Which of the following reasons were cited by the Ashok Mehta Committee

Which of the following reasons were cited by the Ashok Mehta Committee for the decline of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in India?

  • 1. Role of Bureaucracy
  • 2. Lack of Political Will
  • 3. Lack of conceptual clarity
  • 4. Lack of gender parity

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 4
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
2, 3 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2015
The correct answer is C, indicating that reasons 1, 2, and 3 were cited by the Ashok Mehta Committee for the decline of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
– The Ashok Mehta Committee (1977-1978) was set up to inquire into the causes for the poor performance of Panchayati Raj Institutions in India.
– The committee identified several reasons for the decline of PRIs.
– Statement 1 (Role of Bureaucracy): The committee noted the indifferent attitude of the bureaucracy towards PRIs and excessive bureaucratic control as hindrances.
– Statement 2 (Lack of Political Will): The committee pointed out the lack of sufficient political will on the part of the state governments to devolve necessary powers and resources to PRIs.
– Statement 3 (Lack of conceptual clarity): The committee observed that there was a lack of clarity regarding the role and importance of PRIs, which affected their functioning.
– Statement 4 (Lack of gender parity): While important for inclusive governance, lack of specific gender parity (like reservations) was a issue addressed by subsequent reforms (like the 73rd Amendment) rather than a primary reason cited by the Ashok Mehta Committee for the decline of PRIs *before* those reforms. The committee focused more on structural and operational weaknesses.
Other reasons cited by the Ashok Mehta Committee included inadequate financial resources, excessive control by the state government, lack of participation from weaker sections, and domination of political factions within PRIs. The committee recommended a two-tier system of Panchayati Raj (Zila Parishad at the district level and Mandal Panchayat for a group of villages) and suggested that PRIs should be assigned definite functions and sufficient resources.