Sushil Kumar Singh
Good governance is a sign of peace and prosperity. Panchayat is one such institution which plays an important role in furthering good governance. The institutionalization of democratic decentralization in the form of the Panchayati Raj system is not only an important and historic step towards local self-government, but also a broader vision towards a small republic. Not only this, it is also the result of Mahatma Gandhi’s desire for ‘Gram Swaraj’. India’s progress is not possible without the development of the village, this statement is much older, but its newness has not got rid of it even today. From where everyone’s participation in governance is ensured and grassroots efforts to understand and solve problems are possible, that is the Panchayat.
The word Panchayat is not new to India. It has been in existence since ancient times. When an inclusive framework is prepared and its objectives are fixed and the institution is designed to fulfill these objectives, then the path of Panchayat has to be passed through. Panchayat is not just a word, but it is the lifeline of the village from where the spirit of Sarvodaya and the last person standing in the queue feel equal. Panchayat is a symbol of democratic decentralization.
Its foundation is the Community Development Programme, which was started on October 2, 1952. The structure of an institution like Panchayat is also the result of many experiments and applications. The failure of the community development program, followed by the formation of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee and its report in 1957 can be seen to take its shape. It is worth mentioning that the Panchayat, which is considered a form of solving problems beyond politics and in the role of a policy-oriented vigilant watchdog, is caught in many problems today.
Under Article 40 of the Directive Principles, the responsibility of the formation of Panchayats was given to the states. It was not only their responsibility to ensure its compliance from the point of view of democratic decentralization, but also to make the country of villages very strong socio-economically. How successful the panchayats are in this matter, it is a matter of investigation. But the question of lakhs of rupees is that the Panchayat which has strengthened the lowest democracy is not free from problems.
Be it financial crisis or lack of proper planning or caste and hierarchies with illiteracy, conservatism and male domination. However, in the last three decades, these problems have also reduced and the Panchayati system has also proved that there is no alternative.
There is a close relationship between Panchayat and Good Governance. While Panchayat is a symbol of democratic decentralization and autonomy is its heritage, good governance is more sensitive to public welfare and with transparency and openness. The full and exclusive right to rule in a particular area is implicit in the definition of Panchayat. This right also fulfills those obligations which fill the flow of self-government under rural administration. Whereas Good Governance is a concept that repeatedly alerts the Government to continue to play the role of facilitator with inclusive and sustainable development.
The ‘Citizen’s Charter’ of 1997 was a product of good governance and the Right to Information of 2005 was another chapter of this. Not only this, Panchayats have also got strength from the 2006 e-governance plan. The concept of good governance first came to the UK in 1992. However, after the liberalization of 1991, its initiative can be seen in India as well. In this year of good governance, the Panchayati Raj system was being given a constitutional form. When it was given a constitutional form in the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution, then since October 2, 1959, this Panchayat-like institution, traveling from Nagaur, Rajasthan, became a new aura.
This amendment, which took place in 1992, was implemented on 24 April 1993. It is worth noting that Gandhi’s rural self-government was fulfilled in this amendment of the Constitution. Reservation of one-third women in Panchayats was ensured with this amendment, which at present is up to fifty percent.
If seen, there has been a massive change in the three-decade-old constitutional Panchayati Raj system. The attitude of men towards participating women representatives in the political climate has changed. Despite this, due to various economic-social constraints, it is rarely seen that the confidence in women about inner ability and power has been fully formed. The decoration of democratic decentralization is that Panchayats are most loaded with social status and women’s participation, but in the political environment, Panchayats are also not free from the evils of criminalization, muscle power, caste and creed etc.
Formation of a social structure based on equality is a link to good governance. Therefore, the objective of Panchayats should be to build an exploitation free society, where there is good governance, in which transparency and openness can be promoted in Panchayats, so that the 29 subjects listed in the 11th Schedule can be ensured in the public interest and rural administration can be empowered.
It is noteworthy that according to the 2011 census, every fourth person in the country is still illiterate and its impact can be seen on Panchayat and good governance. Most of the women representatives are illiterate. Due to this, they face many problems in reading and writing the account rules of the Panchayat.
The context of Digital India can also be seen from 2015. Online activities and digitization have also created a challenge for such representatives associated with the Panchayat. Although lakhs of panchayats of the country are yet to be connected with digital technology, as well as weak supply of electricity etc. is also a hindrance in this.
The digital revolution has left a deep impression on good governance. While digital transactions have increased, paper exchange has increased, land documents are being digitized, claims in schemes like Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima, including crop insurance cards, soil health cards and Kisan credit cards, have increased. Remote sensing, artificial intelligence etc. are being used for settlement, while participation of rural women in open health service centers in gram panchayats is also being encouraged, so that they become village level entrepreneurs. E-Governance is the complete transformation of the processes of governance using information and technology, which aims to ensure literacy, transparency and credibility while providing common citizens access to all government services.
The Panchayati Raj system is the power of the common people. Panchayats have changed in the last three decades. One of the main points in all this has been the increased participation of women at the local level. The presence of elected governments at the central and regional level is not enough for a democracy. Even from the point of view of good governance, public empowerment is its perfection and from the point of view of public decentralization, Panchayat has all these qualities. Democracy also requires that there should be an elected government at the local level to solve local issues and problems, which should have autonomy on local issues.