Panchayati Raj Institutions in India

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

“In this structure composed of innumerable villages, there will be ever widening, never ascending circles. Life will not be a pyramid with the apex sustained by the bottom. But, it will be an oceanic circle, whose centre will be the individual, always ready to perish for the village, the latter ready to perish for the circle of villages, till at last the whole becomes one life composed of individuals, never aggressive in their arrogance, but ever humble, sharing the majesty of the oceanic circle of which they are integrated units. Therefore, the outermost circumference will not wield power to crush the inner circle, but will give strength to all within and will derive its own strength from it.”

Mahatma Gandhi

The local government in India is one of the most neglected aspects of government and politics. The fact that the Government of India is trying to raise the standard of living of millions of people living mostly in scattered villages, and to establish viable social, political and economic institutions in the face of tremendous obstacles from within and without, and to achieve these goals in a democratic way, increases the significance of local government. The situation at the grassroots can, thus, be improved through “decentralization”.

Decentralization is often construed to be an instrument to empower the local political bodies such that they are more accountable to local citizens and more responsive to local needs and preferences. It promotes popular participation in the village and assists people to think, decide and act for their own socio-economic and collective interests. However, local development through decentralization depends upon the state machinery and the powers endowed by it on the local political institutions. It also depends on the fact that the decision-makers are under the effective popular control of the people they are meant to govern.

The Government of India, in order to democratize and empower the local government bodies i.e., Panchayats , passed a series of constitutional reforms in 1993. Prior to and even after the formulation of these reforms, there has been a highly variable experience at the grassroots level which is discussed in detail in this paper. The research also focuses on the ups and downs in the context of Andhra Pradesh.

CHAPTER II PANCHAYATI RAJ IN RETROSPECT: 1947-1992

2.1 1947 TO 1970

Village panchayats have a long history in India. They represent a system of governance prevalent in ancient India. Gandhiji had aptly remarked