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A Bird's Eye View on Panchayati Raj Administration

A Bird's Eye View on Panchayati Raj Administration

ISSN 0970-8669 Review

A Bird’s Eye View on Administration

Swarnalata Samal

Panchayati Raj is a system of governance in which 2. Funds for implementation of centrally Gram Panchayats are the basic units of sponsored schemes administration. It has 3 levels: village, block and 3. Funds released by the state governments district. The term “Panchayati Raj” is relatively on the recommendations of the State new, having originated during the British Finance Commissions. administration, Raj literally means “governance or government”. advocated In the history of Panchayati Raj in , Panchayati Raj, a decentralized form of on 24 April 1993, the Constitutional (73rd Government where each village is responsible for Amendment) Act 1992 came into force to provide its own affairs, as the foundation of India’s political constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj system. The term for such a vision was Gram institutions. This Act was extended to Panchayats Swaraj (village self-governance). in the tribal areas of eight states, namely Andhra This system was adopted by state Pradesh. , , governments during the 1950s and 60s, as laws , , Odisha and were passed to establish Panchayats in various starting on 24th December 1996. states. It also found backing in the Indian Currently, the Panchayati Raj system exists in all Constitution, with the 73rd Amendment in 1992 the states except Nagaland, and to accommodate the idea. The Amendment Act and in all Union Territories except Delhi. of 1992 contains provision for devolution of The Act aims to provide a 3-tier system of powers and responsibilities to the Panchayats Panchayati Raj for all States having a population both for the preparation of economic development of over 2 million, to hold Panchayat elections plans and social justice, as well as for regularly every 5 years, to provide seats implementation in relation to 29 subjects listed in reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled the eleventh schedule of the Constitution. tribes and women; to appoint a State to make recommendations as The Panchayats receive funds from three regards to the financial powers of the Panchayats sources: and to constitute a District Planning Committee 1. Local Body grants, as recommended by to prepare a development plan draft for the the Central Finance Commission district.

40 February - March - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

The 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj (representatives of SC/ST and women), associate consists : members (a farmer of the area, a representative of the cooperative societies and one of the 1. Village-level Panchayats marketing services), and some elected members. 2. Block-level Panchayats The Samiti is elected for 5 years and is 3. District-level Panchayats. headed by the Chairman and the Deputy Powers and responsibilities are delegated Chairman. to Panchayats at the appropriate level: Departments - Preparation of the economic The common departments in the Samiti are as development plan and social justice plan. follows: - Implementation of schemes for economic 1. General administration development and social justice in relation 2. Finance to 29 subjects given in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution. 3. Public work - To levy, collect and appropriate taxes, 4. Agriculture duties, tolls and fees. 5. Health Block Panchayat 6. Education A Block Panchayat () is 7. Social Welfare a local government body at the or taluka 8. Information Technology and others. level in India. This body works for the villages of the tehsil or taluka that together are called a There is an officer for every department. Development Block. The Panchayat Samiti is the A government appointed Block Development link between the and the district Officer (BDO) is the executive officer to the Samiti administration. There are a number of variations and the chief of its administration. of this institution in different states. It is known as Functions Mandal Praja Parishad in , Taluka Panchayat in Gujarat, Mandal Panchayat 1. Implementation of schemes for the in , Panchayat Samiti in development of agriculture. Maharashtra etc. In general, the Block 2. Establishment of primary health centers Panchayat is a form of the Panchayati Raj but at and primary schools. a higher level. 3. Supply of drinking water, drainage, and Constitution construction/repair of roads. The constitution is composed of ex-official 4. Development of cottage and small-scale members (all Sarpanchas of the Panchayat Samiti industries, and the opening of co- area, the MPs and MLAs of the area and the operative societies. SDO of the subdivision), co-operative members 5. Establishment of youth organizations.

February - March - 2017 41 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

Sources of income money for works and schemes assigned to the Parishad. The main source of income of the Panchayat Samiti is grants-in-aid and loans from the State Conclusion Government. However to give a boost on women District level Panchayat empowerment the Union Cabinet of the , on 27 August 2009, The governing system at district level in Panchayati approved 50% reservation for women in PRIs Raj is also popularly known as” Zilla Parishad”. (Panchayati Raj Institutions). The Indian states Chief of administration is an officer from IAS which have already implemented 50% reservation cadre. for women in PRIs are Madhya Pradesh. Bihar, Functions: and Himachal Pradesh. As of 25 November 2011, the states of Andhra Pradesh, 1. Provide essential services and facilities to Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, , Maharastra, the rural population Odisha, Rajasthan and Tripura also reserve 50% 2. Supply improved seeds to farmers. of their posts for women. Now the women are Inform them of new farming techniques no more stagnant and isolated as they used to be in the past. They are now emerging as a big force 3. Set up and run schools and libraries in in every walk of life. the rural areas References: 4. Start Primary Health Centers and 1. Susuma Sahaya - Literacy and Women hospitals in villages. Start vaccination Empowerment. drives against epidemics 2. Neera Desai – Women in Indian Society. 5. Execute plans for the development of the 3. Devika Jain – The Rights of Girl Child in India. scheduled castes and tribes. Run 4. C. P. Bhambhari – Political Process in India – 1947 ashramshalas for Adivasi children. Set – 1969. up free hostels for them 5. Paul R. Brass – The since 6. Encourage entrepreneurs to start small- Independence. scale industries and implement rural 6. Mahbub UL Haq – Human Development in a employment schemes Changing World. 7. Construct bridges, roads & other public 7. K. K. Ghai – Indian Polity (Democratic government and Politics in India) facilities and their maintenance 8. B. L. Fadia – Indian Govt. and Politics 8. Provide employment 9. Prabhat Datta – India’s Democracy, New Sources of Income Challenges, New Delhi. 1. Taxes on water, pilgrimage, markets, etc. Swarnalata Samal, Reader in Political Science, Kamala 2. Fixed grant from the State Government Nehru Women’s College, Unit-1, Bhubaneswar-9, Email: in proportion with the land revenue and [email protected].

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