18-12-2017, 04:37 PM
PANCHAYATI RAJ
*The term Panchayati Raj in India signifies the system of rural local self -government.
*It aims to build democracy at the grass root level.
*The term ‘Panchayati Raj was coined by - Jawaharlal Nehru
*Article 40 under Part IV of the Indian Constitution mandates for the establishment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in India.
*Panchayati Raj was constitutionalised through the 73rd constitutional Amendment Act of 1992.
*Panchayati Raj Act came into force on 24th April 1993
*From 2011, April 24th is observed as National Panchayati Raj Day..
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee
*In January 1957, Government of India appointed a committee to examine the working of the Community Development Programme (started in 1952) and the National Extension Service (started in 1953)
*Balwant Rai Mehta was the Chairman of this committee.
Recommendations of the Committee
1.Establishment of a three-tier panchayatiraj system.
*Gram Panchayat at the village level
*Panchayat Samiti at the block level
* Zila Parishad at the District level
2.The village panchayats should be constituted with directly elected representatives whereas the panchayat samiti and Zila Parishad should be constituted with indirectly elected members.
3.The panchayat samiti should be the executive 1 body while the Zila Parishad should be the advisory, coordinating and supervisory body.
4.The district collector should be the chairman of the Zila Parishad.
5.There should be a genuine transfer of power arid responsibility to these democratic bodies.
6.Adequate resources should be transferred to these bodies to enable them to discharge their functions and fulfil their responsibilities.
*These recommendations were accepted by the National Development Council in January 1958.
*The council did not insist on a single rigid pattern and left it to the states to formulate their own system according to their local conditions without changing the basic principles.
