United Nations Development Program UP Uttar Pradesh VEC Village Education Committee VTC Voluntary Technical Experts and Core ZP Zilla Parishad ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY .........................................................1 2. DESIGN AT THE CENTER ...............................................................3 A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ..........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • ALAGAPPA UNIVERSITY 32141-Contemporary India Since
    ALAGAPPA UNIVERSITY [ACCREDITED WITH ‘A+’ Grade by NAAC (CGPA:3.64) in the Third Cycle and Graded as Catego-rIy University by MHRD-UGC] (A State University Established by the Government of Tamiln adu) KARAIKUDI – 630 003 DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION M.A HISTORY IV SEMESTER 32141-Contemporary India Since 1947 A.D Copy Right Reserved For Private use only INTRODUCTION India‘s independence represented for its people the start of an epoch that was imbued with a new vision. In 1947, the country commenced its long march to overcome the colonial legacy of economic underdevelopment, gross poverty, near-total illiteracy, wide prevalence of diseases, and stark social inequality and injustice. Achieving independence was only the first stop, the first break—the end of colonial political control: centuries of backwardness was now to be overcome, the promises of the freedom struggle to be fulfilled, and people‘s hopes to be met. The task of nation-building was taken up by the people and leaders with a certain elan and determination and with confidence in their capacity to succeed. When Nehru assumed office as the first Prime Minister of India, there were a myriad of issues lying in front of him, vying for his attention. Nehru knew that it was highly important that he prioritized things. For him, ―First things must come first and the first thing is the security and stability of India.‖ In the words of eminent political scientist W.H Morris- Jones, the imminent task was to ―hold things together, to ensure survival, to get accustomed to the feel of being in the water, to see to it that the vessels keep afloat‖.
    [Show full text]
  • Topic of the Week for Discussion: 7Th to 13 Th Nov
    Topic of the week for discussion: 7th to 13 th Nov . 2013 Topic: The Irony of the Iron Man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and one of the founding fathers of the Republic of India. He is known to be a social leader of India who played an unparalleled role in the country's struggle for independence and guided its integration into a united, independent nation. • Patel supported Gandhi's Non-cooperation movement and toured the state to recruit more than 300,000 members and raise over Rs. 15 lakh in funds. Helping organise bonfires of British goods in Ahmedabad, Patel threw in all his English-style clothes. • Patel also supported Gandhi's controversial suspension of resistance in wake of the Chauri Chaura incident. • He worked extensively in the following years in Gujarat against alcoholism, untouchability and caste discrimination, as well as for the empowerment of women . • When Gandhi was in prison, Sardar Patel was asked by Members of Congress to lead the satyagraha in Nagpur in 1923 against a law banning the raising of the Indian flag. • As Gandhi embarked on the Dandi Salt March, Patel was arrested in the village of Ras and tried without witnesses, with no lawyer or pressman Topic allowed to attend. Introduction • After the signing of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact , Patel was elected Congress president for its 1931 session in Karachi— the Congress ratified the pact, committed itself to the defence of fundamental rights and human freedoms, and a vision of a secular nation, minimum wage and the abolition of untouchability and serfdom .
    [Show full text]