PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS – POLITY
News: PM
Modi launches various development projects on National Panchayati Raj Day
What's in the news?
● On
the occasion of the National Panchayati
Raj Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24 launched various projects, including the integrated
e-GramSwaraj and GeM portal for procurement of goods and services at the
panchayat level and redevelopment of Gwalior railway station.
Key takeaways:
● The
e-GramSwaraj-GeM (government
e-marketplace) integration aims at enabling panchayats to market their goods
and services through GeM leveraging the e-GramSwaraj platform.
● Mr.
Modi also performed the virtual 'Griha
Pravesh' (ceremony performed when entering one's new house) for 4.11 lakh
beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana at the function held at the SAF
ground in Rewa.
● He
also inaugurated various projects worth ₹7,853 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission. These projects will
benefit 9.48 lakh families of 4,036 villages.
● Mr.
Modi handed over around 35 lakh SVAMITVA
(aimed at establishing clear ownership of property in rural areas) property
cards to beneficiaries. With the handing over of these cards, about 1.25 crore
property cards will be distributed under the Swamitva Yojana in the country.
● PM
Modi also launched the 'Joint Steps
towards Development' campaign with the aim of increasing people's
participation in ensuring full benefits of government schemes.
Panchayati Raj Systems:
● Panchayati
Raj in India is a system of local
self-government that aims to promote rural development, social justice and
democratic participation.
● It
was formally established by the 73rd
Amendment Act of 1992, which added a new part IX to the Constitution of
India and gave constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
National Panchayati Raj Day:
● The
Panchayati Raj system was given constitutional status by the 73rd Amendment Act
of 1992, which came into force on April 24, 1993.
● Since
then, April 24 is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day every year to
commemorate this historic event and to honour the achievements and
contributions of the Panchayats in strengthening democracy and empowering the
rural masses.
Objectives of National Panchayati Raj Day:
● To
create awareness among the citizens
about the role and importance of Panchayats in rural development and
governance.
● To
showcase the best practices and
innovations of the Panchayats in various fields such as sanitation, health,
education, environment, social welfare, etc.
● To
encourage the participation and involvement of the people, especially women and
marginalized groups, in the decision-making process at the grassroots level.
● To
felicitate and reward the outstanding Panchayats and Panchayat functionaries
for their exemplary performance and service delivery.
● To review and evaluate the progress and challenges of the Panchayati Raj system and to suggest measures for its improvement and strengthening.
Significance of Panchayati Raj Institutions:
1. People participation:
● PRIs
working at the grassroots, ensure the opportunity for people’s participation
and involvement in the formulation and implementation of rural development
programmes.
● It
promotes grassroots democracy and civic
engagement by involving people in their affairs.
2. Women empowerment:
● Through
the provision of reservation of one-third
seats for women in PRIs which has even been increased up to fifty percent
by some states.
3. Empowerment of depressed sections:
● Empowerment
of Depressed sections of society through reservation of one-third of the seats
SCs and STs. It fosters social justice
and inclusion by giving voice and representation to marginalized groups.
4. Local governance:
● Through
powers devolved under Schedule 11
(Article 243G), it makes Panchayats as institutions of local governance by
responsibilities such as agriculture
development, land development, rural development etc.
● District Planning
Committee (Article 243ZD) ensures bottom-up
planning of development activities.
● It
enhances service delivery and
responsiveness by bringing the government closer to the people and
addressing their needs and demands.
5. Rural development:
● It
facilitates rural development and poverty
alleviation by mobilizing local resources and implementing schemes and
programs.
● PRIs
have been used to improve the rural infrastructure, income of rural households
and delivery systems pertaining to education, health and safety mechanisms.
● These
institutions are to be galvanised to become effective instruments of social and
economic change at the local level.
Challenges:
● Lack of adequate
financial resources and devolution of funds
from the state and central governments.
● Interference and
domination of local elites and political parties in
the functioning of Panchayats.
● Low capacity and
awareness of Panchayat members and officials on
their roles and responsibilities.
● Poor accountability and
transparency mechanisms to ensure participatory
planning, monitoring and evaluation of Panchayat activities.
WAY FORWARD:
● Increasing the financial
autonomy and fiscal transfers to Panchayats
based on their performance and needs.
● Ensuring regular
elections, reservations and training for Panchayat
members and officials to enhance their representation and capacity.
● Establishing
effective linkages and coordination between Panchayats and other institutions
of governance at different levels.
● Creating platforms and
mechanisms for citizen participation, feedback and grievance redressal in
Panchayat affairs.
The
Panchayati Raj system in India is an important instrument for achieving grassroots democracy and
inclusive development. It has made significant contributions to improving
the quality of life of the rural people and strengthening their voice in
governance.