UNIT 14 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF

RURAL LOCAL BODIES

Structure

14.0 Learning Outcome

14.1 Introduction
14.2 Historical Background
14.2.1 Democratic Decentralisation - Panchayati Raj
14.2.2 Structure of Panchayti Raj System
14.2.3 73rd Amendment Act and Powers and Functions
14.3 Administrative Framework
14.4 Devolution of Powers and Functions – Actual Position
14.4.1 Devolution of Powers and Functions: Trends in the Local –
Government Gram Sabha
14.5 Conclusion
14.6 Key Concepts
14.7 References and Further Reading
14.8 Activities

14.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

After studying this unit you should be able to:

• discuss the structure of rural local bodies;

• highlight the importance of democratic decentralisation; and
• understand the structure of Panchayati Raj System at the national, state,
district, block and village level.

14.1 INTRODUCTION
Panchayati Raj implies the creation of local government institutions at the village,
block and district levels. These bodies play a vital role in rural administration in
the present age when more and more governments are carrying the banner of
welfare state. In fact the powers entrusted to these bodies really make a State
democratic or undemocratic. The units of local self government in rural areas are
village Pnchayat, Panchayt Samitis and Zila Parishads. The village Panchayats
have been linked to the Panchyat Samitis at the block level and to the Zilla
Parishad at the district level. No doubt the scheme of Panchayati Raj emerged
after the acceptance of the recommendations on Democratic Decentralisation of
the Balwant Rai Mehta Study Team. A new system of local –self Government has
been introduced which seeks to tackle the problems at the grassroots level,
building up democracy and mobilize the entire potential manpower resources of
the country for the purposes of economic and social progress. Panchayati Raj
makes democracy a reality—PR aims at making democracy real by bringing the
millions into the functioning of democracy. It is really grassroots democracy
wherein the individual family in the remotest village is linked up with the
democratic process. The introduction of PR is the most appropriate step for
building up democratic traditions in the country. India is committed to the
democratic form of Government democracy not only a form of government but a
way of life. Democracy cannot be built up either from Delhi or from a State
Capital. It can be built up only when all people are directly or indirectly involved
in it. It stands for local government, local leadership, local competency, local
initiative and participation of local people in all the activities (Moorthy). In this
unit we will be discussing about the organisational structural of rural local bodies
and understand the structure of Panchayati Raj System at the national, state,
district, block and village level.

14.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In India, the system of village Panchayat is very old. In ancient India the village
formed the basic unit of social and economic life in India. During the foreign rule
the inhabitants of our country were denied all the benefits of a civilized life. This
tendency has been in its naked form since the onset of Industrial Revolution in
England. The 18th century Revolution in England bought far-reaching changes in
Great Britain in different fields viz., agriculture, transport and Industry. These
changes in Britain subsequently affected the economy of the country. The village
suffered the most. The village suffered the most. The village organization as a
self-sufficient unit which was the characteristic feature of the old Indian economy
disappeared. Our handicrafts and manufactured were ruined with a view to
providing a push to British Industries. In due course of time, agriculture became
more and more an uneconomic population. (Darling).

Britishers made all efforts to ruin our culture, arts and crafts and foreign trade.
The villagers became conservative and shrewd. In this way, the condition of the
rural masses from physical economic, social, educational and cultural points of
view became gradually very unsatisfactory and beyond the limit of tolerance.
There were the victims of mental lethargy. Thus, in the course of a few decades a
developed and advanced country—due to the imposition of certain checks,
hindrance and obstacles on the smooth path of developing process in our country,
we lagged far behind many other countries – was put in the category of under-
developed countries. The several cause led to the village Panchayats during the
British rule in our country. It is stressed and claimed that India had a self-
governing system at the base level during ancient time in the form of village
Panchayats. The village organization then functioned as a centre of Community
life independent of the state. It is, therefore, argued that the British rule
dismantled our self-governing system. “Planning in a welfare State is a social
process in which every citizen has to participate” says Planning Commission.
India is a land of villages and we have lacs of villages in the country. Gandhiji
used to say that India consists of villages and ultimately our progress will be
really regulated by the advancement that the village people can show.

Gandhiji drew the picture of free India’s political structure in the words, “Indian
Independence must begin at the bottom. Every village should be a republic or a
Panchayat having full powers—the greater the power of Panchayats, the better for
the people. (Harijan, 1946.). Swaraj signified to him the vesting of the ultimate
authority in the peasant and the labourer. True democracy cannot be worked out
by twenty men sitting at the centre. It has to be worked from below by the people
of every village. (Harijan, 18th Jan, 1948).
The Report on the organization of Local –self Institutions (Rural and Urban) in
relation to Planned social and economic development in India emphasized in
1951, “ A democratic Government at the centre can never function satisfactorily
unless it is supported by democratic organisatuion of local administration.”
Democratic government will never be secure unless it is so supported. Our leaders
were careful, cautious and watchful and they realized that we may also be in
danger of losing our democratic government unless we take steps to afford
security to our system of Parliamentary Democracy by establishing a properly
organized scheme of local-self government.

The First Five Year Plan pointed out that, “ The Constitution has provided for
democratic Institutions at the centre and in the states, but so long as local self-
governing institutions are not conceived as parts of the same organic institutional
and administrative framework the structure of democratic government will remain
incomplete. Local –self governing bodies have to play a vital role in the fields of
development. It may also be necessary to work out suitable arrangements for
linking local-self governing bodies at different levels with one another. For
instance village Panchayats with district or sub- division local boards.”( First
Five Year Plan). In this way, the First Plan emphasized that the administration of
the country has to provide for establishment and development at the village level
and above of appropriate agencies which derive their authority from the people.
This point was re-emphasized in the Second Five Year Plan. ( Second Five Year
Plan)

The Second Five Year Plan recommended that village Panvhayts should be
organically linked with popular organization at a higher level an that, by states
determined in advance, democratic bodies should take over the entire general
administration and development of the district or the sub-division perhaps other
than such functions as law and order, administration of justice and certain
function pertaining to revenue administration. The NDC in the 8th Meeting
decided that a special investigation into such a re-organisation of the District
Administration should be carried out by the Study Team for Community
Development and National Extension Service.
The Study Team came to the conclusion, the block offers an area large enough far
functions which the village Panchayat cannot perform and yet small enough to
attract the interest and services of the residents. Thus, the Team pointed out that
the existing local bodies cannot take over and performs function which the
Planning Commission has proposed for the local bodies to perform. The Team
found that without organizing units of continuous local administration, with truly
democratic in spirit reflects the wishes and aspirations of the rural people and
work for their fulfillment, the Community Development movement would not
become a people’s movement. Democracy has to function through certain
executive machinery but the democratic government operational over large areas
through its executive machinery can not applicable local needs and circumstances.

It is realized that there should be devolution of powers and a decentralization of

machinery and those powers be exercised and such machinery controlled and
directed by popular representatives of the local areas. The Team suggested that
the Government should develop sufficient powers to locally elected
representatives so that they may asses their own priorities of need in the sphere of
development activities within certain limits prescribed by the Government. What
the Team suggested in actual details was the creation of a three-tier system of
decentralization, namely, the village Panchayats, the Panchayat Samitis and Zila
Parishads and recommended that the entire development administration should be
handed over to these bodies. The Team gave the details organization, functions,
resources and relations of one with the other.

Firstly, we should have village Panchayat purely on an elective basis, with a

provision for the co-option of two women members and one member each from
the scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. To this body, maximum powers
should be delegated for the implementation of the Community Development
Programme falling within the territorial jurisdiction of the village. The main
source of income of the Panchayat will be property or house tax, tax on market
and vehicles, terminal tax, water tax, lighting rate, grant from registration of
animal sold.

Secondly, Panchayat Samiti should be formed for an area included in a block at

present to be constituted by indirect election from the villages. Panchayats within
the block area can be grouped together in convenient units and the Panches of all
the Panchaytas in each of these units shall elect from amongst themselves person
or persons to be members of Panchayat Samiti.

Thirdly, it was proposed by the Team that there should be Zilla Parishad at the
district level, mainly with a view to achieving the necessary co-ordination
between the Panchayat Samitis within the district. The ZP was to consist of the
President of Panchayat Samitis, members of Parliament and the state legislatures
and District level officers of the development departments. The Parishad was to
be an advisory-cum-supervisory body.

14.2.1 Democratic Decentralisation - Panchayati Raj

The recommendations of the study Team in favour of a system of democratic

decentralization were considered by the NDC in Jan 1958. The Council
emphasized that the foundation of any democratic structure had to be democracy
in the village, and endorsed the recommendations of the Team. It was, however,
left to each state to work out the structure, best suited to its conditions. This point
was affirmed by the central Council of local self- government when it suggested
that the devolution of this genuine transfer of power to the people may be left to
the State Governments. Accordingly, the state governments are evolving their
own patterns of democratic decentralization. Subsequently, the term of
‘democratic decentralization’ was given up and the term ‘ Panchaytai Raj’ was
adopted.

In this way, Panchayati Raj is a three-tier system of rural local government in

India viz, Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level and
Zilla Parishad at the district level with adequate powers and resources and
responsible for Planning and devolution in their respective jurisdiction. No doubt,
the scheme of PR emerged as an alternative to district and block advisory/
development Committees, which failed to evoke popular initiative and response
for the implementation of Community development programme. In condition of
our country, self-government is possible only when there is development. But it
has brought about a revolutionary change in the structure of administration within
the district and in the pattern of rural development. The development
administration was married to local self-governing bodies. It can be said that
Panchayati Raj is an agency of the state government. Panchayati raj institutions
form part of decentralization state. They can be entrusted with any work by the
state government and they are supposed to execute the same. In this way, the
Panchayati Raj is (1) a unit of local government (2) an extension of the
Community development programme and (3) an agency of the state government.
“We are clear in our minds that Panchayati Raj embraces in its scope all three sets
of functions.

PR is the only route by which the people of India may gain the knowledge, the
feeling, the practice and the experience they must have to make freedom a living
reality.

PR provides a valuable Training ground for further leadership

It has enables a majority of citizens to associate themselves in public affairs.

Local bodies have been rightly regarded as the ‘Nursery of Democracy’. These
local bodies form a valuable training ground for the elected persons to move to
higher levels of representative institutions. The experience on these bodies is
valuable elementary training for budding Statesmen and Politicians. ( Corry)

PR is a means of Political Education of Citizens

Local Government not only forms a valuable training ground for the elected
leaders at higher levels of representative institutions, but also becomes a source of
political education, of citizens in general. Political education means that citizens
knowledge and experience the political machinery operating at local levels and
understand their role in it. Local Government is a door-to –door government. Its
composition and functioning are open to the citizens of a local unit. They learn
how to exercise the vote and how to decide issues of public importance. Local
electors can be decided only once. They learn from their mistakes in choosing
incompetent or corrupt representatives and realize that dissatisfaction can only be
expressed at the stated times. Since political parties have come into the areas of
local bodies, they play their own role during the election campaigns. Citizens
become aware of different types of problems. Understanding problems of local
magnitude broadens their mental horizon and makes them capable of
understanding national problems. Citizens also become aware of their needs and
demands. The world of politics and public affairs becomes intelligible and
familiar to them.

Role of PRIs in the achievement of our Plan Targets

PR has given the rural people an opportunity, which they never had before. Now
people have powers to solve their own problems and to do things by themselves.
Farmers through Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis assess their own requirements,
initiate, formulate and execute the plans for their own betterment with the aid of
such resources as are made available to them by the state or which they are able to
raise on their own.This development of PR bringing with it the transfer of
authority, responsibility and resources to village Panchayats is bringing about a
major changes and revolutionary the outlook of our rural masses. There is an
increasing realization among them that it is through their own initiative,
handwork and cooperation with the resources under their control and command
that they can achieve rapid progress in various developmental activities,
particularly in agricultural, animal husbandry, education, health and sanitation,
communications, co-operations, village industries, housing and welfare work
among valuable sections o the society.

The PR provides a promising means for the democratization of Planning. The

idea is growing that planning can succeed only if it becomes a shared activity, the
different organized groups is the Community must have a part in it. Progress
would be slow but the results would be more lasting. Ever since the introduction
of Planning in our country, it has been felt by some people that planning from the
grassroots level, i.e, the village and local level, has not been given due attention.
Planning from the village level is very essential and important at the same time. It
educates the people and develops their abilities to do things by themselves. It
helps in drawing up of local plans of action keeping in view local needs and
priorities. It helps in fixing local targets. It helps in exploring and mobilizing local
resources. It ensures people’s participation in development work. But Planning
from the National level cannot be ignored. Therefore, priorities have to be fixed
up and emphasis has to be placed on certain aspects to reach the National
objectives and goals as quickly as possible.

Panchayats discharged their responsibilities in connection with the Five Year Plan
very efficiently. Instructions were issued to Gram Panchayats to prepare draft
Plan on the basis of their needs and resources. The 2nd Five Year Plan is thus a
Combination of village level plans after the necessary scrutiny at block district
and state levels. The contribution of the Panchayat towards the Five Year Plan has
created a new awakening in the rural areas. ( Local self- government, 1955-56).

These above comments explain one thing that Panchayats and local self-
government institutions have a role to play in the achievement of plan targets and
they have not played their due role in this connection so far.

This is only possible through Panchayati Raj. In the process of PR, the citizens
tend to mature; they are no longer content merely to complain. They contribute to
the Planning process and thus are responsible for the achievement of Plan targets.
PR engenders plan consciousness among the rural people. They are required to
prepare village Plan, block Plan and so on. In this way, it helps in proper
utilization of the available resources in man and material which have remained
unexploited and unutilized so far.

A new outlook of life has opened and new vitality is pulsating in the areas where
Panchayati Raj has been established. The things are taking such shape that the
powers, prestige and importance of Central and State legislatures are in melting
pot and are being transplanted to the Pradhans, Sarpanchas and Panchas. It is
really very encouraging to see that Kisans and other rural people, who had
suffered for long for lack of opportunities, have responded magnificently to the
new form of life and their achievements are creditable and praiseworthy. The
process has brought about new faces and new blood. So, PR, in India must
succeed. If it fails, the confidence of all developing countries in the development
through democratic way would be shaken and million would plunge into utter
despair, frustration and despondency.

14.2.2 Structure of Panchayti Raj System

Balawant Rai Mehta Committee in its Report suggested a three tier system of
Panchyati Raj—Gram Panchayat in village level , Panchayt Samiti at Block level
and Zilla Prishad at district level.

Gram Panchayat

The Panchayat is the executive committee of Gram Sabha. It is known by a

variety of names. The membership of the Panchayat varies from five to thirty one.
Members of the Panchayat are called Pnches and are elected by the Gram Sabha
by secret ballot. The President is directly elected by the people in Orissa; by the
Gram Sabha in Assam, Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, and by the
Panches in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The President can be removed from the
office by a majority of two-thirds of votes of the members of the panchayts
present and voting. Several states provide for reservations of a specified number
of seats for women as well as members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. The tenure of the Panchayat in various states varies from three to five
years.

The Panchayat is looked up in as an instrument for execution of the Community

Development Programme. Functions of Panchayat are obligatory and
discretionary. The Panchayat may also be entrusted with any other functions
given by the state government. To perform these functions the panchayt has been
given certain sources of revenue. It has been seen that the Panchayats do not
function as an effective institution. Agenda of meetings was not issued, meetings
held without proper quorum, sometimes with proper delay. They suffer from lack
of resources, secretarial assistance, adequate powers, and cooperation from
revenue and police agencies, guidance and supervision, apathy on the part of
Panches. Apart from all these they have group rival which hinder smooth
functioning. There exists the complexity of rules and procedures, lack of timely
action against defaulters, proximity of the Panchayat Samitis . So, to reduce all
these loopholes some remedial suggestions by the Balwant Rai Committee are as
follows: Finances of the Panchayts should be augmented; Powers and functions
should be more clearly enunciated; Efficient and regular secretarial assistance
should be there; roles and procedures should be simple; cooperation from revenue
and police agencies must be ensured; Cooperation of government departments is
needed; gram sabha should be active; Education among the people need to be
stepped up. There is a state control over Panchayat. It includes the power to
delimit and alter its jurisdiction, appointment of staff, records management,
financial administration, election. The state government may call for necessary
reports and records. It may suspend or remove a panch or a sarpanch under
certain conditions.

Panchayat Samiti

The Panchayat Samiti is the intermediate tier in the PRIs of rural local
government in India. The term varies from three to five years. There is no
uniformity in consisting a Panchayat Samiti in different states. It consists of ex-
officio, associate and co-opted members. The Sarpanches of the Panchayats are
the ex-officio member. Members of State Legislatures and of Parliament are also
members. Women members and members from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
tribes in Panchayats are also members. President of Panchayt Samiti can be
removed from his office by a no-confidence vote of the Panchayat Samiti passed
with a special majority. President exercises control over the Block Development
Officer for implementing resolutions of the samiti or its standing committee. He
has all access to all records of the Panchayat Samoti. He is empowered to demote,
suspend or dismiss any member of the staff whose jurisdiction is less than the
whole Block.

The Panchayat Samiti is the pivot of the Panchayti Raj system of rural local
government. It is the principle executive body in all the states except Gujarat and
Maharashtra charged with the responsibility of implementing Community
Development Programmes. Besides, it also acts as an agent of the state
government in the performance of tasks which may be assigned to it. It also
exercises supervision and control over Panchayats within the jurisdiction and
provides necessary technical and financial assistance to them. It scrutinizes
budgets of the Panchayats of the area under its control and makes suggestions to
them. Functions may be classified in two broad areas: (1) provision of civic
amenities and (ii) fulfillment of development functions.
A Panchayat Samiti appoints a number of Committees to assist it in performance
of its functions. A Panchayat Samiti appoints a number of Committees to assist it
in performance of its functions. Members of the Standing Committee are elected
by the members of the PS. President of the PS shall be the ex-officio member or
the chairman of the standing committee. Taxation is not a major source of
revenue of the Samiti. The Samiti gets a certain share of land revenue collected in
the state. The Samiti is equipped with the administrative machinery called the
Block Development Officer. As, all the executive authority in the three-tier local
government structure has been vested in the Panchayt Samiti, the body at the
district level being given only a supervisory an coordinating role.

Zilla Parishads

The Zilla Parishads constitutes the apex in the Panchayti Raj System of rural local
government in India. It is a corporate body. Membership of Zilla Parishads has
been designed in such a way as to link it, with the intermediate tier of PR, i.e., PS.
ZP is an official rather than a popular body because of its ex-officio and co-opted
membership. The Zilla Parishad’s membership varies between forty to sixty.
Urban local governments in the districts must be represented in the ZP to enable it
to view and function in a comprehensive, intelligent and meaningful manner. The
term varies from three to five years. The members of the ZP elect amongst
themselves a president called chairman. He exercises administrative supervision
over the chief executive office for implementing resolutions and orders of the ZP,
and sends a confidential report on the of the CEO to the Divisional Commissioner.
The provision is made in all statues to remove the president by a vote of no-
confidence. The ZP functions through a network of standing committees.

In most of the states the ZP has been assigned with the executives authority,
particularly in those of planning and development and designed to be the
strongest tier of PRIs Except in Gujarat and Maharashtra, ZP functions as a
supervisory and coordinating body. It coordinates development plans prepared by
the Panchayat Samits, advices the state government on all matters relating to
developmental activities in the district informs the district collector and
Divisional Commissioner about irregularities, it collects statistics relating to the
activities of local authorities in the district, it advises the state government on
allocation of work to be done among Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis.
Normally sources of income available to ZP are taxes, non-tax revenue, grants
from State Government etc.

There are many problems which hindered the success of PRIs (i) the illiteracy
and conservatism of the village people;(ii) rural local self- government have
become riddled with casteism, communalism, factionalism;(iii) benefits not
reached to the common man;(iv) dishonesty and corruption in the local bodies;(v)
urbanization is another problem;(vi) excessive government control is also
responsible for the slow progress;( vii) shortage of funds;(viii) irregular elections
to these bodies.

14.2.3 73rd Amendment Act and Powers and Functions

Before 73rd Amendment to the Constitution also, the panchayats were assigned
some traditional functions such as maintenance rather than developmental
responsibilities. The 73rd Amendment has made PRIs responsible for maintenance
as well as developmental activities. The Article 243G of the 73rd Amendment
enlists the power, authority and responsibilities of panchayats as under. Though,
the amendment had provided with a list of functions under the provisions of 11th
Schedule, it has not mentioned clearly about the level of PRIs which would
perform the particular type of functions. In conformity to the 73rd Amendment
Act, all the states have amended their respective Panchayat Acts and enlisted the
functions assigned to the different levels of PRIs in the respective states. Here, in
this juncture, it is essential to discuss the functions at different levels of PRIs
across the states. The functions enlisted in the different 13 states Panchyats Acts
are classified into three categories: (i) General Administrative Functions (ii)
Developmental and social and (iii) Maintenance.

Functional Responsibilities of Gram Panchayat( GP)

At this level, administrative functions include: (i) Preparation of annual plans for
the development of the village Panchayat; (ii) preparation of annual budget;(iii)
mobilizing relief in natural calamities;(iv) removal of encroachment on public
properties;(v) organizing voluntary labour and contribution or community
works ;(v) maintenance of statistics of village;(vi) any other functions entrusted
by the Panchayat Samiti, Zilla Panchayats or state or central government on an
agency basis, is most commonly found across the states. Apart from this, village
defence, information and publicity and the constitution of Nyaya Panchayt were
found in Andhra, West Bengal and Maharastra. In case of developmental and
social activities, are agriculture, social forestry, animal husbandry, rural housing,
education etc. Next is a maintenance function which includes rural electrifications,
rural sanitation and conservation.

Block Level ( Panchayt Samiti- PS) functions

In this level, general administrative functions include –providing relief in natural

calamities and other works entrusted by the Zilla Panchayt. Some of the functions
like trusts, social education and village defence corps ( Gujarat alone). Publicity
and information ( Gujarat and Maharastra) and statistics ( Gujarat, Maharastra,
and Rajasthan) were very common. Regarding developmental social activities
concerned are agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, social farm and forestry.
Among the maintenance functions, the market and fair maintenance, health,
family welfare, sanitation and medical and cultural activities and sports were
common responsibilities of PS in many states.

Zilla Parishad ( Zilla Panchayat ( ZP) level functions

At this level, the major responsibility of general administrative function is of

overall supervision, coordination; consolidation, integration and implementation
of development schemes at block and district levels. Preparation of plans for
economic development and social justice of the entire district and securing the
execution of plans, projects, schemes or other PS works were commonly found in
almost all the states. Amongst the developmental variety the agriculture
including extension and horticulture, animal husbandry, dairying and poultry,
social forestry, fuel and fodder education were quite common among all the states.
Health, and hygiene and family welfare, medical and sanitation were only
responsibility of maintenance variety performed commonly performed by two or
three levels of PRIs in most of the states. In case of maintenance variety of
functions the situation ids slightly better as compared to the development and
social. Most of these functions are performed by the GP only. In sum, with
respect to development and social variety of functions the demarcation of the
areas of responsibilities in the state Acts are not defined clearly.

14.3 ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK

The present administrative system of India is inherited from the colonial rulers,
and it is this structure which has primarily been entrusted with the functions and
responsibilities of rural development. Some modifications have been grafted on to
it from time to time. The revenue and general administrative organization and
structure have been mobilized for rural development functions. Changes have
been made since the inception of the Community Development Programme in
1952 which for the first time attempted in a big way to set up development
administration right unto the field level and this included induction of technical
expertise and training of manpower to undertake various schemes under the
Community Development Programme.

It was the Grow More Food Enquiry Committee which in its Report submitted in
1952 stressed, for the first time, the need for an integrated organizational structure
for rural development. It also laid down the blueprint for the set up at various
levels—National, State, District, Block and village. It recommended the
establishment of the taluq as a development block covering 100-120 villages
under the charge of a development Officer for the Block who would be the
Revenue Divisional Officer assisted by four Technical Officers for agriculture,
animal husbandry cooperation and engineering; and village level workers, one for
5 to 10 villages. The Report also recommended that development activities at the
District should be unified under the Collector assisted by specialized officers and
the State level there should be a Cabinet Committee presided over by the Chief
Minister and a non-official Board for coordinating policies and finalizing joint
action.
The blueprint was given shape with the launching of the Community
Development Programmme (CDP) in 1952 followed by the National Extension
Services (1953) which covered the whole country. Under the CDP Programme,
the development block was created as the basic unit of planning and integrated
rural development comprising agriculture, animal husbandry, village industry,
education, health, social welfare with special emphasis on self-help and public
participation. The most striking administrative innovations made by Community
Development Programme were identification of block as the unit of
administration, appointment of extension officers who were subject specialists,
appointment of the village level worker( VLW) for a group of villages as multi-
purpose development functionary through whom programmes of different
departments were administered, role of Development Commissioners as the
coordinating functionary at the State level, coordination and integration of
development programmes of different departments at the Block level, and
mobilization of people’s participation in development.

The Organizational set up conceived at the time of the implementation of the

Community Development Programme has broadly continued till now with some
changes introduced at the District level during the Fourth and Fifth Plan periods,
with the shift in the strategy of the rural development programmes and the
launching of special programmes. The strategy of rural development has
gradually begun focusing on area based and clientele specific development.

Administrative Set-Up

Initially, the implementation of CDP was entrusted to the Planning Commission.

A special organization, viz., Community Project Administration headed by the
administrator was created for this purpose. He was to be assisted by a central
committee comprising members of the Planning Commission and some central
ministers with the Prime Ministers as its Chairman. This Committee was
entrusted with the task of laying down broad policies relating to the programme
and supervising its progress. Considering the growing magnitude and importance
of the work, a separate Ministry of Community Development was set up in 1956
to deal with subjects like allocation of blocks, financial assistance, supply of
equipment to states, training, research, overall direction, and monitoring and
implementation of the programme. The nomenclature and status of the Ministry
has been changing from time to time with the shift in emphasis in rural
development programmes. In 1958, the subject of village Panchayts was
transferred to the Ministry of Community Development from the Ministry of
Health, and Cooperation from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and the
Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Community Development and
cooperation. The Ministry was organized into two departments—the department
of community development and department of cooperation. With the introduction
of Panchayti Raj in 1959, as suggested by Balwantrai Mehta Committee, the
Ministry was redesign Ted as Ministry of Community Development, Panchayti
Raj and Cooperation but after a short period it was again redesignated as the
Ministry of Community Development and Cooperation.

During the early 1960s the emphasis of rural development programemes shifted
towards increase in agricultural production. As a result, the Intensive Agricultural
Area Programme ( IAAP) in 1964. In order to implement IAAP, in 1966 the
Ministry of Community Development and Cooperation. For the effective
supervision of the Programme special machinery was created at the Centre.
Emphasizing the need for coordination at the central level to implement the
programme effectively, the estimates Committee of Parliament pointed out : “ It
was recognized that effective coordination must be maintained at all levels among
the agencies concerned with the implementation of an integrated programme of
rural development, especially agricultural production. As a result, at the Centre,
the Departments of Community Development and Agriculture have not only been
placed under one Minister but at the official level under one Secretary also.”

In its Draft Plan ( 1978-83), the Planning Commission reviewed the approach to
rural development specially with reference to the poor. It visualized an integrated
plan of development at the Block level within which a beneficiary –oriented plan
for the poor was to be appropriately accommodated. Consequently, the IRDP was
launched in 1978-79 in 2,300 development blocks all over the country. The Small
Farmers Development Agencies (SFDAs) were also merged with IRDP in 1980,
when IRDP was extended to all blocks in the country For employment generation,
the National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) was launched in 1980 as a
modification of the earlier ‘ Food for work’ programme which had been launched
in 1977. However, doubts were raised with regard to achieving the objectives of
IRDP and NREP through the existing administrative arrangements of multiple
agencies looking after various special programmes in the districts. The
Government of India, issued instructions in 1980 for the integration of
administrative arrangements both at the State and District levels. State level
Coordination Committee and District Rural Development Agencies were set up.
The Ministry of Rural Reconstruction was constituted in 1979 and continued till
1982.In Jan, 1985, it became the Department of Rural Development in the
Ministry of Agriculture with a separate Department of Rural Development as one
of its constituents.

Now, we will describe the organizational structure operating in 1989-90. The

Department of Rural Development is now one of the four Departments of the
Ministry of Agriculture and is headed by a Secretary to the Government of India;
he is assisted by an Additional Secretary, six Joint Secretaries and other
supporting staff, administrative as well as technical. The department is divided
into six wings each headed by a Joint Secretary. The six wings are:

i) Administrative Wing
ii) Rural Employment Wing
iii) Integrated Rural Development Wing
iv) Land Reforms Wing
v) Finance Wing
vi) Monitoring Wing

Besides these six wings, a Technology Mission on Drinking Water in villages and
Related Water Management was set up in the Department in 1986 under the
change of a Mission Director-cum-Joint Secretary to provide safe and adequate
drinking water. The Department of Rural Development is responsible for Policy,
Planning, Direction, Coordination and monitoring of te programmes.

The Department of Rural Development has the following institutions under its
administrative control:

• Directorate of Marketing and Inspection ( DMI) which is an attached office;

• National Institute of Rural Development which is an autonomous body;
• Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology
(CAPART) which is a registered society.

A National Fund for Rural Development (NFRD) was set up in 1984 for the
purpose of attracting donations for rural development projects. It provides
incentives to the donors by offering tax concession to the donor. It is also true that
the Department of Rural Development ids not the only Department which
implements programmes in rural areas. Rural Development is as much the
concern of several other Ministries/ Departments which too have programmes in
rural areas The Department of Agriculture and cooperation has a large number of
programmes as also the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The Department of
Women and Child Development has programmes for welfare of children and
women. The Ministry of Welfare has programmes for the welfare of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and the physically and socially and socially
handicapped in rural areas; the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for health
and family planning programmes, the Ministry of Industry for village industry,
the Department of Education for educational development and the Ministry of
Water Resources for development of water resources.

The Present Set-Up at the National Level

A New Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been created w.e.f. 27th May 2004. As per
the amended allocation of Business Rules, "all matters relating of Panchayati Raj
and Panchayati Raj Institutions" will be looked after by the newly created
Ministry.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj will be responsible for the work of advocacy for and
monitoring of the implementation of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992
and the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act,
1996, hereinafter refer to as said Acts to ensure that the State Panchayati Raj Acts
adhere to the provisions of the above mentioned two Acts and are implemented in
letter and spirit.
States/UT Administrations at present are at varying degrees of the implementation
of said Acts. The Ministry, inter-alia, would ensure that they hold timely elections,
set up State Finance Commissions and implement their recommendations,
constitute District Planning Committees and empower them suitably to ensure
grass-root level planning to feed into State and Central level Planning effectively.
One major task of the Ministry will be to ensure that the State Governments/UT
Administrations devolve funds, functions and functionaries on the Panchayati Raj
Institutions in the spirit of the Constitutional provisions. The Ministry of
Panchayati Raj will also be responsible for formulation and implementation of an
Action Plan for seeing PRIs to emerge as "Institutions of Local-Self Government"
securing economic development and social justice in their respective areas.

Empowerment of Gram Sabhas by holding regular Meetings and social audit

through Gram Sabhas so as to enable them to emerge as foundation of Panchayati
Raj will be pursued vigorously with States/UT Administrations. Depending upon
the local situation, States/UT Administrations will be encouraged to institute
Ward Sabhas and Mahila Sabhas and make them functional.

The Ministry attaches great importance to the capacity building of elected

representatives and officials of PRIs as well as functionaries involved in the Rural
Development Programmes. It is estimated that about 3 million elected Members
and the Staff assigned to the Elected Bodies needs training to enable them to
discharge their functions effectively. The Ministry will also be funding research
studies, workshops and seminars for development of Panchayats. The Ministry
will implement the scheme of "National Awards for Best Panchayats" to
encourage PR Institutions in discharging their role of "Institutions of Self-
government" to be able to enforce economic development and social justice at the
local level.

Administrative Set-Up at the State Level

The State government has direct responsibility for the administration of rural
development programmes. Almost all states now have a separate Department of
Rural Development headed by a Secretary. Above him is the Development
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. In several states the Chief
Secretary himself is the Development Commissioner- cum- Secretary. During the
late 1960’s State level coordination and Review Committees were set up in all the
states to bring about coordination among different departments. These committees
consisted of Secretaries of all the departments concerned and a representative
from the Central Government. A study conducted during 1979 to 1981 by the
Programme Evaluation Organisation ( PEO) of the Planning Commission on the
Antodaya Programme for Small farmers, Marginal Farmers and Agricultural
Laborers (1983), pointed out that Coordination and the Review Committees at the
state level have not been active in most of the states and have failed to provide
guidance or support to the agencies. State level cells which were expected to
exercise general supervision and ensure coordination of activities of various
departments have also generally not been able to achieve their objectives.

The Union Ministry of Rural Development had prescribed that programmes like
Integrated Rural Development Programme, National Rural Employment
Programme (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme
( RLEGP), Drought Prone Area Programme, (DPAP) Desert Development
Programme (DDP) at the state level should be looked after by a single
department having an overall control over the development administration right
up to the Block and field levels so that inter-sect oral coordination with other
departments are adequately taken care of. The Ministry had recommended the
creation of a separate post at the level of a Commissioner for dealing with all the
special programmes, to be assisted by middle level officers of the rank of
joint/Deputy Secretary for monitoring, formulation and implementation of theses
programmes in the districts.

Consequently, at the State level, initially there was the office of the Development
Commissioner who was in charge of all the development work under the
supervision of the Development Committee usually chaired by the Chief Minister.
Now in most of the cases, either the Department of Planning or the Department of
Rural Development is responsible for policy, planning, and implementation. The
Coordination Committee chaired by the chief Secretary / Agricultural production
Commissioner/ Principal Secretary reviews, sanctions, coordinates. Monitors and
evaluates the schemes. Some states like Rajasthan created an unique
organizational set-up called the Special Schemes Organisation SSO) in 1971 to
formulate agricultural development projects. Gradually, special programmes like
DPAP, DDP, IRDP, NREP were also entrusted to the SSO.

Administrative Set–Up at the District Level

The District in India has been the basic unit of administration and the head of the
district administration is the District Collector. At the District level, the revenue
and development functions have been combined in office. When the CDP was
launched, the District Collector was made the head of the community
development administration in the district. The Collector coordinated district
plans and presided over the District Planning Committee. The Committee
consisted of official and non-official members assisted by a District Planning
office.

Significant changes were introduced at the District level during the Fourth Plan
( 1969-74) when the Small Farmers Development Agencies ( SFDAs) and
Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers development Agencies( MFALs.)
were set up on the recommendation of the All-India Rural Credit Review
Committee appointed by the Reserve Bank of India in 1969 to provide credit
support and technical guidance to the small framers. To coordinate the activities
of all departments, a coordination committee was created in each district under
the chairmanship of the District Collector.

An autonomous agency registered under the Registration of Societies Act 1860

was established at the District level to implement the SFDA/MFAL programmes.
Each agency consisted of a governing body with a small executive staff and was
to receive support from a State Level Coordination and Review Committee. The
Governing Body consisted of a Chairman who was normally the Collector of the
district, and representatives of the State Departments of Agriculture, Animal
Husbandry, Cooperation or any other department concerned with the programme,
a representative of the Lead Bank, Chairman of the Central Cooperative Bank
concerned, a representative of Zilla Parishad, and a few non-officials. Each
agency was allowed only a nucleus staff comprising a Project Officer and three
Assistant Project Officers drawn from the Departments of Agriculture, Animal
husbandry and Cooperation. The SFDA had no field of its own and the agency
was supposed to work through the staff of other development departments
concerned and institutions such as cooperatives and commercial banks.

Besides SFDA, other special programmes were also introduced in the country
during the Fourth and Fifth Five Year Plans. Among these, the Drought Prone
Area Programme (DPAP) and Desert Development Programme ( DDP) were
taken up in the 1970s. Special project agencies have been set up by the state or
central government at the District level. Collectors are normally associated with
them..

The Ministry of Rural Development had recommended that at the District level,
the planning and implementation agency should be the District Rural
Development Agency (DRDA) headed by a Chairman who is the collector or
Deputy Commissioner or District Magistrate Hence, DRDAs were set up as
autonomous agencies at the beginning of the Sixth Plan when the IRDP and
NREP were launched in all the blocks in the country.

The DRDAs are in overall charge of planning, implementation, monitoring and

evaluation of the programmes in the district. The functions of DRDAs are:

• To provide information regarding the parameters, dimensions and

requirements of the programmes to District and Block level agencies and to
apprise them of their tasks in this regard;
• To coordinate and oversee the survey and preparation of perspective plan and
Annual Plans of the Block and finally prepare a District Plan;
• To ensure the effectiveness of the programme by regular evaluation and
monitoring;
• To secure inter-sect oral and inter-departmental coordination and cooperation;
• To publicize the achievements made under the programmes, disseminate
knowledge and build up awareness about the programme; and
• To send periodic returns to the State Governments in prescribed formats.
The Governing Body of the DRDA includes, apart from the Chairman ( usually
District Collector) the following:

(i) All MPs and MLAs of the District

(ii) Head of the Central Cooperative Bank
(iii) Chairman of the Regional Rural Bank
(iv) Chairman of the Zilla Parishad
(v) An Officer of the Lead Bank
(vi) District Employment Officer
(vii) One representative of rural women, preferably a beneficiary.

The President of the DRDA is empowered to form an Executive Committee to

assist the DRDA. The Committee has as its members District level officers. The
Governing Body of DRDA is required to meet every quarter and the Executive
Committee every month. The Project Officer of the DRDA is assisted by 2 to 3
Assistant Project Officers ( APOs) who are subject matter specialist. An APO for
women looks after the women’s component of IRDP and the Development of
Women and Children in Rural Areas Programme (DWCRA). There is also an
APO (Monitoring).

The Ministry of Rural Development had also suggested the setting up of a District
Development Committee under the chairmanship of the District Collector. Its
meetings are attended by the District level heads of the development departments,
BDOs, representatives of the banks and non-official bodies. Its main function is to
coordinate between all the district level departments and other agencies like
Khadi and Village Industries Board, District Industries Centre, banks etc. It also
reviews the working of various programmes in operation in the district and
attends to the day-to day problems of implementation and administration of` the
programme.

Since the inception of the CDP (1952), some thinking had been going on
regarding District level decentralization. The Planning Commission’s Working
Group on District Planning (1985) had reiterated the fact that District Planning
should be viewed as a holistic operation with different sect oral programmes
integrated into a unified planning activity.

The Report of the Committee to Review the Existing Administrative

Arrangements for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation Programmes
( 1985) had stated that the district should be “ the basic unit for policy planning
and programme implementation “. It is also observed that the formulation of a
proper district plan is a pre-requisite for having a process of development which
will ensure that the poor are properly taken care of, and a key senior officer of the
rank of Chief Secretary should be designated as Development Commissioner to
be in charge of development administration at the State level.

Administrative Set-Up at Block Level

Under CDP, the Development Block was created as the basic unit of planning and
integrated rural development comprising agriculture and allied activities,
education, health, social welfare, with special emphasis on self- help and public
participation. The Block administration consisted of the Block level officer,
namely, Block Development Officer ( BDO) who was assisted by about eight
extension personnel representing agriculture, animal husbandry, cooperation,
social welfare irrigation etc. Village Level Workers ( VLWs) also called Gram
Sevaks and Gram Sevikas and auxiliary staff. Provision was made for the
constitution of block advisory committees to enlist popular support for the
programme. But after some time it was realized that the block advisory
committees were not functioning properly because they were purely advisory
bodies without any direct responsibility in the development work. The Balwant
Rai Mehta Study Team appointed by the Government of India to review
Community Development Projects and National Extension Service in 1957
suggested decentralization of power to the basic unit viz., block, in a three-tier
organically linked structure including the District level above and the village level
below.

Even with the introduction of new programmes, staff in the mid-sixties like
SFDA, MFAL the structural mechanism at the Block level not altered much. All
programmes and schemes of the DRDA are being implemented through the
Development Blocks headed by the Block Development Officer ( BDO). Besides
the BDO, the other block staff involved directly in the implementation of the
IRDO are extension officers for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Social Welfare,
Irrigation, Industries and Khadi Supervisor from Khadi and village industries
Corporation ( KVIC). In states which have adopted the Training and Visit ( T&V)
system of agricultural extension, agricultural extension is being directly handled
by the staff of the Department of agriculture. Hence, the Agricultural Extension
Officer and 70 to 80 per cent of the VLWs have been taken away from the Block
establishment, and they have only a small nuclear staff. Consequently, the block
administration had got considerably weakened.

The review of development progrtammes and schemes including IRDP is

conducted at the Block level on a fortnightly basis in a meeting of VLWs and
other block staff under the chairmanship of the BDO. The review of all activities
of the block is also made in the quarterly general body meeting of Panchayat
Samiti under the chairmanship of its Pradhan with the BDO as the member-
secretary. This meeting is attended by all the members of the Panchayt Samiti,
Sub-divisional Magistrate of the area, District level officers of concerned
Development departments, representatives of DRDA, sub-divisional Agricultural
Officer, Tehsildar of the area, Block Level Officers of other Development
departments and the block For the review of credit supply and coordination there
is a Block Level Coordination Committee (BLCC) which meets once a month in a
fixed date. The Pradhan of the Panchayat Samiti is the chairman. All the branch
managers of banks in the Block and the BDO are its members. All extension
officers in the Block and the Tehsildar of the area also attend the meetings of this
committee.
14.4 DEVOLUTION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONS –
ACTUAL POSITION

The type of functions assigned to and the level of PRIs perform the functions is
unfortunately led to ambiguity. Same function is performed by the two or three
different levels of PRIs. The level of PRIs and the sub-component of the function
is not clear. There was also overlapping of functions between different levels and
different official
agencies. With the exceptions of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
and Tripura, the remaining states had not assigned the functions and allocated the
powers on any clear principles.

Other issues regarding this, are to be concerned (a) appropriateness of functions/

areas of responsibilities at different levels; (b) coordination between different
levels of Panchayts on the one hand and between Panchayts and officials agencies
on the others ;(c) incentive compatibility of panchayts and line agencies; (d)
accountability of Panchayats not just to the higher authorities but also to the
community. But unfortunately, these are not taken up by any other states Acts.
(Gaiha)

It has also been felt in regarding the assigning of the responsibilities no selection
criteria were used. There is no overburdening of function at gram Panchayts level.
Here, a smaller group of functions can be identified and could be assigned to the
particular level of PRIs in the basis of economic consideration. Overlapping, rigid
and elaborate procedures and weak monitoring and evaluation systems impede
coordination between the Panhayts at different levels as well as between the
Panchayts and officials agencies which result in delays in the implementation of
schemes. Besides, even the formal participation of the people were there but as
there were delays in elections and in implementing the quotas. All together the
experiences so far as has not been very encouraging. ( Bohra, 2000).
Other issues of 73rd amendment are, there shall be a gram sabha in each village
exercise in such powers and performing such functions at the village level as the
legislature of a state may provide by law. While the elections in respect of all the
members to Panchayts at all levels will be direct, the elections in respect of the
post of chairman at the intermediate and district level will be indirect. The mode
of elections of chairman to the village level has been left to the governments to
decide. ( Krishnamurti, 1993).

Reservations of seats for SC/STs have been provided in proportion to their

population at each level. Not less than one –third of total membership has been
reserved for women and these seats may be allotted by rotation of different
constituencies in a Panchayt. Similar reservations have been made in respect of
the office of the chairman also.

A uniform term of five years has been provided for the PRIs and the in the event
of suppression, elections to constitute the body should be completed before the
expiry of six months from the date of dissolution. ( Jain, 1991). The state
legislatures have been given the power to authority the Panchayt to levy, and
appropriate suitable local; taxes and also provide for making grants in aid to the
Panchayts from the consolidated fund of the concern state.

Panchayat shall be constituted in every state at the village, intermediate and the
district levels, thus bringing about the uniformity in the Panchayti Raj structure.
However, the states having a population not exceeding 20 lakh have been giving
the option of not having any Panchayt at intermediate level. A finance
Commission has to be constituted once in evry 5 years to review the financial
position of the Panchayts and to make suitable recommendations on the
distribution of the funds between the state and local bodies.
With a view to ensuring continuity it has been provided an the Act that all the
Panchayts existing immediately before the commencement of these Amendment
Act and will continue till the expiry of their duration unless dissolved by a
resolution to that effect passed by the state legislature concerned. The state
legislature should bring the necessary Amendment to their Panchayat Act within
the maximum period of 1 year from the commencement of these Amendment Act
so as to conform to the provision contained in the constitution. ( Mishra, Kumar,
Pal, 1994)

So far as the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 has only provided the
general guidelines for the effective and efficient PRIs in India. It granted the PRIs
a constitutional status, some sort of uniformity by making three tier systems, a
permanent feature, a regularity by making elections and imperative after the
termination of the PRIs after every 5 years and the state election commission to
conduct and supervise the elections, more financial autonomy with the
constitution of the State Finance Commission etc. But the major question still
remains: how the various states are responding and at what speed they are
implementing the Panchtyati Raj envisages by the recent Constitutional
Amendment. The amendment is designed to revitalize the Panchayts to promote
growth in rural economy. This Amendment is an important landmark, because it
has given legal recognition to the tier of governance, ie, PRIs,. It provides for a
uniform three tier structure of Panchayts especially at the district, block and
village levels and specification of areas of responsibility of the Panchytas at the
three levels. Most of the states modified their Acts and went for Panchayat
elections. However, the devolution of power has been far from smooth. ( Bohra,
Ibid).

14.4.1 Devolution of Powers and Functions: Trends in the Local –

Government Gram Sabha

Article 243 (G) – defines a village as one specified by the Governor by public
notification to be a village for the purpose of the Act and includes a group of
villagers so specified. Article 243(B) of the constitution refers to Gram Sabha as
“a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village
comprised with the area of Panchayat at the village level”. Regarding the powers
of Gram Sabha, article 243(A) of the Constitution states that, “A Gram Sabha
may exercise such powers and perform such functions at the village level as the
legislature of a state, may, by law, provide”. In essence, a clause, which has
ensured that states have not devolved any significant powers and functions to the
Gram Sabha. Instead, they have confined the role of the Gram Sabhas to
overseeing and monitoring the functioning of Panchayts, approving schemes
and identifying beneficiaries. While there are states like Madhya Pradesh and
Kerala that have made the recommendations of the Gram Sabha binding on the
panchayts, many States have given short shift to Gram Sabhas where the calling
of meetings is concerned On 5th (Chandra Parul, 2001). They meet twice a year.
The centre is pushing the states to hold it four times a year. Union Finance
Minister, Sinha declared 1999-2000 as the year of the “ Gram Sabha” to affirm
our resolve to set the process of decentralized democracy in motion, with human
development as the core objective of planning” ( Panchayati Raj Update1998)

On 5th, 2000 Union Ministry of Rural Development met in Hyderabad to discuss

ways of strengthening the Gram Sabha as envisaged by the 73rd amendment ( The
Hindu, , 2000)

In order to accelerate the emergence of Gram Sabhas as bodies to whom the PRIs
are accountable, the powers and functions of Gram Sabhas should be spelt out in
detail articulating their role as planners, decision-makers and auditors. The Gram
Sabha meeting should be held at least four times a year. Instead of holding the
Gram Sabha meetings in predetermined days they should be held with in a span of
30 days from the predetermined dates, so that concerned officers are present to
respond to questions and concerns. The meeting resolved to implement the four
point strategy—awareness, participation, transparency and social audit—for
strengthening of the Gram Sabha and carious rural development schemes in letter
and spirit.( Panchayati Raj Up Date, 2001)It has been felt that meetings are held
rarely. If the Gram Sabha has to be meaningful, the gathering can not be large.
The Gram Sabha should meet periodically and the subjects placed before it is
such that they attract public attention. Only then, the electorate will have any
interest to attend the gram sabha. Ubfortunately, the Act does not appear to
provide for both of these requirements explicitly.( Sundaram, 1997)

Constitutional Provision does not make constitution of Gram Sabha at village

level mandatory. Legislature of the State has the discretion to assign powers and
functions of Gram Sabha in relation with Gram Panchayts. It is impossible to
continue a single Gram Sabha in large Gram Panchayats as in Kerala and West
Bengal. Multi Gram Sabha system has been introduced in these states. There is
need to amend the existing article governing Gram SAbha as general assembly.
But at the same time Gram Sabha should not undermine panchayts
(Subrahmanyam, 2000. The Union Ministry of Rural Development has indicated
that broad guidelines would be framed by the centre on the functioning of Gram
Sabhas, their accountability, strengthening and social audit. ( The Hindu, 2000).
Another dimension is ‘elected Sarpanch totally lacked understanding about their
roles and responsibilities and had no skills in conducting the meetings of Gram
Sabha, with the result that they were never held. Even when held, Gram Sabha
meetings were poorly attended. What was more disgusting was that without any
meaningful discussions really taking place, the minutes of their proceedings were
written and signatures obtained by the village secretary, going from door to door.
The lack of attendance of women in such meetings and lack of participation by
the poor and the SCs were particularly striking”( Sundaram, 2000).
In a study of 185 Gram Panchayts in Gujarta, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh the following were observed in relation to
Gram Sabha. ( Panchayati Raj Up Date 1997).

• In many instances Gram Sabha meetings were convened as a matter of formality;

• In most of the meetings the minimum required quorum was rarely fulfilled;
• In nearly 1/3rd cases of study, the records of Gram Sabha meetings were completed
even when meetings were not held or there was no quorum;
• The important reason for ineffective functioning of Gram Sabha is due to absence
of understanding about its role in the minds of both its members and Gram Panchayt
leaders
• Absence of prior information about the Gram Sabha meeting is the most important
reason for poor attendance.
• When ever Sarpanch and Panchayt members have consulted members of Gram
Sabha in advance, participation of members has been substantial and active;
• Confusion about the role of Gram Sabha is mainly due to members perception that
it is a programme of a political party or an occasion to identify beneficiaries;
• Except in Kerala and Madhya Pradesh the advice and suggestions of Gram Sabha
are not binding on Gram Panchayat.
• Most Sarpanches lack skills in conducting meetings.

Above findings indicate that special interventions and awareness –building

measures for their proper functioning is required. Unless the Institution of Gram
Sabha put to use fully, the PRIs in general, and grassroots democracy in particular
will not be able to flourish to the desired extent. The Gram Sabha has been
recommended to serve as an assembly of the village and act as a watch dog on the
working of Gram Panchayts besides facilitating people’s participation in the
decision making process at the grass roots level ( Jain, 1997).The sub-group of
the task force on Panchayati Raj constituted by the Union Ministry of Rural
Development has suggested the following recommendations in relation to Gram
Sabha (Panchayati Raj, Up Date,. 1999)

1. Appointment of specified officers of intermediate level or District level PRIs as

observers of Gram Sabha;
2. Gram Sabha Abhiyan meetings through out the state for two weeks for awareness
building;
3. The agenda of the Gram Sabha should be of interest to majority of members and
must cover a range of subjects that vitally affect their day-to day-life;
4. They should not act merely as a recommendatory body or debating forum;
5. If the decisions are not capable of being implemented, the Gram Panchyats should
report the reasons for non-compliances to Gram Sabhas.

A recent Amendment of Madhya Pradesh Panchaytat Act has given a range of

functions to the Gram Sabha. Kerala had involved the Gram Sabha in its people’s
plan campaign. The Gram Sabha of Orissa and Rajasthan have been given power
to approve the Gram Panchayt’s Plan and budget. Since the practical situation
differs from state to state, it is not possible to make constitutional provisions on
the specific functions and powers that should be given to the Gram Sabha, but the
constitution may explicitly indicate its intention to allow the Gram Sabha too play
a substantive role in the functioning of Gram Panchayt ( Ghosh, 2001)

14.5 CONCLUSION

The fruit of democracy could not immediately travel to level below that of the
state as the transfer of power from the British to Indian hands on the mid-night of
the 14th August, 1947 was, in effect the handing over the keys of the
administration to the people’s representatives at the centre and the state levels. It
was expected that by this pattern state legislature will travel from the state head
quarters down through the districts and the block to the village Panchayats. In this
way, there will be a complete link-up of the millions in this country from the
Gram Sabha to the Lok Sabha. TRhe people of India will govern themselves
through their representatives in institutions from the Panchayat to the Parliament
and then democracy will travel from Lok Sabha to Gram Sabha. “ Panchayati Raj
thus reflects the new concept of inter-connected democracy from the Gam-Sabha
to the Lok Sabha. ( Dey)

It can be said that India is on the threshold of a historic transition of political

power to the grassroots with all the states completing the process of enacting
fresh legislation on strengthening the PRIs on 23rd April 1994.As many as 11
states pushed through fresh legislation in 72 hours, some of them even in the early
hours of 23rd April, 1994 to beat the stipulated the deadline of 23rd April 1994, the
day Panchayts became part of the Indian Constitution. However, the 73rd
constitutional Amendment Act is not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram,
Nagaland and certain scheduled areas of the country. But mere legislative
enactments do not ensure effectiveness and viability of the PRIs in the states.
What is more important is their operationalisation. So, we will take up the state
wise assessment of the New Panchayti Raj in Action to have clear picture on the
ground realities.

14.6 KEY CONCEPTS

Empowerment: Giving a person or organisation the formal authority to do
something.
Federalism: A system of governance in which a national, overarching
government shares powers with sub-national or state governments.
Executive Branch: In a government with separation of powers, that part that is
responsible for applying or administering the law. Thus a president, governor, or
mayor and their respective supporting bureaucracies are the executive branches of
their respective jurisdictions.

14.7 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Rudra Moorthy, B. Extension in planned social change, p. 204.

Dey, S.K. “Community Development through Panchayati Raj” , p.4 .

Darling, M.L. ‘ At Freedom’s Door, p.347.

Harijan, 18th Jan, 1948).

First Five Year Plan, p.139).

Second Five Year Plan, p.160)

Corry, J.A, Elements of Democratic Government, p.543).

Local self- government, activities, Uttar Pradesh , 1955-56, p.82).

Gaiha, Raghav, “Participation of empowerment of the rural poor: The case of

Panchayt in India, Center for Advanced Study of India, Occasional Paper No. 4 ).

Bohra, O.P. “ decentralization and devolution of powers and functions of

panchayts’ Journal of rural development, vol. 19(2), NIRD, Hyderabad, pp. 185-
197, 2000).
Krishnamurti, B, “ About Panchayti Raj” Patriot, July, 1993)

Jain, L.C., “ Future of Panchayats “, Hindusthan Times, 4, Oct, 1991).

Mishra, S.N, Kumar, Lokesh, Pal Chaitali “New Panchayati Raj in action).

Panchayati Raj Update, 53, May1998:1)

The Hindu, online, Nov, 2000)

Panchayati Raj Up Date, 8(7), 91, July, 2001:6)

Sundaram Meenakshi,, ( 1997), “ The 73rd Constitutional Amendment—A case

for further Amendment,” Journal of Rural Development,” 16(4), p551).

Siva Subrahmanyam, 2000, “ Reforms in Panchayati Raj; Mending the

Amendmends,” Kurukshetra, 49(2):p.8.

The Hindu( online), Nov, 6, 2000).

Sundaram, 2000, “ From Top-Down-Planning to Decentralised Regional and

local Development in India—Vision and Reality: Challenges and Perspectives’,
Indian Social Science Review, 2(2), pp. 294).

Panchayati Raj Up Date, 45, Sep. 1997.pp6-7.

Jain, 1997, “ Devolution of Power, Functions and Authority to Panchayts in

Different states, “ ( working paper) National Institute of Rural Development,
Hyderabad, p. 557.

Panchayati Raj, Up Date, 70, 6(10), Oct. 1999:p.5.

Ghosh, B.D., (2001), “ Consultation Paper on Panchayts based on a Review of the

Working of the Constitutional provision on Decentralisation, Insitute of Social
Science, ND.
14.8 ACTIVITIES

1) Explain the structure of Rural Local Bodies.

2) Discuss the structure of Panchayati Raj System at the national, state,
district, block and village level.