THE BACKGROUND
Directive Principle 1.1 The Panchayati Raj system is not new to India. The Panchayats have functioned in varying forms for centuries in different parts of the country. Gandhiji wished to revive the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the 20th century with democratic bases of their own and by investing in them adequate powers to ensure that the villagers could have a real sense of Swaraj. The introduction of Article 40 in the Constitution of India which states that the State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self- government' was a step towards this direction. This Article formed a part of the Directive Principles of the State policy under the Constitution.
Community Development Programme 1.2 After independence India has strived to accelerate the process of development through active participation of the people at the grass- root level. The decentralization of socioeconomic development programmes was conceptualized as early as the First Five Year Plan. It was envisaged that the villages would undertake and execute the programmes of development with actual support of the State. Accordingly, it was felt necessary to change the structure of development administration. Launching of Community Development Programme in 1952 was a first step in this direction. Development was conceived as an integrated process. A need was felt for building development administration which is sensitive to the aspirations and needs of the people. This led to creation of development blocks.
1.3 The community development programme was thought to be a pioneering step in the process of decentralised planning. It was expected to induce transformation in the rural areas with focus on agriculture. However, it was soon realised that it had not been able to serve the purpose, to a large extent, because of excessive bureaucratic control. In many ways, it was felt that the programme had not been able to come to terms with people's aspirations. As a result it failed to mobilise and involve the rural masses in taking decisions about the activities which affect their lives directly.
Evolution of Panchayati Raj Institutions 1.4 The significance of decentralization in accelerating the process of development was emphasised by the Balwantrai Mehta Committee (1957) which was set-up to make recommendations on new structures to be created to involve local people in the development process, The committee recommended the "establishment of an interconnected three- tier organisational structure of democratic decentralization at the village, block and district levels".
1.5 The Panchayati Raj Acts were enacted in most of the states in fifties. While the pattern suggested by Balwantrai Mehta Committee was generally followed in most of the States, there were some local variations, the most significant being the primacy given to the district tier in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat by having strong Zilla Parishads with consid-
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erable administrative powers. Notwithstanding the local variations, there was general acceptance of the need to decentralise political and administrative power. Subsequently, Panchayati Raj legislations were amended in a number of states to give greater responsibilities to Panchayati Raj bodies to accelerate the process of development.
1.6 The interest and support for Panchayati Raj, however, did not last long due to various reasons. After the mid-sixties, the process of decline was visible. The flow of funds for block development was reduced to a trickle after the close of the intensive stage of the community development programme. In many States tendency to postpone the Panchayati Raj elections indefinitely was also noticeable. Simultaneously, parallel bodies came to be set-up at the district level in some States, thus reducing the role of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in development planning and implementation.
Constitutional Provisions 1.7 The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 envisages States to establish a three-tier system of strong, viable and responsive Panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels. Similarly, the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 envisages to establish the Municipalities in the urban areas. States are expected to devolve adequate powers, responsibilities and finances upon these bodies so as to enable them to prepare plans and implement schemes for economic development and social justice. These Acts provide a basic framework of decentralisation of powers and authorities to the Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies at different levels. However, responsibility for giving it a practical shape rests with the States. States are expected to act in consonance with the spirit of the Acts for establishing a strong and viable system of local self-government.
1.8 The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India constitute a new chapter in the process of democratic decentralisation in India. In terms of these Amendments' the responsibility for taking decisions regarding activities at the grass-root level which affect people's lives directly would rest upon the elected members of the people themselves. By making regular elections to Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies mandatory, these institutions have been given their due place in the democratic set-up of the country. Stage has come to make these bodies an organic part of the development process in the country.
1.9 Presently 16 States/UTs have got three-tier system (with some modifications in Tamil Nadu and Assam), 5 States/UTs have two-tier system and 8 States/UTs have only single tier system of Panchayats. Article 243(b)(1) of the Act envisages that all the States/UTs, except those with population not exceeding 20 lakhs, will have to constitute a three-tier system of panchayats i.e. at the village, intermediate and district levels. While the district has been defined as a normal district in a State, the jurisdiction of village and intermediate levels have not been specifically defined in the Act. Village as per the provisions of the Act is to be specified by the Governor by a public notification for the purpose of this part and includes a group of villages so specified. That means the territorial area of a village panchayat can be specified by a public notification by the Governor of the State, and may consist of more than one village. Similarly, intermediate level which can be a taluk, block or a mandal, is also to be specified by the Governor through a public notification in this regard. This provides certain amount of flexibility to the States in constituting Panchayats at the lower and the middle level.
Participative Management 1.10 The basic function of democratic decentralization is to ensure that the development planning is more responsive and adaptable to regional and local needs of the population. It
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ensures people's participation - the fact recognised by all for the success of developmental programmes. Further, it is also based on the premises that the people at the grass root levels have a better perception of their requirements. However, the system of local self- government goes a step further by ensuring delegation of political power. It also ensures involving objects of development in directing and executing the developmental activities an indispensable aspect to improve the effectiveness of programme. Therefore, planning and implementation of development programmes by people's participation in political and developmental processes constitutes a significant aspect of Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies.
Education under Panchayati Raj 1.11 The Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies have an important role to play in reconstruction of the education system. It is being realised that there is an alienation between the community in general and educational system and thus efforts towards ensuring larger enrolment, raising retention rate and improving teaching-learning process, have not succeeded substantially.
1.12 The establishment of Institutions of local self-government may be seen as a significant step in the direction of making the system more effective as well as responsive. The Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies ought to made responsible for planning, execution and monitoring of various educational programmes at different levels. It may not be out of place to mention that the National Policy on Education and the Programme of Action (1992) emphasise the importance of the decentralisation of planning and management of education at all levels by ensuring greater community participation.
1.13 While transferring various functions to institutions of local self-government, the approach must be tempered with caution and mature deliberations. These institutions may not grow immediately into their full potential and start performing the extremely ambitious and complex tasks. Keeping in view the relative weaknesses of the Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies, their limited resources and complex nature of their responsibilities, they need to be nurtured, supported and encouraged in a positive manner. The positive partnership between Panchayati Raj/Municipal bodies and State governments will go a long way in confronting the multifaceted tasks of educational development.
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