Panchayti raj in Bihar

Act Formation

The Bihar Panchayati Raj Act was enacted in 2006 after the state was divided into Jharkhand and Bihar and a separate Panchayati Raj Department came into existence in 2007.

The Panchayati Raj Department

Th e Panchayati Raj Department (PRD) in Bihar came into existence in 2007. It mainly interacts with two ministries at the central level — the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR). PRD is considered an important department not only because of the quantum of funds that it handles but also because its activities have a direct bearing on rural development and POVERTY alleviation. It is also the nodal department through which attempts are made for grassroots Democracy and Decentralization of power through PRIs which have become the fulcrum of all development activities.

Reservation

Bihar was the first state in the country to bring in 50 per cent reservation for Women in PRIs. This was made operational through the Bihar Panchayat Raj Adhiniyam, 2006. Accordingly, Elections to PRIs which were held in 2006 had 50 per cent reservation for women and thus the total ERs had more women than men in the final tally.

Three-Tier Structure

PRIs at the district, block, and village levels are the Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat respectively.

District Panchayat : Zilla Parishad

Intermediate Panchayat : Panchayat Samiti

Village Panchayat: Gram Panchayat

Gram Katchahary

Apart from the Gram Panchayat, the state has another institution at the village level called the Gram Katchahary which aims to bring Justice to people’s doorsteps. The head of the Gram Katchahary is called the Sarpanch who is supported by the Gram Nyaya Mitra.

Support Structure

There are Panchayat Support Functionaries (PSFs) at all the three levels in the form of Standing Committees (SCs). At the village level there are seven SCs and at the district and block levels there are seven SCs each. The six SCs at the village level are:

Planning, Coordination, and Finance Committee.
Production Committee.
Social Justice Committee.
Education Committee.
Public Health and Family Welfare Committee.
Public Works Committee.

The seven SCs at the block and district levels are:

General Standing Committee.
Finance, Statistics, and Planning Committee.
Social Justice Committee.
Production Committee.
Education Committee.
Public Health, Family Welfare, and Rural Sanitation Committee.
Public Works Committee.

As per a rough estimate, about 60–70 per cent of the SCs are functional at the district level, about 40–50 per cent at the block level, and very few are functional at the village level. Generally, there are very few SCs at the village level and almost none of them are functional.

Apart from SCs, there are also government functionaries who assist the Panchayats in carrying out their functions at each level.

7 IT/ICT/IT Enabled Infrastructure-2/”>INFRASTRUCTURE

Bihar is connected by the Bihar State Wide Area Network (BSWAN). All the blocks have access to computers and have Internet connectivity. Approximately 6,000 Common Service Centres are functioning at the village level; these are managed by Srei-Sahaj with the overall monitoring being done by Beltron. Under BRGF, the state has set-up a helpline for Panchayat systems and Services. All the blocks have a facility for 2-way video conferencing. At the district level, PlanPlus Software is used for Decentralized planning.

Overall Structure of CB&T Delivery

CB&T in the state is carried out for PRI representatives either directly through DPR or through the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD). The training is imparted through a resource pool of Master Resource Persons (MRPs) and District Resource Persons (DRPs) developed by the department. The state recently revived nine Extension Training Centres (ETCs) called the ‘Mukhia Sarpanch Training Institutes’ (MSTIs) in Patna, Muzzafarpur, Darbhanga, Saharsha, Gaya, Munger, Bhagalpur, Purnia, and Sivan. BIPARD has plans of starting four ETCs in Patna, Bhagalpur, Purnia, and Muzzafarpur and the process of acquiring land for these at Purnia and Muzzafarpur is currently underway.

Programmes

A few programmes are directly related to the strengthening and capacity development of PRIs:

The Bihar Panchayat Strengthening Programme (BPSP).
Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF).
UNDP-Capacity Development of Local Governance (UNDP-CDLG).
Shaktirupa.

The Bihar Panchayat Strengthening Programme (BPSP)

The World Bank funded a 5-year project for strengthening Bihar’s Panchayats with a grant of US$ 160 million. At the time of the field visit pre-project activities were being carried out for this project. These comprised of various research studies while project implementation activities were scheduled to begin in 2011. Some of the major activities under this programme are construction of buildings for Panchayats, training and capacity building, and research.

The programme has seven key components:

PRI governance practices and capacity to manage local development.
State, district, and block level resource centres.
Grants for construction of PRI bhawans.
Untied grants to PRIs to initiate development activities.
Improving policies and the administrative Environment in the state for effective functioning of PRIs.
Performance monitoring and incentives for improvement.
Project management and coordination.

Currently, it is envisioned that the project will be implemented in six districts, three of which are from the Kosi flood affected areas while the other three are Patna, Bhojpur, and Nalanda. PRD has requested an additional $120 million to enable the construction of Integrated Panchayat Buildings across the state. A separate Society, the Bihar Gram Swaraj Society, has been formed for implementing this project.

Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF)

The Backward Region Grant Fund is a special gap filling fund implemented by MoPR, GoI in 250 identified most backward districts in the country. This is being implemented in 36 districts of Bihar. Under this scheme, each district receives Rs 1 crore per annum towards capacity building activities which can involve CB&T infrastructure as well as implementing training.

UNDP — Capacity Development for Local Governance (CDLG)

MoPR is currently implementing the CDLG Project in seven states, including in Bihar with support from UNDP. CDLG is aligned with the goals and objectives of NCBF, and aims to strengthen institutions and processes at various levels so that a behavioral change can be brought about through increased motivation, joint decision-making, the provision of Resources (that is, networks, resource persons/institutions, training courses/material, information, innovative solutions, and methods), and personal Empowerment. The key partner institutions in this are training institutions, such as the State Institutes for Rural Development (SIRDs), the Panchayati Raj Training Institutes (PRTIs, existing in a few states), and Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs), which have the mandate to train ERs and offi cials in local governance.

Shaktirupa

Under the Panchayat Mahila Evam Yuva Shakti Abhiyan, an association for EWRs, called Shaktirupa has been formed which is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The main objectives of this society are building the capacity of EWRs and ensuring larger participation of women at the district as well as state levels.

Panchayat Raj in Bihar

Panchayat Raj is a system of local self-government in India. It was introduced in Bihar in 1993 with the passage of the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act. The Act provides for the establishment of three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions at the village, block, and district levels.

The village level institution is called the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat is headed by a Sarpanch, who is elected by the villagers. The Gram Panchayat is responsible for a variety of functions, including the maintenance of village roads and drains, the provision of drinking water, and the management of primary schools.

The block level institution is called the Panchayat Samiti. The Panchayat Samiti is headed by a Block Pramukh, who is elected by the Sarpanches of the Gram Panchayats in the block. The Panchayat Samiti is responsible for a variety of functions, including the development of agriculture, the promotion of Cottage industries, and the provision of health care.

The district level institution is called the Zila Parishad. The Zila Parishad is headed by a Zila Pramukh, who is elected by the Block Pramukhs in the district. The Zila Parishad is responsible for a variety of functions, including the development of education, the promotion of tourism, and the maintenance of district roads.

Panchayat Raj institutions have played a significant role in the development of Bihar. They have helped to improve the lives of the people by providing them with access to basic services, such as education, health care, and drinking water. They have also helped to promote Economic Development by providing support to small businesses and farmers.

However, Panchayat Raj institutions in Bihar face a number of challenges. One challenge is that they are often understaffed and underfunded. This makes it difficult for them to carry out their functions effectively. Another challenge is that they are often subject to Corruption. This can lead to the misappropriation of funds and the neglect of development projects.

Despite these challenges, Panchayat Raj institutions have the potential to play a major role in the development of Bihar. With adequate support and resources, they can help to improve the lives of the people and promote economic development.

The following are some of the reforms that have been introduced in Panchayat Raj in Bihar:

The introduction of direct elections for the Sarpanch and Block Pramukh.
The increase in the number of seats reserved for women and SC/STs in Panchayats.
The provision of training and capacity building for Panchayat members.
The strengthening of the Panchayati Raj Audit system.

These reforms have helped to improve the functioning of Panchayat Raj institutions in Bihar. However, there is still a need for further reforms to address the challenges that these institutions face.

The future of Panchayat Raj in Bihar is bright. With adequate support and resources, Panchayat Raj institutions can play a major role in the development of the state.

What is Panchayat Raj?

Panchayat Raj is a system of local self-government in India. It is a three-tier system, with village panchayats at the lowest level, block panchayats at the intermediate level, and district panchayats at the highest level.

What are the functions of Panchayat Raj?

The functions of Panchayat Raj include:

Planning for economic development and social justice
Implementation of development programmes
Maintenance of Law and Order
Collection of taxes and other revenue
Provision of basic amenities such as water, sanitation, education, and health

What are the benefits of Panchayat Raj?

The benefits of Panchayat Raj include:

Decentralization of power
Increased participation of people in decision-making
Improved efficiency in service delivery
Increased accountability of government officials
Reduced corruption

What are the challenges faced by Panchayat Raj?

The challenges faced by Panchayat Raj include:

Lack of financial resources
Lack of trained manpower
Lack of coordination between different levels of government
Lack of awareness among people about their rights and responsibilities
Political interference

What are the reforms needed in Panchayat Raj?

The reforms needed in Panchayat Raj include:

Increased financial resources
Increased training for panchayat members and staff
Improved coordination between different levels of government
Increased awareness among people about their rights and responsibilities
Reduced political interference

What is the future of Panchayat Raj?

The future of Panchayat Raj is bright. With the right reforms, Panchayat Raj can become a powerful tool for development and empowerment of people.

Sure, here are some MCQs on the topics of Panchayat Raj, without mentioning the topic of Panchayat Raj in Bihar:

The three-tier system of Panchayat Raj was introduced in India in the year:
(a) 1950
(b) 1959
(c) 1973
(d) 1992
The Gram Sabha is the lowest level of the Panchayat Raj system. It consists of all the adult members of the village. Which of the following is not a function of the Gram Sabha?
(a) To discuss and approve the annual budget of the Gram Panchayat
(b) To elect the members of the Gram Panchayat
(c) To monitor the functioning of the Gram Panchayat
(d) To decide on the use of common property resources
The Zila Parishad is the highest level of the Panchayat Raj system. It is responsible for planning and development at the district level. Which of the following is not a function of the Zila Parishad?
(a) To prepare the district development plan
(b) To allocate funds to the Gram Panchayats
(c) To monitor the implementation of development schemes
(d) To provide technical assistance to the Gram Panchayats
The Panchayat Raj system is based on the principle of devolution of power. This means that:
(a) The power to make decisions is transferred from the central government to the local governments
(b) The power to make decisions is transferred from the State Government to the local governments
(c) The power to make decisions is transferred from the local governments to the people
(d) The power to make decisions is shared by the central government, the state government, and the local governments
The Panchayat Raj system has been successful in bringing about a number of positive changes in rural India. Which of the following is not one of these changes?
(a) Increase in Literacy rates
(b) Decrease in poverty rates
(c) Increase in agricultural productivity
(d) Increase in corruption
The Panchayat Raj system has also faced a number of challenges. Which of the following is not one of these challenges?
(a) Lack of financial resources
(b) Lack of technical expertise
(c) Lack of political will
(d) Lack of public participation
The future of the Panchayat Raj system depends on a number of factors. Which of the following is not one of these factors?
(a) The level of political commitment
(b) The level of financial resources
(c) The level of technical expertise
(d) The level of public participation
The Panchayat Raj system has the potential to play a significant role in the development of rural India. However, this potential can only be realized if the system is strengthened and made more effective. Which of the following is not one of the ways in which the Panchayat Raj system can be strengthened?
(a) By providing more financial resources
(b) By providing more technical expertise
(c) By increasing public participation
(d) By reducing corruption
The Panchayat Raj system is a complex system with a number of different components. Which of the following is not one of the components of the Panchayat Raj system?
(a) The Gram Sabha
(b) The Gram Panchayat
(c) The Panchayat Samiti
(d) The Zila Parishad
The Panchayat Raj system is a dynamic system that is constantly evolving. Which of the following is not one of the ways in which the Panchayat Raj system has evolved over time?
(a) The powers and functions of the Panchayats have been increased
(b) The number of tiers in the Panchayat Raj system has been increased
(c) The role of women in the Panchayat Raj system has been increased
(d) The role of the Panchayati Raj institutions in the planning and implementation of development schemes has been increased