Panchayati Raj : Complete GK Study Notes

Panchayati Raj: Complete Study Notes

Important key Points:

• Pnchayati Raj first started Nagaur district of Rajasthan in 1959.
• In India, 1st Municipal Corporation was set-up in Madras.
• The duration of an elected body of Panchayti Raj is 5 Years.Women gets special representation to Panchayati Raj institution 1/3rd of the total seats are reserved for them.
• The establishment of Gram Sabha becomes mandatory by the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution.
• Gram Sabha under 242 Articles.
• Panchayats of West Bengal collect taxes from Toll Tax and Water Tax.
• The decision to hold Panchayat Election is taken by the State Government.
• The no of Panchayat Samities in West Bengal at present 341.
• At present no. of Municipalities in West Bengal are 121.
• The Government of West Bengal introduced democratic elections to the local bodies in 1978.
• In Kolkata, There was 1st Municipal Corporation in India set up.
• Mayor of Municipal Corporation holds the office for a period of 1 year.
• Article 40:
• The state shall take to organize village panhayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of Self- Government.
• The Government has launched National Extension Service (NES) in the year 1953.
• The Government has launched community development Programme (CDP) in the year 1952.

Back Ground of the Panchayati Raj:

• In January 1957 the Government of India appointed Balwant Rai Mehta Committee.
• The chairmen of this committee were B.R.Mehta.
• The main worked to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service.
• The B.R.Mehta committee submitted the report on November,1957.
• This report was accepted by the National Development Council in January, 1958.
• The Following recommendation by B.R.Mehta committee:
• B.R.Mehta committee recommended for the establishment of 3-tier structure Panchyati Raj system.

Gram (Village) Panchayat	At Village level
Panchayat Samiti	At Block level
Zilla Parishad	At District level.

This scheme was started on 2nd October, 1959 at the time of Prime Minister Jawhar Lal Nehru at Rajasthan in Nagaur District. And next in Andhra Pradesh on 1st November, 1959.

Ashok Mehta Committee:

• Due to not expected result in almost all state, in 1977, Prime Minister Moraji Desai appointed a new committee for Panchayat Raj Institution.
• Ashok Mehta was the Chairman of this committee, and for this reason this committee was called Ashok Mehta Committee.
• Asoka Mehta recommended 2 tier structure instead of 3-tier system:

Zilla Parishad	At District level.
Mandal Panchayat	Mandal Level

The Panchayat Raj must have compulsory powers of taxation to mobilize their own financial resources.
In case of super session election should be held 6 months.

G V K Rao Committee:

• In the year of 1985, a committee was arrangement for Rural Development and Poverty alleviation Programme by the Planning Commission.
• Head of this committee was GVK Rao.
• “Grass without Roots” was introduced according to the GVK Rao committee.

LM SINGHVI Committee:

• In the year 1986, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi appointed a committee on “Revitalization of Panchayati Raj Institution for Democracy and Development”
• The 73rd constitutional amendment bill was introduced in the Look Sabha in September, 1991.
• This bill was passed in Look Sabha on 22 December 1992.
• In Rajasthan - 23 December, 1992.
• This bill received by the President Shankar Daval Sharma on April 20, 1993. And came into force on 24 April, 1993.
• It is accepted in 11 schedules.
• Article 243G – 243H: State legislatures confer on the Panchayats such power and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institution of self-government.

Important Notes:

• 73rd amendment act is not applicable to the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland etc.
• Also not applicable to Darjeeling district of West Bengal for which Darjeeling Goorkha Hill.
• Local Bodies in India:
• Maharashtra is the 1st state in he country where 33% reservation for women in Local Bodies.
• In Bihar 50% reservation for Local Bodies.
• Local Government finances are to be provided by a Commission.
• Elections to Local Bodies are to be determined by a Commission.