Local Governments

How does local government strengthen democracy?

There is another story of yet another woman achiever. She was the President (Sarpanch) of a Gram Panchayat of Vengaiwasal village in Tamil Nadu. In 1997, the Tamil Nadu government allotted two hectares of land to 71 government employees. This piece of land fell within the vicinity of this Gram Panchayat. On the instructions of higher authorities the District Collector of Kancheepuram directed the President of the Gram Panchayat to pass a resolution endorsing the allotment of the said land for the purpose already decided. The President and the Gram Panchayat refused to pass such an order and the Collector issued an order to acquire the land. The Gram Panchayat filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court against the Collector’s action. The single judge bench of the High Court upheld the Collector’s order and ruled that there was no need to take the Panchayat’s consent. The Panchayat appealed to the Division bench against the single judge’s order. In its order, the Division Bench reversed the order of the single judge. The judges held that the government order amounted to not only infringement of the powers of the Panchayats but a gross violation of the constitutional status of the Panchayats.

In the example given above, what do you think the Government of Tamil Nadu should have done?

Why are people afraid of factionalism at the village level when all the political parties and organisations or even my class has factions? Are groups and factions always so bad?

Both Nehru and Dr. Ambedkar were not very enthusiastic about local government bodies. Did they have similar objections to local governments?

What was the constitutional provision about local governments before 1992?

Which were the States that had established local government during the 1960s and 1970s?

Constitution of India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government. Think over the situation described in the following statements and explain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayats in becoming units of self-government.

Suppose you are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, what powers would you endow to the village panchayats to function as units of self-government? Mention any five powers and the justification in two lines for each of them for giving those powers.

What are the provisions for the reservations for the socially disadvantaged groups as per the 73rd amendment? Explain how these provisions have changed the profile of the leadership at the village level.

What were the main differences between the local governments before 73rd amendment and after that amendment?

Read the following conversation.

Alok: Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women. Reservations in local bodies for women ensure their equal share in power.

Neha: But it is not enough that women should be in positions of power. It is necessary that the budget of local bodies should have separate provision for women.

Jayesh: I don’t like this reservations business. A local body must take care of all people in the village and that would automatically take care of women and their interests.

Write in two hundred words your opinion about the issues raised in this conversation.

Read the provisions of the 73rd Amendment. Which of the following concerns does this amendment address?

The following are different justifications given in favour of local government. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greater significance to a particular rationale than the others. According to you, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayat of Vengaivasal village was based? How?

Which of the following according to you involve decentralisation? Why are other options not sufficient for decentralisation?

A student of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study the role of decentralisation in decision making about primary education. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questions are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer would you give to each of these questions? A meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps should be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to the school.