The correct answer is (d) Ashok Mehta Committee.
The Ashok Mehta Committee was appointed by the Government of India in 1977 to review the working of Panchayati Raj institutions in the country. The Committee submitted its report in 1978, and recommended for according a constitutional position to Panchayati Raj.
The Committee observed that Panchayati Raj institutions had not been able to achieve their full potential due to a number of factors, including lack of financial resources, lack of political will, and lack of coordination between different levels of government. The Committee recommended that Panchayati Raj institutions should be given a constitutional status, and that they should be made responsible for a wide range of functions, including planning, implementation, and monitoring of development programmes.
The Committee’s recommendations were accepted by the Government of India, and the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were passed in 1992. These amendments provided for the establishment of Panchayati Raj institutions at the village, block, and district levels, and made them mandatory for all states. The amendments also provided for a number of safeguards to ensure the autonomy of Panchayati Raj institutions.
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments have been a major step forward in the decentralisation of power in India. Panchayati Raj institutions have now been established in all states, and they are playing an increasingly important role in the development of the country.