Abstract
The provision of federal structure divides the powers of government from the Central to the States, down to the local. The term federal connotes the division of constitutional power from one to other channels on a hierarchal basis but Central authority holds power over the entire national territory. The Constitution, through federal structure, allocates certain powers to the Central government and others are reserved for the state governments. State governments, according to requirement, make changes in the state legislations or release modified instructions to the local government by the central government. The central government has got the power to formulate and implement policies through state or Central governments.
The Panchayati Raj system was first formulated in Nagaur district (Rajasthan) on 2 October 1959 with the recommendations of the Balwantrai Mehta Committee. As per the recommendations of the Constitution, the Panchayati Raj Institutions have been categorised into three tiers (District, Block and Gram Panchayat) of which Gram Panchayat is a basic unit of the local administration. Panchayati Raj system functions across the country, except for Assam (tribal majority districts), Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, where the Constitution has imparted greater autonomy to the tribal areas.
Since Independence, the Government of India has formed different Committees to upgrade the functions of the Panchayati Raj system. The functions of Panchayati Raj have been elaborated by the implementation of the Seventy-third Constitutional (Amendment) Act 1992. This Act was also extended in the tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh under the framework of fifth scheduled areas, whereas the northeastern states have been categorised under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution applicable to tribal areas.
The Seventy-third Constitutional Amendment empowers Panchayats through the devolution of powers and sharing responsibilities for economic development and social justice in rural areas by promoting the participation of the people. The Eleventh Schedule of the Seventy-third Constitutional Amendment Act incorporates 29 subjects that empower Panchayats to concentrate on rural development and poverty alleviation programmes by creating infrastructure, both for individuals and for common uses, employment both self and wage, upgrading health issues, facilitating social assistance schemes, etc. Panchayat bodies have got the power to collect appropriate taxes, revenues, duties, tolls, fees, service charges, rents from Panchayat’s assets and so on. Gram Panchayats have become hubs to facilitate basic services through the network of e-Seva. The Gram Sevak (Gram Panchayat Secretary) is a nodal functionary who monitors functions of the Seva Kendra, organises meetings of Gram Panchayat and Gram Shaba, maintains records scheme-wise, monitors the progress of the schemes implemented in the jurisdiction of panchayats and so on, Finance Commissions, especially the thirteenth and fourteenth have also played a significant role to empower Panchayats by allocating financial assistance and guidance to strengthen revenues or taxes form their own sources.
In India, 68.84% (2011 census) population live in rural areas; therefore, the government needs to focus on the development and welfare of the people. The Panchayati Raj system is the backbone of the rural development agenda and similarly concentrates on resolving issues of the local people. The elected representatives from Gram Panchayats are well aware of the priorities of local people; therefore, it is relevant to involve Panchayats in the development process and to upgrade the interests of the people from a socio-economic perspective. Gram Panchayats are capable to ensure the utilisation of resources getting from the Centre and the state governments and are able to ensure the participation of the people, fix priorities of works, mobilise resources from different heads, ensure the facility to provide basic services to the people at the grassroots level, address local disputes and so on. The elected representatives of the Gram Panchayats maintain close relations with the population and are similarly well aware of their problems.
This book is divided into two parts: Part I covers different dimensions of the Panchayati Raj system and Part II deals with the importance of some of the popular Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) with an emphasis on the role of Panchayati Raj functionaries, both elected representatives and officials at the grassroots level for strengthening and promoting implemented schemes under their jurisdiction.
This book establishes a nexus between rural development and the Panchayati Raj system. Part I includes the historical background of the Panchayati Raj scenario, recommendations of different committees, formulation of the Panchayati Raj system in different States and across the country, the Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992, which is a legal framework to strengthen local governance, assignment allocated to the local bodies under the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution which focuses on the broad issues of rural development activities, health, food security, drinking water, sanitation, education, welfare, social assistance, empowerment of rural women through political mandate and so on, along with the concept of Part IX of the Constitution which comprises a provision of Article 243, and the provisions of Articles 243 (A) (M) which empowers Gram Panchayats. This book includes chapters on Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996, strategies of Finance Commissions (both Central and state), sources of revenues, Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) which is a systematic approach to development, and provision of service delivery which fulfils requirements of the people living in rural areas to obtain different types of services at grassroots level which were otherwise obtained from the urban or semi-urban (most probably at district or block level offices) areas. Governments both Central and state play a significant role to promote functions of local governance by allocating funds and required manpower. In addition to government aid, panchayats also collect revenues from different sources but a large number of local bodies (especially Gram Panchayats) are unable to generate revenue at the local level therefore, they need to depend on the funds received from the governments, both the Central and state.
In the field of rural development, Part II, of the book covers major CSS such as wage employment, self-employment, housing, infrastructure development, area development, social security, basic services and schemes which promote indicators of social development. This book attempts an understating of the rural development schemes, especially the CSSs and attempts to be aware on the role of Panchayati Raj functionaries at the grassroots level in promoting the CSSs. Panchayati Raj and Rural Development both jointly play a significant role to improve the lives of the people, by the people and for the people.
This book is helpful to the students of Panchayati Raj, Political Science, Panchayati Raj executives, functionaries, elected representatives and officials, students and professionals of rural development management, rural development functionaries, scholars of MPhil and PhD, development agents, social activists, students of different competitive examinations and so on. All the important topics are placed in sequence to cater to the interest of the readers.