Role of Panchayati Raj System with Special Reference to Tripura

 ROLE OF PANCHAYATI RAJ SYSTEM WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO TRIPURA

Panchayati Raj system, a three-tier system in the state with elected bodies at the Village, Taluk and District levels. It ensures greater participation of people and more effective implementation of rural development programmes. There will be a Gram Panchayat for a village or group of villages, a Taluk level at the block level and the Zilla Panchayat at the district level.

MEANING OF SELF-GOVERNMENT

Self-government means self-rule or rule by the people. Especially in India, the small areas are divided into units like district, sub-division, village etc. the system of getting these areas administered by the local people is called self-government. Local self-government, therefore, is local administration by the local people.

MEANING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The local self-government is local government. The local self-governments are smaller than the national government. Its authority and functioning remain confined within the local area. The self-governing local government is formed by the elected representatives of the local residents. This government is entrusted with the duty and responsibility of discharging executive and administrative functions related to the interest of the people within the area. The self-governing bodies can make necessary laws and by-laws in the interest of its smooth functioning. The local government is a non-sovereign authority of the local area. This authority is in possession of adequate administrative set-up and legal right to administer the affairs of the area. The residents of the area participate in the functioning of the local government. This authority independently performs the functions of the concerned areas. But the independence of these self-governing institutions is not equal in every sphere. According to many, local government is a part of the national government. This government performs its functions related to the interest of the residents of the concerned area. Let’s summarize the role of the Panchayati Raj System with special reference to Tripura.

  1. GRAM SABHA: 

In the year 1993, a new Panchayat Act was passed in Tripura Assembly. The purpose of passing this act was to endow the panchayats with functions and powers so as to enable them to function as vibrant institutions of local self-government with greater peoples’ participation in controlling and managing their own affairs. The 73rd Amendment Act of 1992 this Panchayat Act was passed. This act extends to the whole of the Tripura State except the Municipal areas and Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). The Panchayats in the rural areas have gained the status of local self-government.

  1. COMPOSITION: 

The Panchayat consists of all the elected members, the members at the Panchayat Samiti from the constituency comprising any part of the village as ex-offices members. But they have no voting rights in the meeting for election and removal of Pradhan and Upa-Pradhan.

  1. GRAM SABHA AND GRAM SAMSAD: 

The Gram Sabha and Gram Sansad act as the fourth tier of rural local self-government.

  1. Gram Sabha is a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to an area comprised within the area of the village. The Gram Sabha has been entrusted with the power to consider the annual statement of Panchayat Pradhan preserves over the meeting of the Gram Sabha.

  2. Gram Sansad is a body consisting of the persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to each constituency. The Panchayat Pradhan shall be responsible for convening the meeting of the Gram Sansad. The Gram Sansad considers the selection of beneficiaries, selection of sites for the works at a public utility, report of development programmes in the area and future plans.

Holding the Gram Sansad (Village Parliament) is a mandatory provision of the Panchayat Act. Gram Sansad is the place where the panchayat body is supposed to submit written accounts of receipts and expenditures. These include funds received under various projects through the Finance Commission and its own sources.

  1. POWER AND FUNCTION OF GRAM PANCHAYAT: 

There are elaborate stipulations of the functions of Gram Panchayat in the Act. The list of the responsibilities of Gram Panchayat is fairly long. These functions are of three categories.

  1. Some functions are directed towards improving the quality of the collective life of the people.

  2. Some functions are meant for improving the economic life of the people.

  3. Some functions are related to ensuring social justice.

  1. PANCHAYAT SAMITI: 

There is Panchayat Samiti in the second rung of the Panchayat system. There is one Panchayat Samiti for each block. According to the present Panchayat law, every district is divided into some blocks. A block is constituted by several adjoining villages. In every block, there is one Panchayat Samiti. The Panchayat Samiti is named after the block.

  1. FORMATION: 

The Panchayat Samiti is constituted by members of some categories. The formation of Panchayat Samiti is given below -

  1. Pradhan of Gram Panchayats within the blocks become ex-officio members of the Panchayat Samiti.

  2. Members of the Assembly or Lok Sabha elected from an area of the block will be members of the Panchayat Samiti. But no minister can be a member.

  3. Members are elected from villages within the block. Not more than three members are elected.

  4. In the new Panchayat law one-third of the seats remain reserved for women. Necessary number of seats is reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

  5. Any member of Zilla Parishad within the electoral area of the block can be elected to the Panchayat Samiti. But the President or Vice-President of Zilla Parishad cannot be a member of the Panchayat Samiti.

  1. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS: 

According to the present Panchayat Act, the Panchayat Samiti is vested with great responsibility. The Panchayat Samiti makes planning and gives financial assistance in respect of development and functioning of agriculture, fish-farming, small-scale industry, khadi, cattle-rearing, co-operative movement, hospital, public health care, water supply, rural credit, primary, secondary and adult education, non-formal and formal education, students welfare, social afforestation, rural electrification, woman and child care, social prosperity and charity for all. The Samiti can set up schools and public libraries and give financial assistance to welfare organizations. The Panchyat Samiti can initiate relief works in times of crisis and cataclysm. The Samiti co-ordinates the development projects of Gram Panchayat within the Block. The Samiti has to do the jobs which the State government entrusts to it. The Panchayat Samiti examines and approves the budgets of the Gram Panchayats, prepares budgets and different types of developmental activities.

The main task of the Panchayat Samiti is to coordinate the development projects of different Gram Panchayats. In addition to it, the Samiti can independently make planning on and give financial assistance to agriculture, cottage industry, co-operative, rural credit system, water supply, hospital, roads, primary and adult education etc. Co-ordination of relief works during a crisis is one of the important duties of the Samiti.

  1. ZILLA PARISHAD: 

The Zilla Parishad is the third and the highest rung of the Panchayat system. Zilla Parishads are named after the district and it comprises - 

  1. The Chairmen of the Panchayat Samitis are ex-officio members of the Zilla Parishad.

  2. Except for ministers, all the members of Assembly and Lok Sabha are elected from the district and members of Rajya Sabha residing in the district become the ex-officio members of the Zilla Parishad.

  3. Two members are elected on the basis of a universal adult franchise for five years.

  4. In the Panchayat Act, from one-third to 50% of the total seats of Zilla Parishad remains reserved for women and a definite number of seats remain reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

  1. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS: 

The radius of power, responsibility and functions of Zilla Parishad is very wide. Its primary responsibility is to co-ordinate and unify the development projects of the Panchayat Samitis under it. The Zilla Parishad can give advice to the State government with regard to the development of the district and the lower Panchayats. In matters like agriculture, livestock, cattle rearing, cottage industry, co-operative movement, rural credit system, water supply, irrigation, public health care, hospital, communication system, primary and adult education, social welfare etc. The Zilla Parishad can make development planning, take measures to materialize it and give financial assistance to it. Other functions of the Zilla Parishad include maintenance of market; public library, giving grants to school and welfare organization, giving grants to Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis, resisting epidemic, relief work etc.

The Zilla Parishad manages and controls canals, roads, bridges, ferry services, houses under the ownership of the State government. The Zilla Parishad can undertake the management and establish its control over these things under private ownership. The Parishad extend financial assistance in times of epidemic, examine and approve the budget of Panchayat Samiti and shape the development plan with adjoining Zilla Parishad. The Panchayat Act empowers the Zilla Parishad to Supervise and, if necessary, keep under surveillance the activities of the Panchayat Samiti and imposes its control over them.

  1. SOURCE OF INCOME: 

The Zilla Parishad heavily depends on grants and loans from the State and Central Governments. The Parishad with the consent of the State Government can take a loan. Some income is generated from the ferry, duty on transport and animals, registration fees on boats, conveyance, taxes collected from irrigation, supply of drinking water and electrification of roads, a part of land revenue given by the State Government, toll, money collected from fine etc. approval of the budget of Zilla Parishad by the State Government is essential.

EVALUATION OF THE PANCHAYATI RAJ IN TRIPURA

The Panchayati Raj in Tripura has played a very crucial role in protecting the interest of rural Tripura, articulation of various demands, political participation, developing democratic values and political consciousness among people. The Panchayat System in Tripura is based on three main principles:

  1. Decentralization of administrative power,

  2. Democratization rural governance,

  3. Establishment of mass labour and self-support.

ACHIEVEMENT OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

  1. Expansion of the social base of rural politics. The power of the Panchayat administration is no more restricted to influential families and educated middle classes as it were before.

  2. People-centric administration. The New Panchayat law has made the administration more people-centric in nature.

  3. Participation of the neglected section of the society. In the Panchayat institutions the representation of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women has been ensured.

  4. Decentralization of economic planning. The constructive role played by the Panchayat in overall rural development is noteworthy.

  5. Dealing with problems of unemployment. The Panchayat has played a significant role in dealing with unemployment in rural areas.

  6. Resolution of conflicts. The rural people have been able to resolve conflicts through the Panchayat in a spontaneous way.

  7. The Panchayats have been successful in relief work and implementation of other schemes.

  8. It has successfully dealt with the problem of drought.

  9. The panchayats have been able to create their own wealth.

  10. It has been able to develop political consciousness among rural people.

LIMITATIONS OF PANCHAYATI-RAJ: 

In spite of the achievements, there are some limitations in the Panchayati-Raj.

  1. Lack of initiative: On the part of the village people has led the Panchayati institutions to have to be more dependent on the government instead of becoming self-sufficient.

  2. Narrow outlook: At present groupism, clash of interests, etc. has made the rural environment more complex and polluted in nature.

  3. Corruption: In many cases, the Panchayats have turned into corrupt dens, particularly misappropriation of funds.

  4. Financial irregularity: Due to economic inequality the rural self-government institutions cannot function successfully.

  5. Undemocratic composition: The MLAs and MPs by virtue of their position become members of Panchayat Samiti and District Councils. These members do not and cannot regularly participate in the functions of the Sabhas. This is highly of undemocratic nature.

  6. Financial crunch: The financial crunch is another obstacle in the way of success of the Panchayat.

  7. In Tripura, the representatives of the co-operative institutions have been allowed entry into the Panchayati Raj institutions.

  8. The Government can dissolve a Panchayat: Many have criticized this power of the Panchayat.

  9. The members lack the necessary knowledge or running of Panchayats.

  10. Party politics: The adverse reaction of party politics cannot be denied.

  11. Lack of political goodwill: The state-level politicians lack interest and will to enhance the strength of Panchayati institutions.

  12. Political partisanship: In order to patronize the Panchayati Raj Institutions, political partisanship can be observed.

  13. Lack of responsibility: The spheres of work and responsibilities of the three-tier Panchayati system is not always clear.

  14. Excessive government control: Excessive governmental authority and interference have stood in the way of the Panchayati system.

  15. Political Elitism: The MPs and MLAs have been associated with the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

  16. Non-cooperation on the part of incapable bureaucrats: Most of these bureaucrats show the least interest to abide by the orders and authority of the elected executives of the Panchayats.

  17. In recent times the Central and State government these plans. Due to this reason, the Panchayati institutions are losing significance.

CONCLUSION

In spite of the criticism, it cannot be denied that in Tripura the Panchayati Raj Institutions have played a crucial role in many cases. The government has undertaken some specific steps to increase sources of income and economic competence. The Panchayat workers are also imparted necessary training. Judged on all India bases, and as such, the Panchayati Raj is not at all successful. The Tripura government firmly believes that the Panchayat Institutions will gradually improve.

In 2012 Tripura Panchayat minister Manik Dey said that the reservation has enhanced the scope of women’s participation in the decision-making process and the empowerment of women in the political sphere. In the three-tire panchayat system, Tripura established a precedent by offering 50% women’s reservation in both members' and office-bearers' seats.

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