Local Administration
Unit 1
• Definition:
- Self – Government
- Citizens of a country rule themselves and
control their own affairs
- Free from political control
• Local self-government means that residents in towns, villages
and rural settlements are the hosts in their own home.
• People elect local councils and their heads authorizing them
to solve the most important issues.
• Local self-government bodies are responsible for school and
pre-school education, primary healthcare (outpatient clinics,
rural health posts), cultural institutions, amenities – street
lighting, roads, cleaning, public order and many other
important day-to-day issues.
• The essence of the reform is to empower residents of towns,
villages, rural settlements – to independently solve all these
issues.
Constitutional Provisions on Rural
Governance
• After Independence :
- Community Development Programme – 2nd Oct, 1952
- To study the functioning of Panchayat Raj System
- Suggested to appoint committees
- Failure of 5 year plans
COMMITTEES
- Balwant Rai Mehta Committee, 1957
– V T krishnamachari Committee, 1960
- Takhatmal Jain Study Group,1966
- Ashok Mehta Committee,1977
- G.V.K. Rao Committee, 1985
- Dr. L.M. Singhvi Committee:, 1986
Significance of 73rd amendment:
• 1. Added new Part IX
• 2. Created new 11th Schedule – 29 entries
• 3. Practical shape to Article 40 –DPSP
• 4. Constitutional status to village panchayat – (Art 243 A –O)
• 5. Compulsory and Voluntary Provisions
History
• Entry 5 of List II – State subject
• Rajasthan – 1st state – Oct 2,1959 – Panchayat Samitis and Zila
Parishad Act, 1959
• Andhra Pradesh – 1959
• Mysore – Mysore Village Panchayats and Local Board Act,1959
• Assam Panchayat Act, 1959
• Madras Panchayat Act,1960
• Orissa Zilla Parishad Act,1959
• Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad Act, 1960
• Jammu and Kashmir
Article 40
• Village Panchayat
• Welfare State
• Socio-Economic development
• Failure :
1. Inadequacy of financial resources
2. Non – Participation of people in village panchayat
Constitutional Provisions – Article 243 -243 O
73rd Amendment Act, 1992 :
Objective:
- Democratic decentralization of power and resources
- Execute Art 40
- Gandhian Principle of DPSP
- People should decide matters on their own
SALIENT FEATURES
• 1. Gram Sabha
• 2. Three tier system
• 3. Election of members and chairperson
• 4. Reservation of seats
• 5. Duration of Panchayat
• 6. Disqualification
• 7. State Election Commission
• 8. Powers and Functions
• 9. Finances
• 10. Audit of accounts
• Article 243 :
- Gram Sabha
- Intermediate level
- Panchayat
- Village
• Article 243 A – Gram Sabha
Article 243 – (A –O) - Panchayat
- Article 243 B – Three tier system
- Article 243 C – Composition of Panchayats
- Territorial Constituency
- Delimitation
- Right to Vote
- Article 243 D – Reservation of seats
- Scheduled Caste
- Scheduled Tribe
- Article 243 E – Duration of Panchayat
- Article 243 F – Disqualification for membership
- Article 243 G – Powers, authority and
responsibilities of panchayat
(i) Preparation of plans for economic
development and social justice
(ii)Implementation of schemes
State Finance Commission
Three Institutions:
a) State Election Commission
b) State Finance Commission
c) District Planning Committee
• Review the Financial position
• Every fifth year
• Make recommendation to the governor on
(i) Net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees
– distribution between state and panchayat
(ii) Grant in aid to the panchayat
• Composition and procedure – State by law
Functions:
- Reviewing the economic condition of the
various Panchayati raj institutions and
municipal bodies
- Take steps in boosting the financial condition
of the various municipal bodies and
Panchayati raj institutions in the state
- Allotting the funds between Panchayat and
Municipalities
- Role of an arbitrator between centre and state
