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Panchayati rajFor other uses, see Panchayat (disambiguation)

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The panchayati raj is a South Asian political system mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. It is theoldest system of local government in the Indian subcontinent. The word "panchayat" literally means "assembly"(ayat) of five (panch) wise and respected elders chosen and accepted by the local community. However, there aredifferent forms of assemblies. Traditionally, these assemblies settled disputes between individuals and villages.Modern Indian government has decentralized several administrative functions to the local level, empowering electedgram panchayats. Gram panchayats are not to be confused with the unelected khap panchayats (or caste panchayats)found in some parts of Northern India.

Panchayat rajPanchayat Raj is a system of governance in which gram panchayats are the basic units of administration. It has 3levels: Gram (village, though it can comprise more than one village), Janpad (taluka or block) and Zilla (district).The term "panchayat raj" is relatively new, having originated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during 1958. Raj literallymeans "rule". Mahatma Gandhi advocated Panchayati Raj, a decentralized form of Government where each villageis responsible for its own affairs, as the foundation of India's political system. The term for such a vision was GramSwaraj ("village self-governance").The leader of the panchayat was generally called the mukhiya or sarpanch, a position which is elected.Various Committees on Panchayat Raj :

1.Balwant Rai Mehta : Estd 19572.V.T.Krishnammachari : 1960

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3.Takhatmal Jain Study Group: 19664.Ashok Mehta Committee : 19775.g.v.k rao committee :19855.Sarkaria Commission : 19866.Dr.L.M.Singhvi Committee:1987

Recommendations of Balwant Rai Mehta CommitteeThe Balwant Rai Mehta Committee, headed by MP Balwantrai Mehta was a committee appointed by theGovernment of India in January 1957 to examine the working of the Community Development Programme (1952)and the National Extension Service (1953) and to suggest measures for their better working. The recommendationsof the committee were approved by NDC in January 1958 and this set the stage for the launching of Panchayati RajInstitutions throughout the country. The committee recommended the establishment of the scheme of ‘democraticdecentralisation’ which finally came to be known as Panchayati Raj.(i) Establishment of a 3-tier Panchayati Raj system - Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at theblock level, and Zila Parishad at the district level.The panchayat raj system was first adopted by state of Rajsthan in Nagor district on 2nd Oct 1958.Second state wasAndhra Pradesh.While the Maharashtra was the Ninth state. This system was adopted by state governments duringthe 1950s and 60s, as laws were passed to establish panchayats in various states. It also found backing in the IndianConstitution, with the 73rd amendment in 1992 to accommodate the idea. The Amendment Act of 1992 containsprovision for devolution of powers and responsibilities to the panchayats both for the preparation of economicdevelopment plans and social justice, as well as for implementation in relation to 29 subjects listed in the eleventhschedule of the constitution.[2]

The panchayats receive funds from three sources:1.1. Local body grants, as recommended by the Central Finance Commission2.2. Funds for implementation of centrally sponsored schemes3.3. Funds released by the state governments on the recommendations of the State Finance CommissionsIn the history of Panchayati Raj in India, on 24 April 1993, the Constitutional (73rd Amendment) Act 1992 cameinto force to provide constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj institutions. This act was extended to Panchayats inthe tribal areas of eight states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,Odisha and Rajasthan starting 24 December 1996. Currently, the Panchayati Raj system exists in all the states exceptNagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram, and in all Union Territories except Delhi.[3] The Balwant Rai MehtaCommittee was a committee appointed by the Government of India in January 1957 to examine the working of theCommunity Development Programme (1952) The Act aims to provide a 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj for allStates having a population of over 2 million, to hold Panchayat elections regularly every 5 years, to provide seatsreservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and women; to appoint a State Finance Commission to makerecommendations as regards to the financial powers of the Panchayats and to constitute a District PlanningCommittee to prepare a development plan draft for the district. The 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj consists:1.1. Village-level Panchayats2.2. Block-level Panchayats3.3. District-level Panchayats.Powers and responsibilities are delegated to panchayats at the appropriate level:•• Preparation of the economic development plan and social justice plan.•• Implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice in relation to 29 subjects given in the

Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.•• To levy and collect appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and fees.

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Block panchayatA block panchayat (panchayat samiti) is a local government body at the tehsil or taluka level in India. This bodyworks for the villages of the tehsil or taluka that together are called a Development Block. The panchayat samiti isthe link between the gram panchayat and the district administration. There are a number of variations of thisinstitution in different states. It is known as Mandal Praja Parishad in Andhra Pradesh, Taluka panchayat in Gujarat,Mandal Panchayat in Karnataka, Panchayat Samiti in Maharashtra etc. In general, the block panchayat is a form ofthe Panchayati raj but at a higher level.

ConstituencyThe constituency is composed of ex-official members (all sarpanchas of the panchayat samiti area, the MPs andMLAs of the area and the SDO of the subdivision), co-opt members (representatives of SC/ST and women),associate members (a farmer of the area, a representative of the cooperative societies and one of the marketingservices), and some elected members.The samiti is elected for 5 years and is headed by the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman.

DepartmentsThe common departments in the Samiti are as follows:1.1. General administration2.2. Finance3.3. Public work4.4. Agriculture5.5. Health6.6. Education7.7. Social welfare8.8. Information technology,9.9. Water Supply Dept.10.10. Animal Husbandry and others.There is an officer for every department. A government appointed Block Development Officer (BDO) is theexecutive officer to the Samiti and the chief of its administration.BDO is responsible for his work to the CEO of ZP.

Functions1.1. Implementation schemes for the development of agriculture.2.2. Establishment of primary health centres and primary schools.3.3. Supply of drinking water, drainage and construction/repair of roads.4.4. Development of cottage and small-scale industries, and the opening of cooperative societies.5.5. Establishment of youth organisations.

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Sources of incomeThe main source of income of the panchayat samiti are grants-in-aid and loans from the State Government.

District level panchayatThe governing system at district level in Panchayat Raj is also popularly known as "Zila Parishad". Chief ofadministration is an officer from IAS cadre.Functions:1.1. Provide essential services and facilities to the rural population2.2. Supply improved seeds to farmers. Inform them of new farming techniques3.3. Set up and run schools and libraries in the rural areas4.4. Start Primary Health Centers and hospitals in villages. Start vaccination drives against epidemics5.5. Execute plans for the development of the scheduled castes and tribes. Run ashramshalas for adivasi children. Set

up free hostels for them6.6. Encourage entrepreneurs to start small-scale industries and implement rural employment schemes7. Construct bridges, roads & other public facilities and their maintenance8.8. Provide employmentSources of Income:1.1. Taxes on water, pilgrimage, markets, etc.2.2. Fixed grant from the State Government in proportion with the land revenue and money for works and schemes

assigned to the Parishad.

Reservation for women in PRIs in IndiaThe Union Cabinet of the Government of India, on 27 August 2009, approved 50% reservation for women in PRIs(Panchayati Raj Institutions). The Indian states which have already implemented 50% reservation for women in PRIsare Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.[4] As of 25 November 2011, the states of AndhraPradesh, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharastra, Orissa, Rajasthan and Tripura also reserve 50% of their postsfor women.[5]

References[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Template:Politics_of_India& action=edit[2][2] India 2007, p. 696, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India[3] panchayat.nic.in (http:/ / panchayat. nic. in/ viewPortalPage. do?PPID=213)[4] 50pc reservation for women in panchayats - Oneindia News (http:/ / news. oneindia. in/ 2009/ 08/ 27/

cabinetapproves-50-percent-reservation-for-women-inpancha. html). News.oneindia.in (2009-08-27). Retrieved on 2013-07-28.[5] 50% reservation for women in AP, Bihar Panchayats (http:/ / www. sify. com/ news/

50-reservation-for-women-in-ap-bihar-panchayats-news-politics-llzpcIcijii. html). Sify.com (2011-11-25). Retrieved on 2013-07-28.

Sources• Article 9374468 (http:/ / www. britannica. com/ eb/ article-9374468), Britannica.com.• Nepal glossary (http:/ / lcweb2. loc. gov/ frd/ cs/ nepal/ np_glos. html), lcweb2.loc.gov.• Article 333357 (http:/ / www. zeenews. com/ znnew/ articles. asp?aid=333357& sid=REG), zeenews.com• Article India994-07 (http:/ / www. hrw. org/ reports/ 1999/ india/ India994-07. htm), hrw.org.• Panchayati raj Recruitment (http:/ / www. exambuzzer. com/ 2013/ 12/

ap-appsc-panchayat-secretary-notification-online-application. html), Exambuzzer.com

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Further reading• Subrata K. Mitra and V.B. Singh. 1999. Democracy and Social Change in India: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of

the National Electorate. New Delhi: Sage Publications. ISBN 81-7036-809-X (India HB) ISBN 0-7619-9344-4(U.S. HB).

• Subrata K. Mitra. 2001. Making local government work: Local elites, panchayati raj and governance in India, in:Atul Kohli (Ed.). The Success of India's Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

• Subrata K. Mitra. 2003. Politics in India, in Almond, Gabriel/Bingham Powell/Russell Dalton/Kaare Strøm(Eds.), Comparative Politics Today. 8th edition. New York: Addison-Wesley-Longman, pp. 634–684.

External links• Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India (http:/ / panchayat. nic. in/ )• Panchayati Raj (http:/ / rural. nic. in/ )• See the entry on Panchayat in Encyclopædia Britannica (http:/ / www. britannica. com/ EBchecked/ topic/

440944/ panchayat)• A Feature on the Women of the Indian Panchayats (http:/ / www. imow. org/ wpp/ stories/

viewStory?storyId=100), with video, by the International Museum of Women.

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Article Sources and ContributorsPanchayati raj  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=613023936  Contributors: Abishek Rout, Ajcfreak, Alpha Quadrant (alt), Amrita jour, Andyjsmith, Annspaces, Antandrus,Azurfrog, Bgwhite, Bharathiya, Bpselvam, Careful! They're ruffled!, Chillllls, Cncs wikipedia, Commons sibi, Compfreak7, Copana2002, Cordless Larry, CorrectKnowledge, Cybercobra,Dbachmann, Deepakteke, DhivyakalaRaju, Diannaa, Drmies, Dumdumk, Editfromwithout, Ekabhishek, Emefaush, Epicgenius, Ettrig, Everyking, Faizhaider, Fconaway, Fraggle81, GDibyendu,GTBacchus, Geschichte, Gopijaina, Grapple X, Hammadansari97, Harryzilber, Hindustanilanguage, Hornplease, Hvn0413, IMOW, Jac16888, Januarythe18th, Jim1138, Joseph Solis in Australia,Kalikcharan, Kingdon, Kwamikagami, LZ6387, Laxmikanth22, Leujohn, LilHelpa, Lotje, MKar, Maelnuneb, Malekhanif, Malhonen, Materialscientist, Miksau12, Milesandkilometrestogo,MrOllie, Muhandes, Mìthrandir, NARENDER DHAKA, Naveentiptur, NebY, Nijusby, Nileshbandhiya, Ohnoitsjamie, Omnipaedista, OverlordQ, P.K.Niyogi, Panchayati Raj, Pdcook, Pit-yacker,Pratyya Ghosh, Prithvi Dheeraj Reddy, QuantumEngineer, Queenmomcat, Rags hegde, Rajankila, Rajasekhar1961, RaseaC, Raviiisc, Rdx-77, Reneekg, Rich Farmbrough, RobDe68, Robina Fox,Roland zh, Ronhjones, Rrburke, Saisuresh98, Samirbodkhe, Sarvagnya, Sfpria, ShagunBose, Shahab, Shenme, Shyamsunder, Sk201, Skysmith, SorenSoren, Stepheng3, Sumanch, Tabletop,Tentinator, Thecheesykid, Toddst1, Uncle Dick, Vardhananand, WDDT, WaltBusterkeys, Widr, Wiki-uk, Wikid77, Yogesh Khandke, Zachlipton, सुभाष राऊत, 205 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Emblem of India.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Emblem_of_India.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Abhishekjoshi, BRUTE, Beao, Bender235,Cheguthan, Editor at Large, Eugenio Hansen, OFS, Faizhaider, Fred the Oyster, Fry1989, Gauravjuvekar, Graphium, Havang(nl), Jappalang, Jed, Jianhui67, Jmabel, Jovianeye, Kintetsubuffalo,Klemen Kocjancic, Legoktm, Leit, Magog the Ogre, Miljoshi, Nightstallion, Roland zh, Str4nd, Túrelio, Vaishu2, Wiki-uk, Xiengyod, Zscout370, 46 anonymous edits

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