TNPSC Free Notes Polity In English-Panchayat Raj

இந்தக் கட்டுரையில், TNPSC குரூப் 1, குரூப் 2, குரூப் 2A, குரூப் 4 மாநிலப் போட்டித் தேர்வுகளான TNUSRB, TRB, TET, TNEB போன்றவற்றுக்கான  முறைகள் இலவசக் குறிப்புகளைப் பெறுவீர்கள்.தேர்வுக்கு தயாராவோர் இங்குள்ள பாடக்குறிப்புகளை படித்து பயன்பெற வாழ்த்துகிறோம்.

Panchayat Raj

73 rd Constitutional Amendment – implementation and implications
 Article 243 B of the Constitution which was inserted into the Constitution under the
73rd Constitutional Amendment, envisages that States and union territories except
those with population not exceeding 20 lakhs, will have to constitute a three tier
system of Panchayat ie, village, intermediate and district levels.
 While the district has been defined as a normal district in state, the jurisdiction of
village and intermediate levels have not been specifically defined in the Act.
 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, the intermediate level which can be a Taluk or Block is also to be specified
by the Governor through a public notification in this regard.
 This provides a certain amount of flexibility to the States in constituting Panchayats
at the lower and middle levels.
 A new schedule, Eleventh Schedule was inserted in to the Constitution of India, which
provided for obligatory and discretionary functions of the Panchayats at three levels,
 The Village Level
 The District Panchayat at the district level
 The Intermediate Panchayat which stands between the village and district
Panchayats in the states where the population is above 20 lakhs.
 All the seats in a Panchayat shall be filled by persons by direct election from
territorial constituencies in the Panchayat area.
 The electorate is named as “Gram sabha” consisting of persons registered in the
electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of a Panchayat.
 The Chairperson of each Panchayat shall be elected according to the law passed by a
State and such State law shall also provide for the representation of Chairpersons of
Village and Intermediate Panchayats in the District Panchayat.
Panchayat Raj – 2
 On 2 October 1959, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation of Panchayati Raj in
Nagaur, Rajasthan.

 The most revolutionary step in the context of governance of rural India.
 The journey which commenced with the commitment of comprehensive development
of villages and to put power in the hands of people.
Three tier Panchayati Raj system under 73 rd Constitutional Amendment (1992)
 District Panchayats (Elected and nominated)
 Panchayat Union Councils (Elected)
 Village Panchayats (Elected)
 Gram Sabha (All Voters in a village) (Advisory Body)
Eleventh Schedule (Article 243 G)
 Article 243G of the Indian constitution provides powers, authority and responsibilities of
Panchayat.
 The 29 subjects are listed below
 Agriculture, including agricultural extension.
 Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil
conservation.
 Minor irrigation water management and watershed development.
 Animal Husbandry, dairying and poultry.
 Fisheries.
 Social forestry and farm forestry.
 Minor forest produce.
 Small scale industries, including food processing industries.
 Khadi, village and cottage industries.
 Rural housing.
 Drinking water.
 Fuel and fodder.
 Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and other means of communication.
 Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity.
 Non-conventional energy sources.
 Poverty alleviation programme.
 Education including primary and secondary schools.
 Technical training and vocational education.
 Adult and non – formal education.
 Libraries.
 Cultural activities.
 Market and fairs.

 Health and sanitation including hospitals, primary health centres and
dispensaries.
 Family welfare.
 Women and child development.
 Social welfare, including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded.
 Welfare of the weaker sections and in particular of the scheduled castes and the
scheduled tribes.
 Public distribution system.
 Maintenance of community assets.
Panchayat Raj – 3
 There are around 2,50,000 village panchayats in India as per 2011 Census.
 The law provides that any person who is eligible to be elected to the state legislature
shall be qualified to be chosen as a member of a Panchayat. The responsibilities of the
Panchayats are clearly laid down in the Eleventh Schedule.
 Like the National Finance Commission, the Constitution Amendment Act also provided
for the State Finance Commission for recommending the formula for transfer of the
financial aid to local governments from the states.
 Consequent to the 73 rd Constitutional Amendment as well as the Supreme court’s
rulings which effectively mandate that local authorities are also to be treated as
“Government or state”.
 The Panchayats that have acquired substantial legitimacy are recognised as an
instrument of the Government and have created participatory structure of grass roots
democracy for the rural people.
 Creation of constitutional bodies like the State Election Commissions and the State
Finance Commissions have also given permanency and stability to these institutions.
 However, most Panchayats continue to be treated as agencies of the state for
implementation of prescribed schemes, even though essential services such as provision
of drinking water, rural sanitation, preventive health and primary education are
accepted as their legitimate core functions.
 The structure of district administration under the control of the Collector,
characteristically by a command structure and lack of horizontal coordination at the
grass roots level, has become somewhat anachronistic in the modern democratic
framework of out polity.
 In order to make local administration more responsive transparent and accountable to
citizens there is a need to have a representative government not only in the Union and
States but also at the District and Village levels with an equitable division of functions
among them.

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