Panchayati Raj of Gujarat
State villages have always been assigned importance in our social as well as economic activities. Since, ancient times ‘Gram’ remain stand as a unit. At present, majority of countries Population living in rural areas. Mahatma Gandhi, described village as a unit for Gram Swaraj. Gram swaraj means, totally independent from neighbors for one’s own great desires, but it is reliable each other as dependent republic. Panchayati Raj has come into existence as an important measure in the direction of Decentralization from the very beginning in Gujarat state. Panchayati Raj is being implemented in Gujarat with unambiguous policy and intention to see that community at large may participate in strengthening panchayati raj and in the development journey of government. Gujarat Panchayat Act 1993, is in force in Gujarat state subject to the 73rd amendment in the constitution of India. By this act, the management and monitoring of the panchayati Raj is to be done in the state.
Three tier system prevails in Gujarat state viz.
- Gram Panchayat
- Taluka Panchayat
- District Panchayat
There are 33 district panchayat, 247 taluka panchayats, and 14,017 gram panchayats in Gujarat state, while revenue villages are 18,584.
An outline of functions
Functions of three-tire panchayat structure in Gujarat state are distributed as under:
Gram panchayat
- Drinking water facilities for domestic use and for animals.
- Scavenging of roads in the villages.
- Maintenance of govt. properties
- Lighting arrangement in villages
- Spread of Education including primary education in villages.
- Planning of rural development
- Supervision of crops in the outskirt of village.
- Planning for agricultural improvements
- Planning for Agricultural Reforms.
Taluka Panchayat
- Provide Health-and-hygiene/”>Health and Hygiene Services in talukas
- Control on epidemics Constructions and maintenance of village roads.
- Establishment and management of primary school
District Panchayat
Control over activities of district panchayats, taluka panchayats and gram panchats, to provide assistance. Management and control on activities transferred from revenue, education co-operation Irrigation, Cattle breeding, agriculture by State Govt. work of activities of Panchayats Department at district level.
Participation of panchayatati Raj non-governmental organization in Gujarat
Word ‘panchayat’ may be divided in turns parts viz. panch and ayat, word panch is used for number of five in Sunskrit as well as Gujarati language. There is a popular vox ‘dei’ and people have unit since ‘Vedic Period’ also. It is believed that king Pruthu introduced panchayat system at the time of people habitation between ganga and jamuna rivers. Half-hearted efforts were made to establish panchayata during British rule. Royal commission appointed for decentralization in 1907 stated in his report that formerly villages enjoyed great customary. During national movement, gram panchayats and leaders invited local self-government and expressed openings that local self – governments should be elected up to apex level and government should take early measures to support them with sufficient funds. With the implementation of recommendations on democratic decentralization or Panchayati Raj by Balvantray Mehta study group, panchayati raj began in Gujarat state. Then after recommendations by various committees at regular intervals made Panchayati Raj more succesfully implemented. After 73rd amendment in the constitution of India, Gujarat Panchayats Act, 1993 came into existence, in which three tier panchayat raj system was constituted in Gujarat State.
Development Machinery
After implementing panchayati raj in Gujarat and that too after implementation of democratic decentralization basically efforts were made to establish panchayati raj as an important means for rural development, to strengthen and empower panchayati raj. Machinery involved in rural development program is known as developmental administration. Necessary structural organization and Attitude are mentioned as implementation of development administrative scheme and social and economic charge program undertaken by government.,
Panchayati Raj in Gujarat is a system of local self-government that was introduced in the state in 1963. The system is based on the principle of devolution of power to the local level, and it aims to involve the people in the decision-making process.
The history of Panchayati Raj in Gujarat can be traced back to the early 1950s, when the State Government appointed a committee to study the possibility of introducing a system of local self-government. The committee submitted its report in 1957, and the Panchayati Raj Act was passed in 1963.
The Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat is divided into three levels: the village panchayat, the taluka panchayat, and the district panchayat. The village panchayat is the lowest level of the system, and it is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the village. The taluka panchayat is the next level up, and it is responsible for planning and development in the taluka. The district panchayat is the highest level of the system, and it is responsible for planning and development in the district.
The Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat has a number of functions. These include:
- Planning and development
- Implementation of government schemes
- Maintenance of Law and Order
- Collection of taxes
- Provision of basic services
The Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat is financed through a variety of sources, including:
- State government grants
- Central government grants
- Local taxes
- User charges
The role of Women in the Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat is significant. Women are represented in all three levels of the system, and they play an active role in decision-making. The state government has taken a number of steps to promote the participation of women in the Panchayati Raj system, including:
- Providing training to women
- Providing financial assistance to women
- Creating awareness about the Panchayati Raj system
The Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat faces a number of challenges, including:
- Lack of Resources
- Lack of capacity
- Corruption
- Lack of coordination between the different levels of the system
Despite these challenges, the Panchayati Raj system in Gujarat has made a significant contribution to the development of the state. The system has helped to improve the lives of the people at the grassroots level, and it has promoted Democracy and decentralization.
The future of Panchayati Raj in Gujarat is bright. The state government is committed to strengthening the system, and it is taking a number of steps to address the challenges that it faces. The Panchayati Raj system is likely to play an even more important role in the development of the state in the years to come.
What is Panchayati Raj?
Panchayati Raj is a system of local self-government in India. It is a three-tier system, with village panchayats at the village level, block panchayats at the block level, and district panchayats at the district level.
What are the objectives of Panchayati Raj?
The objectives of Panchayati Raj are to:
- Promote local self-government
- Decentralize power
- Ensure people’s participation in development
- Promote Economic Development and social Justice
- Improve the Quality Of Life of the people
How does Panchayati Raj work?
Panchayati Raj works through a system of elected representatives. The village panchayat is the lowest level of Panchayati Raj, and it is elected by the people of the village. The block panchayat is elected by the people of the block, and the district panchayat is elected by the people of the district.
The elected representatives of Panchayati Raj are responsible for planning and implementing development programs in their respective areas. They also have the power to levy taxes and collect revenue.
What are the benefits of Panchayati Raj?
The benefits of Panchayati Raj include:
- Increased people’s participation in development
- Improved efficiency in the delivery of services
- Reduced corruption
- Increased Transparency and Accountability
- Improved quality of life for the people
What are the challenges of Panchayati Raj?
The challenges of Panchayati Raj include:
- Lack of financial resources
- Lack of capacity building
- Lack of coordination between different levels of government
- Lack of political will
- Social and economic inequalities
What is the future of Panchayati Raj?
The future of Panchayati Raj is bright. The system has the potential to transform the lives of the people at the grassroots level. However, there are a number of challenges that need to be addressed in order to realize the full potential of Panchayati Raj.
Sure, here are some MCQs on the topics of Panchayati Raj, without mentioning the specific topic of Panchayati Raj of Gujarat:
-
Which of the following is not a feature of Panchayati Raj?
(A) Decentralization of power
(B) Local self-government
(C) Direct Elections
(D) Nomination of members by the government -
The Panchayati Raj system was introduced in India in the year:
(A) 1950
(B) 1956
(C) 1973
(D) 1992 -
The three-tier Panchayati Raj system consists of:
(A) Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, and Zila Parishads
(B) Gram Sabhas, Panchayat Samitis, and Zila Parishads
(C) Gram Panchayats, Mandal Panchayats, and Zila Parishads
(D) Gram Sabhas, Mandal Panchayats, and Zila Parishads -
The Gram Sabha is the basic unit of Panchayati Raj. It consists of:
(A) All the adult members of the village
(B) All the adult members of the gram panchayat area
(C) All the adult members of the mandal panchayat area
(D) All the adult members of the zila parishad area -
The Panchayat Samiti is a middle-level body in the Panchayati Raj system. It consists of:
(A) Elected representatives from the gram panchayats in its area
(B) Nominated representatives from the government
(C) Elected representatives from the gram panchayats and nominated representatives from the government
(D) Elected representatives from the gram panchayats, mandal panchayats, and nominated representatives from the government -
The Zila Parishad is the highest level body in the Panchayati Raj system. It consists of:
(A) Elected representatives from the panchayat samitis in its area
(B) Nominated representatives from the government
(C) Elected representatives from the panchayat samitis and nominated representatives from the government
(D) Elected representatives from the panchayat samitis, mandal panchayats, and nominated representatives from the government -
The main functions of Panchayati Raj institutions are:
(A) To provide basic amenities to the people
(B) To maintain law and order
(C) To collect taxes
(D) To formulate development plans -
The Panchayati Raj system has been successful in:
(A) Reducing POVERTY
(B) Increasing Literacy rates
(C) Improving health care facilities
(D) All of the above -
The main challenges faced by Panchayati Raj institutions are:
(A) Lack of funds
(B) Lack of capacity
(C) Lack of political will
(D) All of the above -
The future of Panchayati Raj in India is:
(A) Bright
(B) Not so bright
(C) Difficult to say
(D) None of the above