Committees Reports on Decentralisation Recommendations

Contents • Balvantray G Mehta Committee 1957 • Asoka Mehta Committee Report 1978 • Dissenting Note by EMS on Asoka Mehta

Committee Report (1978) • G.V.K Rao Committee Report 1985 • L.M Singhvi Committee Report

Report of the

TEAM FOR THE STUDY OF COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND NATIONAL EXTENSION SERVICE

Chairman: Balvantray G. Mehta 1957

COMMITTEE ON PLAN PROJECTS

New Delhi

BALVANTRAY MEHTA COMMITTEE REPORT

Recommendations

Introduction

Section 1 : Concept and Approach

Section 2 : Democratic Decentralization

Section 3 : Methods of Work: Programme Planning

Section 4 : Coordination at the Center and between the Center and the States

Section 5 : Administrative Pattern – Coordination within the States

Section 6 : People’s Participation in Community Works

Section 7 : Work Among Women and Children

Section 8 : Work in Tribal Areas

Section 9 : Surveys, Evaluation and Methods of Reporting

Section 10 : Training of Personnel

Section 11 : Farming

Section 12 : Cooperation

Section 13 : Rural Industries

Section 14 : Health

Section 15 : Primary Education

Section 16 : Social Education

Section 17 : Some Special Programmes – Sarvodaya, Saghan Kshetra and Gramdan

Section 18 : Measures for Economy, Efficiency and Speed

Summary of Recommendations SI. Ref. to. No Para No.

Introduction

1. 7 In addition to evaluation by Programme Evaluation Organisation another body should make a review, after every few years, of the progress made and problems encountered, and advise on future lines of action in con nection with the community development programme.

Section 1 Concept and Approach

2. 1.8 the emphasis should sift without delay to the more demanding aspects of economic development and the priorities as between the different activities should be: supply of drinking water, improvement of agricu lture and animal husbandly, cooperative activities, rural industries and health, followed by all others.

Section 2 Democratic Decentralisation

3. 2.8 The Government should divest itself completely of certain duties and responsibilities and devolve them to a body which will have the entire charge of all development work within its jurisdiction, reserving to itself only the functions of guidance, supervision and higher planning.

4. 2.12 At the block level, an elected self -governing institution should be set up with its jurisdiction co-existensive with a development block.

5. 2.15 The panchayat samiti should be constituted by indirect elections from the village panchayats.

6. 2.16 Each of the municipalities lying as enclaves within the jurisdiction of a block

should elect from amongst its own members one person as a member of the panchayat samiti. Secondly, State Government may convert predominantly rural municipalities into panchayats

7. 2.17 Where the extent and importance of the local cooperative organisations in a block and justify, a number of seats equal to 10% of the number of elected seats be filled 2.18 by the representatives of directors of co-operatives either by co-option or by

election. Secondly, the samiti should have a life of 5 years and it should come into being sometime in the third year of the five-Year Plan period.

8. 2.19 The functions of the panchayat samiti should cover the development of and agriculture in all its aspects, improve ment of cattle, promotion of local 2.20 industries, public health, welfare work, administration of primary schools and

collection and maintenance of statistics. It should also act as an agent of the State Government in executing special schemes of development entrusted to it. Other functions should be transferred to the panchayat samitis only when they have started functioning as effecient democratic institutions.

9. 2.21 The following sources of income be assigned to the panchayat samiti:

i. Percentage of land revenue collected within the block

ii. Cess on land revenue, etc.

iii. Tax on professions, etc.

iv. Surcharge of duty on transfer of immovable property.

v. Rent and profit accruing from property,

vi. Net proceeds of tolls and leases.

vii. Pilgrim tax, tax on entertainment, primary education cess, proceeds

from fairs and markets.

viii. Share of motor vehicle tax.

ix. Voluntary public contributions.

x. Grants made by the Government. 10. 2.21 The State Government should give to these samitis ade quate grants - in -aid

conditionally or unconditionally or on a matching basis, with due regard to economically backward areas.

11. 2.22 All Central and State funds spent in a block area should invariably be assigned to the panchayat samiti to be spent by it directly or indirectly excepting when the samiti recommends direct assistance to an institution.

12. 2.25 The technical officers of the samiti should be under the technical control of the corresponding district level officers but under the administrative and operational control of its chief administrative officer.

13. 2.25 The annual budget of the samiti should be approved by the zila parishad.

14. 2.26 A certain amount of control should inevitably be reta ined by the Government, e.g., the power of superseding a panchayat samiti in public interest.

15. 2.28 the constitution of the panchayat should be purely on an elective basis with the provision for the co -option of two women members and one member eac h from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. No other special groups need be given special representation.

16. 2.29 Main resources of income of the panchayat will be proper ty or house tax, tax on markets and vehicles, octroi or terminal tax, con servancy tax, water and lighting rate, income from cattle ponds, grants from the panchayat samiti and fees charged from the registration of animals sold, etc.

17. 2.30 The village panchayats should be used as the agency for the collection of land revenue and be paid a commission. For this purpose the panchayat may be graded on the basis of their performance in the administrative and development field, and only those which satisfy a certain basic minimum efficiency will be invested with this power,

18. 2.30 The village panchayats should be entitled to receive from the panchayat samiti a statutorily prescribed share, up to three- fourths of the net land revenue assigned to the latter.

19. 2.31 Local resources now raised by the village panchay ats and spent on the maintenance of watch and ward staff should, in future, be used for development purposes.

20. 2.32 Legislation should provide that a person who has not paid his taxes in penultimate year should be debarred from exercising his fra nchise in the next panchayat election and that a panchayat member should automatically cease to be such if his tax is in arrears for more than six months.

21. 2.33 The budget of the village panchayat will be subject to scrutiny and approval of the pa nchayat samiti, chief of ficer of which will exercise the same power in regard to the village panchayat as the collector will in regard to the panchayat samiti. No village panchayat should, however, be superseded except by the State Government who will do so only on the recommendation of the zila parishad.

22. 2.34 The compulsory duties of the village panchayats should should among other provisions of water supply, sanita tion, lighting, maintenance of roads, land management, collection and maintenanc e of records and other statistics and the welfare of backward classes. It will also act as an agent of the panchayat samiti in executing any scheme entrusted to it.

23. 2.28 The judicial panchayat may have much larger jurisdiction than even a Gram Sewak's circle, and out of the panel suggested by village panchayats the sub -divisional or district magistrate may select persons to form judicial panchayats.

24. 2.38 To ensure necessary coordination between the panchayat samitis, a zila parishad shou ld be constituted consisting of the presidents of these samitis, M.L.As and M. Ps representing the area and the district level officers. The collector will be its chairman and one of his officers will act as secretary.

25. 2.46 If this experiment of democratic decentralisation is to yield maximum results, it is necessary that all the three tiers of the scheme, viz., village panchayat, panchayat samiti and zila parishad should be started at the same time and operated simultaneously in the whole district.

26. 2.47 Persons elected or aspiring to be elected to local bodies should be provided with some training in administrative matters so that they are equipped with a certain minimum of knowledge of this machinery which is growing more and more complex.

27. 2.48 Some of the States consider it advisable to develop power to a local body at the district level. While the block is the optimum unit for the purpose, similar devolution to a district body may take place instead provided that

(a) such a dist rict body is fully empowered by Statute on the same lines as the panchayat samiti, though on a correspondingly larger scale;

(b) the appropriate funds, powers of taxation, requisite field staff, and

supervisory staff at the district head quarters are made ava ilable on the same lines as for the panchayat samiti;

(c) in the blocks selected for development programme, panchayat samitis are constituted to carry out as agents of the district body all other development activities proposed for that area by the district bo dy, and all funds meant to be spent in the block are transferred to the panchayat samitis;

(d) the district body operate directly only in non panchayat samiti areas or in matters of inter -block and district level activities and institutions; and

(e) the district body is so constituted on a purely elected basis that the former does not become too large to be effective as an instrument for rural development.

(f) If feasible, similar arrangements can also be worked out in the alternative to devolve power to a body with a sub-division of the district for its jurisdiction.

Section 3 Methods of Work: Programme Planning.

28. 3.1 In the planning and execution of the C.D. programme, while the states have got to lay down the broad objectives, the general pattern and the me asure of financial, techni cal and supervisory assistance available, it is for the people's local representatives assisted by the develop ment staff to work out and execute the details of the plan. The joint responsibility for fixation of targets should be clearly defined but interlinked.

29. 3.2 The broad distribution of the budget provision should be prescribed by the Centre. Within this pattern each State should evolve its own schematic budget, in consultation with Central Ministries.

30. 3.2 The district and the block level local representative or ganisations should work out priorities and phasing within the frame-work prescribed, subject to certain guiding principles and restrictions.

31. 3.3 All schemes sponsored by different de partments in addition to those under the block budget, and financed out of state funds, including loans, and/or people's contributions should be integrated with the block budget schemes at all levels and an integrated plan for the entire state should be evolved.

32. 3.3. Within the block, the panchayat samiti or the block ad visory committee should break the integrated plan into smaller units, e.g., Gram Sewak circles, villages and families.

34. 3.4 This process of plan -making and its annual revision should begin in September and end in February to enable finalisation of the plan by March.

34. 3.5 The serious cause of dislocation and consequent wastage in the works has been attributed to delay in sanction of funds. Various possibilities have bee n suggested viz,, (i) budgetary year should commence on 1st October, (ii) work on continuing schemes should not be held up for want of financial sanctions and (iii) the sanctions should be communicated within a reasonable time of passing of budget. Some of these suggestions have been examined before. In view of the importance of the matter an imme diate re -examination of the

problem is recommended.

35. 3.6 All the blocks in each State should be clearly demarcated, and the sequence and the year of in troduction of the block prescribed on the basis of administrative convenience.

36. 3.7 The present system of dividing the community develop ment programme into and three phases of N.E.S., I.D and P.I.D. leads to two -fold waste and frustration 3.8 on account of the non-availability of resources during the N.E.S. and P.I.D.

stages. This distinction should be replaced by a continuing programme of 6 years, the unspent funds of each year being carried forward to the following year within certain limits.

37. 3.9 The original budget ceiling of Rs.15 lakhs should be restored. 38. 3.10 the first phase of six years should be followed by the second phase of six

years with a budget ceiling of Rs. 5.5 lakhs.

39. 3.12 In view of limited financial resources, shortage of techni cal personnel and of supervisory staff, the decision to cover the entire country with blocks during the Second Plan period should be revised and the date extended by at least three years.

Section 4 Coordination at the Centre and between the

Centre and the States

40. 4.2 In subjects assigned to the States, the activities of the Central Government should be confined to assisting the State Governments with finances, coordinating research at the highes t level, advanced training, organisation and control of such inter -state institutions as the states cannot themselves establish, and to evolving, in consultation with the states, a common national policy consonant with the various Five Year Plans.

41. 4.2 Where the Central Government desires to introduce any new scheme on a country-wide basis, it would be correct to advise the states only on the broad lines of the scheme and allow them to work it out with necessary modifica -tions.

42. 4.3 Research schemes should not merely be appropriately coordinated but mainly worked out by the states, leaving to the Central Ministries the role of helpful adviser.

43. 4.4 In the fields of activity which the Constitution has as signed exclusively to the states', the Central Government should not merely not operate directly but should not concern itself with details of a purely local nature.

44. 4.4 In fields where the states and the Centre can exercise concurrent jurisdiction, the State Governme nt should function alone, either in its own right or as the agent of the Centre, with wide discretion in regard to the administrative details.

45. 4.6 The fact that the Constitution has left to the State Governments very inelastic sources of revenue should not be construed to vest in the Centre the right to issue to the states directives in regard to the minutest details of any scheme for Central assistance as a condition precedent to such sanction.

46. 4.7 The planning Commission and Centra l Ministries, dealing with rural development, should evolve a procedure whereby once a scheme is included in the Plan, it should not need further detailed examination in a Central Min istry unless fresh and unforeseeable circumstances have developed.

47. 4.8 It is essential to allow State Governments a large measure of discretion in details like payscales of personnel, designs of buildings, etc.

48. 4.10 Whatever work the Central Government is to perform in the fields of rural development sh ould be performed by the Ministry concerned and the Community Develop ment Ministry should only coordinate the activities in the block areas.

49. 4.10 Cooperation and rural self -governing institutions which are not receiving adequate attention in the Ministries concerned and which are closely connected with the programme of Community Development should be brought under the Ministry which deals with the coor dination of rural development activities all over the country, namely the Ministry of Community Development.

Section 5

Administrative Pattern - Coordination within the State

50. 5.2 The area of operation of the Gram Sewak should be reduced and the number 7.19 of Gram Sewaks increased to about 20 per block.

and 2.212

51. 5.2 The financial implications of increasing the number of Gram Sewaks should be limited by pooling the staff working in the different fields of development and assigning their duties and functions to the Gram Sewak within his reduced charge.

52. 5.3 With the limited funds and scanty trained personnel available, pooling is the only effective answer to the re quirements of community development programme. With increasing resources in due course, specialised ser vice agencies may be provided.

53. 5.4 A Gram Sewak should not be placed in charge of an area with a population and exceeding 800 families or 4000 persons. For very sparsely populated areas, the 5.10 figures would be necessarily smaller.

54. 5.6 All field workers at a level below the block in the depart ments of Agriculture, Harijan and Tribal Welfare etc. should be merged with the Gram Sewaks, the additional cost of scheme being shared between the States and the Centre on a mutually-agreed basis.

55. 5.7 A closer link should be established between the Gram Sewak and the village panchayat immediately. As development secretary of the village panchayat, the Gram Sewak should submit his progress reports to the village panchayat at the time of each monthly meeting and the latter should forward its comments to the Block Development Officer.

56. 5.8 Apart from appropriate training arid competent direction, reasonable attractive conditions of service and adequate incentives should be provided to th e Gram Sewak in the interest of efficiency.

57. 5.8 The B.D.O. should invariably consult all the extension officers before recording his remarks on the annual assessment of the Gram Sewaks.

58. 5.10 An extension officer cannot normally deal with more than 20 Gram Sewaks.

59. 5.10 In future demarcations, all relevant factors such as topog raphy, density of population, its stage of development and communications, should be borne in mind together with the possibility of making the block co - extensive with an existing administrative unit provided that its size does not become excessively large.

60. 5.10 The block should have its headquarters located as central ly as existing facilities of communication would permit.

61. 5.11 As far as possible, the block should be treated as ad ministrative unit of all development departments with one unified set up. The expenditure under community development schemes should be integrated with the nor mal development expenditure in the block and the budget of all development departments in the district split up block- wise.

62. 5.12 Coordination of the extension officers' work through the B.D.O. as captain of the team is essential without centralisation or erection of 'road blocks' between the E.Os and their departmental superiors at the district level.

63. 5.12 In the interest of effective coordination the district collec tor should invariably consult members of his team at the district level at the time of recording his annual observations on the work of the B.D.O.

64. 5.13 The block development officer should invariably hold a gazetted rank and should be the drawing and disbursing officer in respect of all the block area budgets of all the development departments.

65. 5.14 At the block level, the staffing pattern of the government departments and the staffing pattern of the local bodies should not overlap functionally.

66. 5.15 The Staff dealing with the works programme relating to irrigation, housing and communications etc. borne on the community development budget should be treated as a net addition to the cadres of the Irrigation and P.W. Departments which can then redistribute their jurisdictions in units of complete blocks.

67. 5.16 The junior administrative cadre should be enlarged to include all block development officers to ensure that at least 75% of this cadre is recruited directly by open competitive examination and provide that 25% of the cadre can be filled by promotion from various junior cadres such as officers of the cooperative, panchayat and revenue departments and the Social Education Officers' cadre wherever it is not merged in any Education Department cadre.

68. 5.16 Officers recruited directly to the Revenue Deptt. from the open market sh ould be posted as block development of ficers after initial training and before they have spent more than two or three years in the department.

69. 5.17 In certain States the revenue officer, known as tehsildar or mamlatdar is also the and Block Development Officer. This arrangement seems to have serious drawbacks, 2.12 viz., the block is too large, the officer over-worked and the officers as recruited at present unsuitable for development work. These defects should be removed if

the two functions are to be combined in one functionary.

The block should not have more than 20 circles, each circle not exceeding 4000 population. In the early stage of community development the compul sory revenue power of such an officer should be transferred to the sub-division or parent officers.

70. 5.18 The combination of development activities with revenue activities below the block level is definitely injurious. The talati or the village accountant may work as joint secretary of the village panchayat without any develop ment functions; the Grow Sewak as development secretary without revenue functions and office work.

71. 5.19 The most useful arrangement for associating the S.D.O. with development work would be to give hi m supervisory control over the block development officers under him and to delegate to him some of the powers now vested exclusively in the collector. The subdivisional officer should be able to concentrate on the human and organisational aspects of the programme including arrangements for supplies and equipment.

72. 5.20 At the district level, the collector should be the captain of the team of officers of all development departments for securing necessary coordination and cooperation.

73. 5.20 Wherever the collector is not empowered to make the annual assessment of the work of the departmental of ficers in regard to their cooperation with other departments, their speed in work, their dealings with the people and their reputation for integrity, he should be invested with such powers.

74. 5.20 The collector should be provided with a whole time addi tional collector to relieve him of the general administrative duties so that he can himself, as far as possible, function and be designated as the district development officer. The actual distribution of work should be left to the collector himself.

75. 5.20 In all matters requiring coordinated action by more than one department, the collector should receive copies of all important communications.

76. 5.20 The collector should also be asked to forward his com ments on the annual

report of each district development department and will, no doubt, utilise this material for the compilation of the annual administration report of the district on community development.

77. 5.21 Wherever the system of Commissioners operates, the commissioner should also function as a coordinating officer on lines similar to those suggested for the collector.

78. 5.21 The regional officers should be delegated the maximum powers and responsibility and only the more important matters should be decided at the state headquarters.

79. 5.22 so far as community development work is concerned, inspections have to be more thorough and thereby more fruitful than they now generally are. This will lead to several advantages as quoted by us.

80. 5.23 Copies of progress reports submitted by the heads of departments to Government should be endorsed to development commissioner, who should prepare a quarterly review for the State as a whole in the entire sphere of planning and development.

81. 5.24 A coordination board consisting of heads and secretaries of all development departments as members and the development commissioner as the chairman,

should be constituted in the states in which it does not exist. It should meet periodically to review progress, resolve dif ficulties and decide the details of ensuring month's programme. This board should not be merely advisory. Its suggestions and recommendations should be circula ted in extracts for compliance by the field staff.

82. 5.25 Wherever the chief secretary is also ex -officio development commissioner, he should either be relieved of a large volume of his normal work of general administration or should be assisted by an additional development commissioner of high seniority in the cadre, who can also be designated ex -officio additional chief secretary.

83. 5.26 In the interest of maximum possible coordination, the development

commissioner should also be the planning secretary.

84. 5.26 The development department, as a coordinating depart ment functions most effectively under the Chief Minister, who may, where necessary, be assisted by a Minister mainly concerned with planning and coordination.

Section 6 People's Participation in Community Works

85. 6.2 A uniform and realistic method of assessment of public contribution in and community works should be to calculate the value of labour and material on 6.3 the basis of P.W.D.rates.

86. 6.3 Financial contributions made by local bodies should be included in the total value of people's participation, but any part of government grant must be excluded.

87. 6.6 Public participation in community works shoul d be organised through statutory representative bodies which should also take over the maintenance of these works.

Section 7 Work among Women and Children

88. 7.3 the work of women welfare should be directed from one point alone and one general pol icy adopted and followed. Complete responsibility needs to be vested with the States, the Centre functioning as the advisory, coordinating and financing agency.

89. 7.7 Suitable smokeless chulhas need to be designed for different areas instead of one type all over the country.

90. 7.7 Training centres of Gram Sewikas should stress less on theory of sanitation than on its actual practices, personal and environmental cleanliness being drilled in their daily lives at the centres.

91. 7.8 The care of the cow, the kitchen garden and poultry keeping which constitute the most effective welfare work for the rural women should receive the primary attention of women workers in the villages.

92. 7.9 Knitting embroidery and tailoring hav e little economic value excepting in villages near large cities. Training in elementary use of thread and needle is necessary so that women can mend clothes for the family.

93. 7.10 In villages which surround large towns and cities, cookery, classes can be started with profit.

94. 7.14 A satisfactory programme for child welfare limited to a few lines only needs to be evolved for a few selected areas in the first instance.

95. 7.15 Gram Sewikas should be recruited from amongst ma triculate teachers working in rural or semi-rural areas.

96. 7.19 Women S.E.O. should give place to Mukhya Sewika selected from amongst the Gram Sewikas on the basis of merit.

97. 7.19 Some posts of craft instructresses should he abolished and others integrated with the staffing pattern for rural industry.

98. 7.19 The staff appointed for welfare programme among women and children should be made permanent.

99. 7.20 the welfare programme should be planned and carried out in phases of six years and need not be subdivided into N.E.S./C.D. stages.

100. 7.21 The existing projects of C.S.W.B. should be transferred to State Government which should arrange for their administration and supervision either through departmental agencies or through local statutory bodies.

Section 8 Work in Tribal Areas

101. 8.1 The budget for development work in tribal areas should be for 6 years as in the case of blocks in other areas.

102. 8.1 While demarcating the blocks, a complete num ber of such blocks might be integrated into a block of normal size at some future date.

103. 8.2 a thorough survey and study should be carried out before a detailed budget of a block is drawn up.

104. 8.2 Right type of personnel with sympat hy and under standing for the tribal people should be selected, preferably local people.

105. 8.2 The recruited personnel should acquire knowledge of the dialect, customs and ways of life of the people among whom they work.

106. 8.3 The com munity development staff in the tribal areas should work in an atmosphere and in a manner consonant with the tribal traditions.

107. 8.4 Since scope for agriculture development is limited, improvement should be confined to a few measures.

108. 8.4 Efforts should be made to induce the people in tribal areas to take up settled cultivation wherever possible.

109. 8.4 Subsidies for housing should be provided to further the cause of settled cultivation

110. 8.4 Growing of legumes may be taken up during fallow period for restoring the soil fertility of jhumed land.

111. 8.4 A careful attempt should be made to introduce new crops especially cash crops.

112. 8.5 Steps should be taken by the Government for directly suppl ying the necessary agricultural credit in these areas.

113. 8.6 Works programme like irrigation, reclamation, communications and soil

conservation will provide some employment to the adivasis who are mostly unemployed or under-employed.

114. 8.6 Organisation of labour cooperatives of working forest coups and collecting minor forest produce will better the economic condition of adivasis.

115. 8.7 Training centres for rural aits and crafts should be started with necessary modifications to suit local condi tions, indigenous talent and raw materials available in the area.

116. 8.9 In the community development blocks, the existing bridle paths and approach roads should be improved, small bridges and culverts constructed, high priority being given to the development of communications.

117. 8.10 The system of education should be of the basic type, so that the gulf between the educated and uneducated may be as narrow as possible.

118. 8.11 As regards people's participation , the matching contribu tion should be reduced below the level normally prevalent in non-tribal areas.

Section 9 Surveys, Evaluation and Methods of Reporting

119. 9.4 For a coordinated approach in reporting, the revenue set up, the planning set -up and the statistical department should as far as possible, work as a unified agency. For certain information, the local school master's services can be utilised on a small additional remuneration.

120. 9.5 The Gram Sewak, block level extension office rs, as well as the Block Development Officer, should maintain a hand book -cum-diary to enable the district level officers to watch the progress of work.

121. 9.6 A progress assistant should be provided at the block level, wherever this has not

been done already, for co -ordinating statistical work of all branches and looking after crop-cutting surveys and special studies.

122. 9.6 At the district level, a district statistical officer should function under the technical control of the Directo r of Economics and Statistics and the administrative control of the collector.

123. 9.6 At the State headquarters a statistical unit should be set up if not already in existence.

124. 9.6 The work relating to tabulation and analysis should be done at the State headquarters and consolidated figures supplied to all concerned.

125. 9.6 Reports for all the blocks need not come to the Centre. The P.E.O. and others interested may specifically ask for the same.

126. 9.7 Progress rep orts, wherever they are too many, should be rationalised and replaced by a few comprehensive and coordinated reports.

127. 9.8 The procedure of preparation of the reports to various authorities and from the Gram Sewak right upto the Develo pment Commissioner should be as 9.10 indicated in paras 8-10.

128. 9.11 The emphasis in the analytical as well as the statistical reports should be not merely on the starting of activities, but also on their maintenance, growth and quality

129. 9.12 A critical analysis of the weak and the strong points and recommendations as to improvements and new methods should be made by each worker once a year.

130. 9.12 A seasonal review of the different activities at th e close of each season should be made by each worker in respect of various items of a seasonal nature.

131. 9.13 The quarterly reports of the Gram Sewaks, together with charts and diagrams of some significant items of activity, should be displayed on the notice boards of the village panchayat and at the information centre, at the block headquarters, and later at the panchayat samiti office.

132. 9.14 In addition to statistics, analytical portion should also be used for setting out significant fe atures and conclusions for evolving suitable progress indicators which will form part of the quarterly analysis.

133. 9.14 Composite indices for each sector of activity should also be worked out at different levels so as to reflect the progress of ea ch programme as a whole at each level on a comparable basis.

134. 9.15 The States can profitably organise evaluation either of the programme as a whole or certain aspects of the programme; ad hoc bodies may be set up for the purpose.

135. 9.15 Special studies in community development and its effect are commended for higher education institutions.

Section 10 Training of Personnel

136. 10.2 Age limits for direct recruits as Gram Sewak should be 18 to 30 years. The departmental candidates sh ould be taken purely on the basis of merit and the age limit relaxed upto 40 years.

137. 10.3 The criteria for ‘ rural background' of a candidate should be that his parents or guardians live in non-urban areas and he himself spends his vacations at home.

138. 10.3 Various tests, viz. physical fitness, general knowledge, aptitude for development work, leadership and initiative etc, should be the basis of selection and should spread over a number of days.

139. 10.3 A guide book to ensure rig ht selection should be produced by the Govt. of India for the use of the Selection Board.

140. 10.5 The integrated new syllabus should be drawn up after discussions by the

principals of all the training institu tions and the technical officers repre senting different aspects of training.

141. 10.6 The syllabus for agriculture drawn up in consultation with the universities

should be made equivalent to that of recognised diploma courses in agriculture to enable the Gram Sewak to join the degree course in agriculture.

142. 10.6 The training programme of Gram Sewak should also include the use of simple medicine chest, elementary survey training and measures for soil conservation, etc.

143. 10.7 The medium of instruction should be the regional lan guage except at those centres which have to cater to more than one language. In the long run there should be at least one training centre for each recognised linguistic region.

144. 10.7 Inspections of various institutions imparting traini ng to Gram Sewaks should be done occasionally.

145. 10.7 The concept of job training should be strengthened by (i) attaching a block to every centre, and (ii) approach to rural problems followed by work in the blocks. The instructors should accompany each batch of trainees who should spend a number of nights in a village. Gram Sewaks, S.E.O., E.O.s and B.D.O should form composite teams for the purpose of field training.

146. 10.8 The integrated course for Gram Sewak should be for full two years with a brief break in the middle.

147. 10.8 There should be a prescribed teacher -pupil ratio. The ideal ratio of 1:10 may be extended to 1:15 for the present

148. 10.8 the instructors should be trained in the art of teaching in addition to the theory and practice of extension work.

149. 10.9 Training centres should be located in genuine rural areas.

150. 10.9 Agriculture research institutions and the training centers should function in close association. 151. 10.9 the conditions of service of the instructors should be improved so as to

permit them to settle down to their work without dissatisfaction.

152. 10.12 The follow-up work with periodical refresher courses and in-service training in specific fields should make the Gram Sewak an effective instrument for community development.

153. 10.14 A scheme of apprenticeship as part of the training programme should be drawn up for every Gram Sewak by attaching a small batch of Gram Sewaks under an efficient B.D.O. for a period of at least one month which should not be included in the two years of training.

154. 10.15 As far as possible S.S.L.C or Matriculation should be the minimum qualification for Gram Sewikas. To secure the necessary number of candidates so qualified, a drive must be made for special stipends in the High School classes.

155. 10.16 The age limits may be between 18-35 years relaxable in individual cases.

156. 10.16 More emphasis should be laid on rural background in girls' school s and aptitude for social work should be considered an adequate substitute.

157. 10.17 the training syllabus for Gram Sewikas should include methods of approach to village women and some knowledge of two village industries.

158. 10.18 The instruct resses should be put on field jobs for a period of not less than one year and at intervals of not more than three years.

159. 10.19 Each training centre should have some land for a flower and kitchen garden and also maintain a small dairy, poultry farm and an apiary.

160. 10.20 The candidate S.E.O should possess a university degree, experience in practical social work being considered additional qualification. Age limit may be kept between 21 and 35 years.

161. 10.21 Academic qualifications should also be relaxed at the discretion of selection committee, provided candidates possess practical experience of not less than 5 years of full time activity in adult education or social work, and good working knowledge of English and regional language.

162. 10.21 The period of training should be extended to one year.

163. 10.23 S.E.Os. should get good grounding in the art of community organisation.

164. 10.24 S.E.Os. should be given training in the art of working through others, particularly through school teachers members of cooperatives and panchayats.

165. 10.25 Direct oral instruction must be reduced to minimum and the technique of instruction through group discussions and seminars adopted.

166. 10.27 In the present syllabus emphasis shoul d be shifted from job orientation method to items like administrative coor dination, democratic planning from below and techniques of group planning and action by officials and non - officials.

167. 10.27 The teaching processes should be in the form of study groups. The training centre of B.D.O. should be at the same place as the centre for training some one or more categories of block level extension officers.

168. 10.27 The period of training of B.D.Os. has to be increased to at least 6 months.

169. 10.28 Village leaders and village school teachers may be given short-term courses of training to help in the work of social education and community development.

170. 10.29 S.D.Os. Collectors, and Heads of Deptts. should be given effective orientation in community development particularly in coordinated administration.

171. 10.31 Generally, a degree in science should be the minimum basic qualification for

E.Os. (Industries).

172. 10.32 The training course should provide for a measure of training in technical skill in some of the cottage and village industries.

173. 10.33 Steps should be taken by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the deptts. of industries in the States to increase the existing capacity of training centres to meet the need of personnel.

174. 10.34 The training programmes should give greater attention to the methods of communicating scientific and technical know-how to the village.

Section 11 Farming

175 11.2 The targets for additional production should be broken down up to block and Gram Sewak's circle.

176. 11.4 Greater attention should be given for evolving and dis tributing improved varieties of coarser grains as also of other grains suitable for un irrigated areas.

177. 11.4 Distribution of improved seeds on the basis of Sawai or smaller additional percentage in kind will ensure timely and adequate supply.

178. 11.4 The fear of non -germination of seeds must be dispelled by carrying out more frequent germination tests.

179. 11.5 The progress for the establishment of seed farms is dis appointing. Early steps should be taken to overcome the procedural and other local obstacles.

180. 11.6 Agricultural Extension Officer and Gram Sewak in co -operation with panchayats and co-operatives should guard against the failure of supply line.

181. 11.6 Minimum reserve stock will have to be prescribed for maintaining supply

line at different distributing points.

182. 11.7 The loss, if any, due to non -distribution of new and perishable supplies should be reimbursed to co -operative or panchayat seed stores from N.E.S. budget.

183. 11.9 States should he informed well in advance about the definite and exact quantities of fertilizer allotment.

184. 11.9 Central Go vernment should explore all possibilities of increasing local production of chemical fertilizers.

185. 11.11 Green manure plants and shrubs should be grown on the borders of fields on experimental basis.

186. 11.12 Gram Sewaks should plan ahead for the production and distribution of seeds and plant material of green manure crops.

187. 11.13 Supply of irrigation water should be made at concessional rates for green manure crops.

188. 11.14 Every Government farm should produce its own require ments of organic manure, as far as possible.

189. 11.15 Village panchayats should buy wheel-barrows for supply to farmers on hire.

190. 11.16 The scheme for composting town refuse should be ex tended to all Municipalities and large villages.

191. 11.17 An extra Agricultural Extension Officer to each block after some training instead of a separate Compost Inspec tor, as envisaged in the scheme prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, would solve the problem of unmanageable pressure of work with Agricultural Extension Officer.

192. 11.19 Each Gram Sewak should arrange to conduct at least 5 demonstrations in each village in respect of every new item of improvement to demonstrate the superiority of the new method, over the practice in vogue.

193. 11.19 Gram Sewaks' course of training should be revised so as to devote much

greater attention to teaching and demonstrating the fundamental principles of sc management, humus, green-maturing, systems of farming, etc.

194. 11.20 The pay-scales for veterinary and agriculture graduate should be more attractive so as to attract the boys of mot than average calibre to take to these subjects.

195. 11.21 Model schemes should be prepared for groups of blocks for plant protection measures by the staff at the State headquarters.

196. 11.21 Special emphasis should be laid for the destruction of rats and white-ants.

197. 11.21 Active steps should be taken for extermination of monkeys, parrots, and nilgais.

198. 11.22 All plant protection centres, except those for research and locust control, should be run by the State Governments instead of Central Government.

199. 11.23 To State Government should examine both types of so conservation schemes, viz. (i) Bombay type by departmental agency, and (ii) U.P. type worked on set help basis. A judicious combination of good points of both types might produce better results.

200. 11.25 District Agricultural Officer should institute short cour ses of training Gram Sewaks to give them a fair knowledge about the use of implements.

201. 11.25 One or more workshops may be started for the repair and local manufacture of implements, to be later on made over to cooperatives.

202. 11.25 Advice should be made available to the farmers about the use , availability and price etc. of pumping sets and other such appliances.

203. 11.25 Panchayats and co -operatives should be encouraged to purchase and store

implements for sale and hire.

204. 11.27 Rapid and effective legislation is needed for prev ention of fragmentation, consolidation and fixation of ceiling of holdings and prevention of cultivable land lying fallow.

205. 11.27 Extension Officers and Gram Sewaks should be used for creating the right atmosphere for successful implementation of land reforms.

206. 11.28 Further efforts are necessary to bring the production of fruits and vegetables to 6 oz. per capita.

207. 11.29 Current methods of fruit preservation have to be simplified and made cheaper.

208. 11.29 Greater attention needs to be given to starting nurseries in each block.

209. 11.29 For increasing the output of fruits and vegetables efforts are necessary for the timely and adequate supply of seeds, seedlings and manures, demonstration and encouragement of kitchen gardening.

210. 11.30 Village panchayats should be encouraged to undertaken concerted drives for growing fuel and timber trees.

211. 11.31 Agriculture research stations should explore the pos sibilities of growing slightly early maturing variet ies of paddy to guard against the failure of drought.

212. 11.32 Zonal research stations should be started and linked up horizontally and vertically for maintaining effective contact.

213. 11.32 Research Officers should maintain close contact with farmer and extension officers in the field.

214. 11.33 Associations of progressive farmers conforming to certain prescribed standards of agriculture should be en couraged, where necessary with financial aid, for carrying out the experiments themselves and spreading their results to others.

215. 11.34 Vigyan Mandirs should be located in C.D.blocks as near to the district headquarters as possible.

216. 11.35 In case of new irrigation works experimental farms to evolve suitable cropping patterns should be an integral part of the project.

217. 11.36 Rates for the supply of electricity for irrigation works should not exceed the rates for industrial purposes.

218. 11.37 The responsibility of maintenance of minor irrigation works should be plac ed on panchayat samiti or the village panchayat according to the size of the work and cost of maintenance.

219. 11.38 Water rates for the second crop should be reduced to encourage double cropping.

220. 11.40 Castration and inoculation should be in cluded in the duties of Gram Sewaks, as trained stockmen are not available in adequate numbers.

221. 11.40 Greater stress has to be given to meet the shortage of approved bulls and their proper maintenance, opening and popularisation of artificial insemination centres, solution of problems of fodder and that of useless and infirm cattle.

222. 11.42 Improvement of grass lands should be given greater attention.

223. 11.43 More concerted efforts should be made to encourage farmers to rasie green fodder crops and for popularisation of silage-making.

224. 11.45 Greater attention has to be paid to the improvement of goat and sheep breeding and wool rearing.

225. 11.46 Efforts at sheep breeding have been confined to certain regions only. Th ey could equally be extended to other areas and intensified for improving the quality and yield of wool and mutton.

226. 11.47 Milk co-operative societies have to be organised on proper lines in the vicinity of towns and cities.

227. 11.48 Intensive schemes should be undertaken for the rehabilitation of cattle breeding communities on cooperative lines.

228. 11.49 Poultry keeping has to be intensified through youth clubs, financial assistance to Harijans, backward classes etc., replacement of indigenous by exotic cocks and giving proper technical guidance.

229. 11.50 Greater technical guidance is needed for improving the breed for pigs.

230. 11.51 Fisheries should receive larger financial allotments and greater administrative attention especially in C.D.

Section 12 Cooperation

231. 12.2 A multi -purpose cooperative society for a village or a group of villages working in close association with local panchayats, as against societies for different lines of activity, remains the only correct course to be followed.

232. 12.4 The training of cooperative personnel should be so oriented that cooperation is understood not as an instru ment for securing cheap credit but as a means of community development.

233 12.5 The criteria and qualifying conditions for obtaining funds from the Reserve Bank of India should be laid down in precise terms so that the cooperative societies in the blocks can take maximum advantage of the loan facility of Rs. 3 lakhs provided in N.E.S. budget.

234 12.5 Commission charged by Apex Banks varies between 0.5 and 1.5 percent. The

additional rate of interest charged by Central banks from primary cooperatives is even higher. This results in the ultimate borrower having to pay a rate of interest exceeding even 6.25% for which there is no justification. Immediate remedial measures are called for.

235 12.6 Credit at interest rate of 3.5% should be made available to genuine artisans.

236 12.7 Also in areas where there are no cooperatives, State Governments should arrange for credit to farmers at an interest rate not exceeding 6.25%.

237 12.8 Loan to farmer should be available just at the time he needs it and its repayment should be so timed as to enable him to make repay ment from the proceeds of the crops.

238 12.9 Credit-worthiness of the borrower should give place to credit -worthiness of purpose in advancing loans in the field of rural cooperative credit.

239 12.11 Some of the features of the scheme of rural credit in Phillipines, such as capitalization through insurance fees and credit loans for production and improvement and also at such occasions as birth etc; deserve to be studied and adopted by State Governments.

240 12.12 The entire rural credit at present disbursed through several agencies apart from the money lenders, should be progressively canalised through the agencies of coopera tives to avoid duplication and differing interest rates and also to rationalise credit facilities.

241 12.12 The entire training programme should be oriented to the elimination of official control from the field of cooperation.

242 12.13 Cooperative farming must first pass successfully through the experimental stage and so to begin with one cooperative farm may be organised in each district in a selected community development block.

243 12.14 Students' cooperative societies for the supply of stationery and text books should be organised in high schools.

Section 13

Rural Industries

244 13.1 The present approach to the problem, viz., persons passing out of training and centers not taking up professions to which they have been trained, has 13.2 to be the revised radically by adopting steps suggested in para 13.2.

245 13.3 Planned co -ordination in the working of cottage, village and small -scale industries is needed so that they do not cut at and pull down each other.

246 13.3 An effective programme of collaboration and co -ordination among various All -India Boar ds should be worked out by pooling funds, personnel, agencies of supervision and inspection to avoid waste and inefficiency.

247 13.4 The Government should set up pilot schemes in specific industries to demonstrate their economic soundness and technical feasibility.

248 13.4 After making an allowance for reasonable subsidy, the cost of the product of the industry should not be more than the market price.

249 13.5 A number of peripatetic training centres should be opened in rural areas.

250 13.5 Quality control along with provision of credit and market ing facilities and introduction of modern designs is neces sary for bringing about considerable expansion of the market.

251 13.5 There should be technical advisers for each of the rural industries in a district

or a part of it or a number of them, depending upon the intensity and the area of the spread of a particular industry.

252 13.5 Guilds or associations of the prominent artisans should be organised in each block.

253 13.6 A training -cum-production centre, after it has been in existence for some time, should be made over to a local cooperative of artisans.

254 13.7 Cooperatives organised to assist artisans in the matter of purchase of raw materials, supply of finance, etc., should also be an integrated part the general cooperative struc ture and affiliated to the district cooperative bank of other institutions.

Section 14 Health

255 14.3 The Medical and Public Health Departments should be combined under a single head at the State, regional and district levels in those States where such integration, has not yet taken place.

256 14.4 The traditional but limited skill of the indigenous dais should be put to better use by inducing or compelling them to undergo a brief training.

257 14.5 The training programme of lady health visitors should include the technique of family planning as an item of study.

258 14.5 The output of the institutions for training lady health visitors should be increased.

259 14.6 All States should ensure that the seats allotted to them in the training centers at Najafgarh, Singur and Poonamallee are always filled by their candidates.

260 14.6 The syllabus and the standard of training in all the three institutions must be

the same.

261 14.6 Persons who have received orientation training at these centres should be posted to the development blocks.

262 14.6 The State Government should examine the possibilities to train the staff employed in He alth Centres for specialised services relating to malaria, filaria, tuberculosis, leprosy and venereal diseases.

263 14.7 Certain tried and proved indigenous remedies for com mon ailments handed down by way of family tradition should be collected, ex amined and their knowledge made widely known,

264 14.9 Improvement of the existing houses in rural areas by increasing ventilation and by making them more liberal should be effected.

265 14.9 Community cattle sheds should be built so that cattl e are segregated from the living population and kept outside or on the border of the village.

Section 15 Primary Education

266 15.1 Provision for primary education in C.D./N.E.S. schemes should be used to supplement allotments of the states to strengthen existing schools except in educationally backward areas.

267 15.2 The unit of educational administration should be identical with the block.

268 15.2 Each block should have an Education Sub -Committee of Block Advisory Committee and la ter of panchayat samiti responsible for the maintenance and working of schools.

269 15.3 At least blocks should be provided with necessary funds and trained personnel to achieve the immediate goal of introducing free and compulsory primary education.

270 15.3 Residential accommodation for women teachers should be provided.

271 15.4 Blocks where special tress is laid on social education would be the best for promulgating order regarding compulsory education.

272 15.4 It should be the function of Gram Sewika and of Gram Sewak to pursuade people to send their children to schools in areas where primary education is not compulsory.

273 15.5 State Government should clarify their policies in regard to opening of basic

schools in rural and urban areas.

274 15.5 The State should endeavour to convince people that basic schools are superior type schools.

275 15.5 Training staff and proper equipment should be provided in basic schools.

276 15.5 Two years training course for basic teachers in States, where it is for one year only, is necessary.

Section 16 Social Education

277 16.2 The aim of social education should be (a) to acquaint people of the meaning of citizenship and the way democracy functions, (b) to induce citizens to learn how to read and write, (c) to impart proper training for refine ment of emotions and (d) to instill a spirit of toleration among citizens.

278 16.3 The services of S.E.O. should also be utilised in developing public opinion against existing social evils.

279 16.4 Specialist staff at the district and state levels may be provided to render guidance to S.E.Os and a separate section under the Joint Director of S.E. opened in the Department of Education.

280 16.4 The S.E.O. deserves to be assigned a definite position in the education

department.

281 16.5 There should be close contact between S.E.O. and the Gram Sewaks who should take keen interest in all social education activities.

282 16.6 The teachers to be utilised in programmes of social education should be given two months' training in methods of extension and principles of social education etc. Such teachers should be given monthly allowance for their work in this field.

283 16.6 Village teachers may be utilised by S.E.Os. in their programmes of work,

284 16.7 Village leaders should be enlisted in the effort to impart social education.

285 16.7 The S.E.O. should identify potential village leaders and assist them in accepting the responsibilities of leadership for improving community life.

286 16.7 The use of the term leader and leadership may be avoided.

287 16.8 S.E.O. should seek cooperation of members of cooperative societies and help progressive villagers to join them, where they do not exist.

288 16.10 Village teacher or panchayat secretary where paid may be utilised after proper training in initiating new activities at the centre, so that the interest of villagers is sustained.

289 16.11 Vikas Melas, Sh ibirs or training camps for villagers com paigns or drives for different activities may be utilised as supplementary activities requiring day to day participation by the villagers.

290 16.11 S.E.Os should pay increasing attention to youth clubs and encourage village youths to participate in specific projects of work.

291 16.11 Project activities should be evolved according to the genius of the area;

activities in which people themselves have initiative should receive greater emphasis.

292 16.11 Cultural teachers and reformers may be utilised in educating the masses.

293 16.13 Suitable books should be prepared for village adults and proper methods of teaching evolved and imparted to the village teacher.

294 16.13 Literacy programme should be drawn up separately for men and women after a preliminary survey of adult illiterates, and camps and intensive drives organised extensively in all books.

295 16.15 Lest neo -literates relapse into illiteracy follow -up programmes should be worked out.

296 16.16 Circulating libraries of suitable films should be main tained by the States. Each S.E.O. should have a projector and a regular flow of films and know how to operate a projector. Subsidised radio sets should be provided to the villagers.

297 16.16 Village leaders should be asked to broadcast talks; discus sions during rural camps etc., recorded and broadcast.

Section 17 Some Special Programmes - Sarvodaya, Saghan

Kshetra and Gramdan

298 17.9 The Sarvodaya Area Committee should not be merely advisory but have fuller powers so that the Sanchalak becomes only the constitutional Chairman.

299 17.10 While the moral and personal influence of the Sanchalak should be retained, it is necessary that the people's participation should not be made to depend all the time on the personal factor only.

300 17.11 Area of operation of existing Sarvodaya block should be extended to cover the

whole N.E.S. block.

301 17.11 Apart from such items of Sarvodaya scheme, the Sanchalak should take over all the other items of work included in N.E.S. blocks.

302 17.11 While retaining the administrative set up in such a man ner as may be necessary, all personnel and funds under N.E.S. may be put at the disposal of the Sanchalak care being taken to avoid duplication.

303 17.11 The exact form of relationship between panchayat samiti and the sarvodaya scheme should be determined and some mutual acceptable arrangement found for the working of the development programme

304 17.17 The suggestions made in para 17.11 will also apply to Saghan Kshetras.

305 17.18 The workers of Kshetra Samiti may be utilised to create necessary atmosphere as well as machinery required for intensive development of cottage and village industries, prepare one block and then move to contiguous blocks.

306 17.18 The workers of Kshetra Samiti should be entirely in charge of all Gramodyog work and concentrate their energies for development of cottage and village industries. In the alternative, they may be in -charge of all the development activities in the block and work on the same lines as suggested for Sarvodaya workers.

307 17.18 As in the case of Sarvodaya blocks, appropriate adjustments will become necessary on the establishment of Panchayat Samiti although details may vary.

308 17.19 Facilities should be afforded for training Saghan Kshetra workers in the training centres of the State meant for workers of N.E.S. blocks.

309 17.23 The community development work should be closely in terlinked with Gramdan movement, Gramdan village areas being preferred in the selection of new blocks.

Section 18 Measures for Economy, Efficiency and Speed

310 18.2 The provision for personnel in all the blocks in a State should be treated as a pool out of which expenditure on staff in each block should be met according to actual requirements, provided that necessary complement of staff of all categories is provided in each block and the formula for sharing the costs by the State and the Centre is not affected.

311 18.2 The provision for personnel at the block level should not be spent outside the block i.e., on the staff at State headquarters.

312 18.4 No project located outside the block should be financed out of the block funds and no scheme involving a large expenditure undertaken excepting when a scheme is essential and unavoidable.

313 18.6 The concentration of efforts and funds on a few villages or on a few big items, instead of building up a balanced programme in each sector, should be avoided.

314 18.7 The small provisions for grants should be used for the purposes for which they are intended, namely to act as a lever for building up self-reliance amongst the people.

315 18.7 The percentage of people's contribution for a particular type of work should gradually increase as the community development programme progresses.

316 18.8 About 50% of the grants -in-aid in each block should be spent on productive purposes, the remaining 50% on amenities. The limit is only suggestive and may be varied by the State for different areas according to local conditions.

317 18.10 The grants-in-aid should be non-lapsable at all levels.

318 18.11 The State Governments and the Central Ministries should conduct detailed enquiries regarding the heavy expenditure on buildings, waste in work on account of unduly long time taken in the completion of the projects, sometimes lack of adequate provision for maintenance of the works and institutions built with local contribution (in labour, kind and cash), and sometimes the improper use of the equipment.

319 18.14 All jeeps should be withdrawn from the blocks, only exception can be a jeep for the Mukhys Sewika.

320 18.15 The State and the Central Governments should take remedial actio n to

avoid the holding of meetings and seminars with considerable pomp. 321 18.16 Too frequent meetings and too frequent visits by out siders absorb a very

considerable part of the working hours of the block and the village staff. 322 18.17 The publ ication of too many similar publications printed on expensive paper

with unnecessary pictures and a num ber of articles irrelevant to the purpose needs careful re-examination by the Ministries concerned.

COMMITTEE ON PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS

Chairman: Asoka Mehta 1978

Government of India Department of Rural Development

Ministry of Agriculture New Delhi

ASOKA MEHTA COMMITTEE REPORT

Recommendations

Approach and Recommendations

Structures, Composition and Election

Functions

Planning

Weaker Sections

Administration

Financial Resources

Human Resources Development

Relationship With Other Institutions

APPROACH AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. We are departing from the conventional mode of prese nting our views, suggestions and recommendations in the form of an itemized summary because our main endeavour throughout has been to lay down a new approach towards the Panchayati Raj Institutions-not in the usual point -by- point way but rather in concentrical circles, as they interact and depend on one another. The formulation of structures, functions and the utilisation of financial, administrative and human resources of Panchayati Raj Institutions should, in our opinion, be determined on the emerging functional necessity of management of rural development. In our Report, we have attached importance to the direction rather than specifics on certain items usually done and hitherto highlighted in various cognate Reports. The institutional, structural and fu nctional specifics of Panchayati Raj would, in our opinion, vary over time as well as space; we can do no more than indicate the spectrum of possibilities while the various State Governments would have to work out the actual details keeping in view their changing requirements. Whatever be the variations, they have to be round the crucial theme of linking institutions of democratic decentralisation with socially motivated economic development.

2. In this approach, it is not necessary to dwell too long on the past, except to locate the trend and draw guidance for the future. The dis-association of the growing and complex programme of develop ment with Panchayati Raj Institutions which were considered inadequate, the inability of the bureaucracy to be attuned to execute the programme through elected bodies, the lack of political will to foster these institutions, several internal deficiencies in the functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions and, above all, the lack of clarity about the concept itself have weakened the entire system.

3. Part of the disappointment arises from the syndrome that they have not been assigned significant functions and tried continuously and with zest. The development programmes were not channeled through them. Some of the comments like the emergence of oligarchic tendencies are inherent in the social milieu, and some others are common to other tiers of the polity also. Panchayati Raj Institutions should not be singled out for these comments. It has many achievements to its credit in introdu cing a process of democratic seed-drilling in the Indian soil, in breaking the gulf between the bureaucratic elite and the people and in generating a new leadership not merely relatively young in age but pro -social change in outlook.

4. Panchayati Raj, like democracy at the national and State levels, is both an end and a means. As an end, it is an inevitable extension of democracy; as a means, it would continue to be responsible for discharging obligations entrusted to it by the national and State Governments in spheres not yet transferred to its exclusive juris diction. Altogether, both as an end and a means, Panchayati Raj should contribute to the philosophy as well as practice of a rich, rewarding life in rural India.

5. The establishment of democratic bodies below the State level is an imperative from the political and socio -developmental perspec tives. Democratic institutions with periodic elections at all levels will provide a forum for the assertion of their strength in large number by the weaker sections. With the people and political parties having adequate opportunities to exercise power at various levels, national energy in political recrimination will yield to con structive competition and mutual co -operation in developmental activities among political parties.

6. Our recommendation to transfer substantial quantum of powers from the State Government to the local bodies, is bound to have concern with the existing scheme of distribution of powers between the Union and the States, which would require a

detailed but separate consideration. In order to achieve requisite status as well as continued functioning, the Committee agree that some provision in the Constitution deserves a careful consideration of the Government of India.

7. On account of growth of the span , spatial scatter and the com plexities of the development activities, as also significant changes in the strategies, the context of institution-building in rural India has undergone a change since the submission of the Report of Balvantray Mehta Study Team in 1957.

Among the striking changes in rural India, considered in Chapter II, the most important have been (a) imparting of dynamism to agriculture which was previously stagnant (b) the enlargement of the concept of agriculture to cover allied occupations like dairy, piggery, fishery, social forestry, etc. which are of special relevance for the economy of the weaker sections (c) assured availability, on an increasing scale, of new agricultural technology including scientific utilisation of major and minor irrigation (d) emerging shifts in national policies towards cottage, village and rural industries at localised production points (c) increasing possibilities for absorp tion of institutional credit for effective implementation of productive projects (f) growing importance of marketing, involving a series of extra -local transactions (g) the emergence of growth centres and need for tackling the rural -urban continuum (h) in creasing emphasis on group action and conjoint activities (i) grow ing concentration on special efforts to organise and assist the weaker farmers in particular and poorer sections of society in general and finally (j) coupled with the developmental urges, the evolving need for provision of the welfare and municipal utilities requiring, in the rural areas, different types of technical servicing functions.

8. The institutional, structural and functional contours of Panchayati Raj have to be in conformity not only with the accelerating pace of development but also with its strategies and policies . New struc tures of development administration or local level development management will have to take into account the functional neces sities of the on -going development thrust. Panchayati Raj Institu tions in the coming decades should, therefore, be equ ipped to undertake democratic development management under conditions of rapid changes, continuous growth and sustained innovations in all spheres of rural life.

9. State Governments should realise the social costs of administering expanding development programmes from a distance or through only governmental machinery. When they delegate the respon sibilities for implementation to lower levels, they can concentrate on refinement of strategies and higher -level policy-making in the management of challenges of development administration in areas such as rural land structural deficiencies, agricultural modernization, rural industrialisation, credit universalisation and plan ning for fuller utilisation of natural resources.

Structures, Composit ion and Election

10. The institutional design for Panchayati Raj should take into ac count the functional necessity of propelling the on -going developmental thrusts, build upon the intricacies at the appropriate levels and transmit the impulse to the people through location -specific involvement.

11. The emerging scenario of the dynamics of development neces sitates that the technical expertise of a high order be made available at levels below the State to sustain the momentum of rural develop ment, which, in many cases, have been alread y administratively decentralised at the district level. The inescapable compulsion, therefore, is that the district should be the first point of decentralisation, under popular supervision, below the State level.

(IV.6)

12. Below the district level, the ba lance between technological require ments and possibilities for meaningful participation by the people in development management can, in our view, be best achieved, by grouping a number of villages to constitute Mandal Panchayats. These would not only ensu re an economic viability; this will enable the people's representatives to exercise democratic supervision over the large number of micro - projects which are to be imple mented at the local levels in the coming years. Most of these projects are not entirely village-based but would require a span of technology beyond the capacity of a Village Panchayat The atten tion to the family -based programme, often covering as many as four hundred families, needs larger unit to tackle them than at present Such a Mandal Panchayat would cover a population of 15,000 to 20,000 and would also facilitate the forging of necessary linkages with schemes for development of focal points and growth centers and would ensure efficient management of the growing rural -urban linkages.

(IV.2 to IV.8)

13. While our preference is for two tiers - a district- level Zilla Parishad and a Mandal Panchayat - we are conscious of the fact that two other tiers are already in existence and it may take time for the suggested institutional design to tak e shape and become fully operational. The block-level Panchayat Samitis, where they exist now, would be converted into non-statutory executive committees of Zilla Parishads and when the Mandal Panchayats become active, most of their functions would be take n up by the Mandal Panchayats. As a transitional structure, the Block can, therefore, continue as per the convenience of the States keeping in view their requirements and the stage of development. At the village level, the people would be involved in Manda l Panchayats through Village Committees which would look after the municipal func tions and related welfare activities. Till the Mandal Panchayats are constituted, a federation of existing Village Panchayats may be desirable.

(IV.6, IV.6.1, IV.6.2)

14. Regarding the composition of the various tiers of Panchayati Raj, we would like to suggest only a broad pattern. We would, however, like to make it clear that whatever be the structural arrangements, the directly elected element must preponderate over the othe rs at all levels. In the elections, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should get representation on the basis of their population. The Chairman of Zilla Parishad will be elected indirectly. The President of the Mandal Panchayat may, however, be elec ted directly or indirectly as the States may decide. The term of all the elected tiers should be 4 years, and, as far as possible, election to all these bodies should be held simultaneously.

(IV.11.3, VII.8.3)

15. Our proposals regarding the structures wou ld have to be neces sarily modified in case of areas with predominant tribal population or in hilly or desert areas. Thus, in tribal areas Mandal Panchayats may be formed for smaller population as necessary. Again, the tehsils/blocks where strong tradition al tribal organisations are functioning, they may be allowed to look after their social func tions. Similarly, structures established by the Constitution under Schedule VI need not be disturbed.

(IV.7.1, IV.7.2, IV.8.1, IV.8.2)

16. The Zilla Parishad shoul d consist of six types of members, viz. members elected from suitably demarcated electoral divisions, Presidents of the Panchayat Samitis on an ex-officio basis, nominees of bigger municipalities, nominee of district level cooperative federation, two women who have secured the highest number of votes in the Zilla Parishad elections (in the event of no women coming forward for election, two women may be coopted) and two coopted members -one with special interest in rural development and the other drawn from University/College teachers. The Chairman of the Zilla

Panshad would be elected from amongst the directly elected and ex -officio- members by all the members.

(IV.9)

17. (a) The Zilla Parishad would function through a number of committees, the more important ones being constituted for Agriculture, Education, Small Industries, Finance and Public Works. The composition of all the Committees would be on the basis of proportional representation so as to ensure rep resentation to all sections and shades of opinion. A Committee of the Chairmen of these Committees will function as the Standing Committee of the Zilla Parishad. There will be a Committee on Social Justice in Zilla Parishad as well as at other levels also.

(b) All members of the Zilla Parishad and M.L,A's., M.L.Cs. and M.Ps. from the concerned district shall constitute the Plan ning Committee at the district level for plan formulation and periodic review.

(c) A suitable Committee for dealing with the problems of Educa tion staff like transfers to be comprised of members of Zilla Parishad, a representative of the State Government and the District Education Officer with a view to bring in evenness and method in transfers and postings.

(IV.10, IV.15, VII.10.1, VII.10.2, VI.11, V.5.3)

18. Panchayat Samitis, till they continue to exist, should consist of the following categories of members: (1) Presidents of the Mandal Panchayats, where they have been constituted, on ex- officio basis, (2) Zilla Parishad members elected from electoral divisions in the Mandal Panchayat areas, (3) nominees of smaller municipalities and block -level cooperative federations, (4) one coopted member, having special interest in rural development. The President of the Panchayat Samiti would be elected from amongst the ex -officio and directly elected members of the Zilla Parishad from the Samiti area by all the members. In approximately 1000 Talukas/Blocks (where either the Scheduled Castes constitute 20 per cent of total popula tion or the Scheduled Tribes are majority of population) the Chair -manship of Panchayat Samitis can be reserved for them.

(IV.9, VII.8.4)

19. The Mandal Panchayat would consist of the following categories of members:

(a) 15 members directly elected on village-cum-population basis;

(b) representatives of Farmers' Service Societies;

(c) two women securing the highest votes in Mandal Panchayat elections (if none contested, two women may be coopted).

The President of the Mandal Panchayat would be elected by the directly elected members from amongst themselves. The President may, however, be elected directly as the States may decide. Seats may be reserved for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes on a population basis in the Mandal Panchayat. A Committee with all women members of the Panchayat represented on it would also ensure that dec isions are made by women themselves on priorities and choices in welfare and development programmes specifically for women and children.

(IV.9, VII, 9.2,X.10.2)

20. The Village Committees would consist of the following categories of members: (1)

members el ected to Mandal Panchayat from the respective electoral unit, (2) members elected to the Zilla Parishad from the respective electoral units, (3) representatives of small and marginal farmers. The Village Committee will be presided over by the Member of Mandal Panchayat elected from the village concerned.

(IV.9)

21. The Gram Sabha has an important role in activating the democratic process at the grass -roots and deserves genuine en couragement. The proposed Village Committees would have the, special obligat ion to organise two Gram Sabha meetings every year to explain to the people what programmes the Mandal Panchayats are executing in their area and to channelise the people's feedback to the Mandal Panchayat.

(IV.5)

22. The Nyaya Panchayats like the Gram Pan chayats were adopted as institutions for dispensation of justice at the local rural level.

The working of Nyaya Panchayat has shown mixed results, in most cases they remained inactive. The administration of justice on a decentralised basis has its merits but the functioning of the existing Nyaya Panchayats have not been able to elicit popular satisfaction.

The Committee are of the view that Nyaya Panchayats should be kept as separate bodies and should not be mixed with the people elected for development pan chayats. The members of development panchayats wield executive powers and there are chances that justice may suffer if the two functions are combined.

The Committee are in favour of a combination of a qualified judge to preside over a bench of separately elected Nyaya Panches. The elected Nyaya Panches will not be entitled to seek re-election; they should serve in an area other than that from which they have been elected.

(IV. 18, IV.18.1, IV.18.2, IV.18.3)

23. Panchayati Raj elections should be conducted by th e Chief Election Officer of the State in consultation with the Chief Election Commissioner.

24. The State Government should not supersede the Panchayati Raj Institutions on partisan grounds and if supersession becomes necessary, these should be replaced by an elected body within six months. The State Governments should not postpone elections of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(IV.16)

25. Participation of political parties in Panchayati Raj elections would ensure clearer orientation towards development programme and facilitate healthier linkages with higher level political process. Direct elections coupled with programme -based contests, would offer great scope to weaker sections for availing of the opportunities offered by the political system.

(IV. 14)

Functions

26. The functions devolved upon Panchayati Raj Institutions being highly location-specific, exhaustive list of functions, in an all -India perspective, will not have much operational relevance. Local priorities in all development programmes vary from region to region and it is, therefore, necessary that the States and the Union Territories should have adequate scope for evolving their own list of functional priorities.

27. Our basic approach with regard to decentralisation is, that of spectrum of functions and tiers; development being a dynamic process, functions cannot remain static. Periodic adjustments would, therefore, have to be made in the functions devolved upon Panchayati Raj Institutions to suit the changing requirements. But this does not mean that decentralisation can be viewed as a political charity or administrative concession. The functional agenda of Panchayati Raj Institutions would be inescapably determined by the unfolding logic of "dynamics of development"; in the interests of effective implementation State Governments would have no choice but to decentralise adequate powers and functions and provide proportionate financial resources at the relevant local levels.

28. Keeping in view the foregoing approach, all the development functions relating to a district which are now being discharged by the State Government would have to be placed under the Zilla Parishads. Some of the functions which can be so decentralised include: agriculture and allied sectors, health, education, com munications, rural industr ies, marketing, welfare of backward classes, family welfare, etc. Even under these heads certain parts may have to be with the State Government. Thus, functions such as agricultural research, college and university education, medium irrigation projects and other similar items involving complications or cutting across district boundaries may not be transferred to Zilla Parishads.

(V.4)

29. Under the new scheme envisaged by us, the decentralisation would commence with the district as the first point and furth er movement below will take place depending upon the situation in each State. Broadly, the Zilla Parishad will handle all the decentralised State programmes and plan for them at the district. The Mandal Panchayat will handle the implementation work.

(V.3.2)

30. Mention is needed of cooperation (which should remain outside the purview of Panchayati Raj Institutions) and education (which must be entrusted to Panchayati Raj Institutions). In our view, cooperation should not be under the Zilla Parishad as it would be placing one set of elected bodies under another. The Panchayati Raj Institutions can limit themselves to motivating and organising the co -operative movement at this stage. As regards education, we feel that it can be transferred to Zilla Parishad with the proviso that a committee should be specifically constituted to look after transfers and postings. Supervision by local bodies will, in our view, not only improve the attendance of teachers but it is anticipated that the ratio of drop -outs will decr ease. The programmes on adult education will also be accelerated.

(V.5.1, V.5.2, V5.3)

31. The entrustment of development functions to Panchayati Raj Institutions would remain incomplete unless all the Panchayati Raj Institutions are vested with the authority to take their own decisions and plan according to their own requirements. Planning would, therefore, be an important function to be discharged by the Zilla Parishads.

(V.6.1)

32. The functions of the Mandal Panchayats would have to be viewed from a new angle. They would be responsible for implementation of the schemes and projects assigned by the Zilla Parishad. These would be many. They would have to play a promotional role in activating community action, build up organization and project formulation. They would continue to perform the functions con ventionally assigned to them under various statutes. They would have increasing role to play in the sphere of municipal and welfare functions.

(V.7)

33. Elaboration of an omnibus list of Mandal Panchayat fun ctions has no relevance unless there is genuine decentralisation accompanied by corresponding resources. The foregoing classification of the Mandal Panchayat functions would, indeed, facilitate the process of decentralisation by helping the task of identif ication of areas in which further decentralisation can take place. What is, therefore, needed at the Mandal Panchayat is purposive work allocation and transfer of money component alongwith the functions assigned to them for implementation. This would not only introduce clarity into the expenditure pattern, as also help the State -level Heads of Departments in specifying the operational procedures for execu tion of various plan projects. In general, Mandal Panchayats have to administer, coordinate, and provide institutional supervision to on-going field level projects.

(V.7, V.7.3, V.7.4, V.7.5, V7.5.1)

34. The Panchayati Raj Institutions in general and the Mandal Panchayat in particular can play an important role in the sphere of municipal and welfare function s by supplementing the State Plan outlays in this regard. Many of these requirements might be so local that even such comprehensive programmes as the R.M.N.P., may not be able to cover them; but the Mandal Panchayats are more intimately concerned about such items,

(V.9)

35. In view of the fast moving developments and transitions, the regulatory functions may continue to be vested in the Collector but such regulatory functions which are germane to implementation of various development programmes should be as signed to the appropriate tier of Panchayati Raj. Further, the Revenue Depart ment should be reoriented to encourage and facilitate the working of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(V.10,V.10.1,V.10.2)

36. The devolution of regulatory functions upon the Panchay ati Raj Institutions may be reviewed in due course of time when the Zilla Parishads have been properly established and are in a position to make and implement their own plans with the quantum of resources available or placed at their disposal.

(V.10.5)

37. The Mandal Panchayats would have to be suitably integrated with growth centres. They would have to take the necessary decisions concerning marketing, input supplies, credit and servicing and welfare requirements in association with other organisations in this regard.

(V.11) 38. In due course of time the Mandal Panchayats will have to he the base-level organisation

for project implementation and as such they would not only take over the functions of the Block but higher level technical expertise will be ma de available at lower levels, Some of the block -level functions would have to be moved upwards as only the district -level body would be competent to discharge them.

(V.12.1, V.12.2)

Planning

39. With the district as the strategic level for economic planni ng, the Zilla Parishad should be made responsible for planning at the district level. The appreciation of the total

resources, the credit availability and the necessary strategy formulation covering several blocks would be feasible at the district level. An elected Zilla Parishad would also provide the much needed correctives to the techno -economic plans. The production and employment programmes prepared at the Block level will fit into the totality of the plan.

(VI.1, VI.6.1, VI.8)

40. A professionally qualified team should be stationed at the district level for preparation of district plans. The composition of this group would be on the lines suggested by the Expert Group on Block level Planning. While formulating the plans, the expertise of the district level staff should take into account a cross section of all shades of public opinion relevant to the district.

(VI.9.1, VI.9.2)

41. The State Government would have to provide continuous assis tance in the process of district planning. It would have to ensure that the national objectives relating to weaker sections are pursued by the Panchayati Raj Institutions. They will also have to provide the financial and physical parameters as well as technical expertise to the technical group. It should also ensure equitable allocation of resources and fixation of long-range priorities.

(VI. 10)

42. The district plan prepared by the technical group would be placed before the "committee of the whole" of the Zilla Parishad where the MPs, MLAs and MLCs are also members.

(VI. 11)

43. The State Government should provide necessary machinery for examining the district plans to enable formulation of the State Plans. It should also hold a dialogue with the Zilla Parishads in this regard.

(VI. 12)

44. The District Planning should take care of urban -rural continuum. The District Plan should also analyse data on growth points and growth centres in order to provide for necessary economic flows.

(VI.13.1,VI.13.2)

45. Intensive exploitation of new opportunities of resources ear marked for the Weaker Sections should be a part of the plan process itself. The District Social Justice Committees will be of considerable help in this regard,

(VI.13.3)

46. The on-going exercise of District Planning should also take into account the formu lation of sound projects and short -term action plans covering areas of specific endowments, poverty belts and specific target groups.

(VI. 13.4)

47. In order to avoid the problem of non -implementation and non absorption of the many "delivery systems" which are already functioning, the several implementation components of all the local -level projects should be analysed in advance and greater attention should be paid towards synchronization and orchestration of the activities of the project-level functionaries of the different disciplines. Coherent activity analysis, standardized micro-project plans including flow -charts of goods, services and functionaries

will also have to be prepared so that the Mandal Panchayat can play an effective role in administrative coordination and institutional supervision.

(VI.14.1.VI.14.2)

48. At present, some districts are too large to facilitate drawing up of composite plans. Keeping in view, among others, the guidelines of compactness, effectivity, manageability and the number of repre sentatives in the Zilla Parishad, smaller districts would be desirable.

(VI. 15)

49. To begin with, the Mandal Panchayats may be limited to im plementation and promotional roles, but they would have a key role in supplying the necessary information about the various schemes and suggest the potential areas of development as well as their requirements to the Zilla Parishad. They would have to play this role on a continuing basis and not merely by holding a meeting to consider the draft plan or sendin g their comments on it to the Zilla Parishad. The planning unit at the district level should take note of the views articulated by the Mandal Panchayats from time to time.

(VI.17)

50. The total credit inflow for agricultural development is expected to rise significantly in the years to come. The Panchayati Raj Institutions should, therefore, pay greater attention to the institutional finance rather than concentrating on budgetary sources as in the past. This would be possible only if the Panchayati Raj Institutions pay due attention to ensuring greater responsiveness in project implementation by ascertaining the views of the beneficiaries since these require considerable people's participation like the Revised Minimum Needs Programme.

(VI.18, VI.19)

51. The Panchayati Raj Institutions should not only be regarded as a, forum for obtaining the

views of people's representatives but, in due course, they should become capable of planning for themselves within the resources available to them.

(VI.20)

Weaker Sections

52. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes constitute the bulk of the rural poor and their welfare has been enjoined by the Directive Principles of State Policy. Besides, a number of develop ment programmes have been launched for this purpose. The inability as well as the structural inadequacies of the Panchayati Raj Institutions to benefit the weaker sections of society have made us very anxious to provide structural as well as programmatic remedies to ensure that they derive, in adequate measure, the benefits of the lanned development of the country. Their confidence in the developmental role of Panchayati Raj Institutions and participation in the functioning should be assured through several measures.

53. Among the institutional devices for ensuring adequate repre sentation commensurate with their numbers we would like to recommend the following: (i) In order to provide a fair deal to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes their representation in all Panchayati Raj Institutions should be on the basis of their population, (ii) 666 talukas/blocks where the Scheduled Castes constitute more than 20 per cent of the population and in 329 talukas/blocks where Scheduled Tribes constitute a majority of population, the principle

of reservation should be extende d to elective offices, (iii) the reservation system can be supplemented by formation of Social Justice Committees where the Chairman should be only from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, (iv) with a view to provide political support to the objective of protection of the interests of the weaker sections, a Committees of the Legislature with, as far as possible, majority representation of MLAs/MLCs belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes should be set up to review the working of the programmes meant for these communities. This Committee would also be responsible for Social Audit of funds earmarked for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.

(VII.9.2, VII.9.3, VII.10.1., VII.10.2)

54. In order to ensure that the weaker sections of society derive maximum benefits from the various plans we would like to suggest that there should be an independent authority to cany out 'Social Audit' of the funds and programmes earmarked for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and ensure that projects designed for them are implemented in a way that the desired impact is not diluted. To begin with, a separate wing may be created in the existing audit set up and the Collector may be made responsible for supplying to the Government all the data required for Social Audit.

(VII. 11.1)

55. Development programmes leading to diversification of occupation al pattern have a great degree of relevance for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; the Panchayati Raj Institutions should be involved in opening up these occupational vistas in rural areas in such fields as dairying, poultry farming, piggery, fisheries, scrub jungle forestry, etc.

(VII.13.1VII.14.2)

56. Panchayati Raj Institutions as people's institutions can provide the field-level support to Finance/Development Corporation s for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, (which are in operation in some States and should be established where not yet in existence) providing financial and technical assistance for various program mes beamed at Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

(VII. 15)

57. It should be the special responsibility of the State Government to ensure, through purposeful administrative measures (both protec tive as well as developmental), that the scale- neutrality of the new technology is maintained, credit flow is made accessible to the poorer sections of society for credit - worthy programmes and development of their skills is continuously fostered. A number of physical resources are still available under the control of Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis, which are not be ing fully realized for the benefit of the poorer sections of the community. In some cases certain influential people in the village have encroached upon such resources. The State Governments should undertake necessary eviction proceedings and launch a vigo rous drive to restore these to the Panchayati Raj Institutions; it is also necessary that the relevant regulatory functions should be placed under the Panchayati Raj Institutions as part of their developmental functions.

58. Among the various development programmes which can be imple mented for the benefit of Weaker Sections on the hitherto unused or neglected communal resources we would like to make a special mention of social and farm forestry and brackish water pisci -culture. Composite culture of brackish water fish and prawns has an immense economic potential which must be harnessed for the benefit of the Weaker Sections. The scientific utilisation of unused areas under reserve forests and protected forests as well as the areas lying between villages and reserve forests where various easement rights prevail can be used to settle landless labour as well as provide effective support to animal husbandly. A time -

bound programme to link up the development of such land and water resources with the poorer families should be made an important part of States' responsibility to be implemented through Panchayati Raj Institutions and continuously monitored by the Social Audit Agencies, the Social Justice Committee and the Committee of Legislature.

(VII.16.3, VII. 16.4, VII.16.5, VII.16.6)

Administration

59. Our basic approach to remoulding of the administrative organisa tion of Panchayati Raj Institutions is that administration must drape well with the body politic and fit its contours. With the decentralization of the functions of the State Government, all the concerned district-level officials would, therefore, have to be placed under the Zilla Parishads and lower tiers. A separate development administration functioning on a decentralized basis would, thus, develop along with a composite Zilla Parishad Secretariat.

60. The constitution of elective organisation to supervise and direct development programmes would certainly upset the existing ad ministrative routines hut the various problems of personnel management and personal adjustments should not be allowed to stand in the way of this change over; the administrative apparatus would have to adapt itself to this fundamental change.

(VIII.3.1, VIII.3.2) 61. The Maharashtra and Gujarat experience provides many pointers to tackle the problems

relating to promotions, protection of pay and other emoluments and maintaining uniformity in service conditions. Generally speaking, all staff of Gazetted rank in Class I and Class II should continue to remain on the c adres of the State Government while the Class III and Class IV should be fully handed over to the Panchayati Raj Institutions. There should be adequate provision for inter -changeability between the State level officers and Class I and Class II working unde r the Zilla Parishads. The recruitment of the Zilla Parishad staff may be done by independent State-and district-level boards.

(VIII.3.3)

62. All developmental staff with the Zilla Parishad should be placed under an officer to be designated as the Chief Ex ecutive Officer of Zilla Parishad. The Chief Executive Officer will achieve horizontal coordination vis -a-vis the other district heads who will be Secretaries of the respective subject committees of the Zilla Parishad with Chief Executive Officer being an invitee to the Committees' sittings.

(VIII.4, VIII.5.1)

63. Zilla Parishad will be responsible for policy formulation supported by any specific decisions taken by its committees, but the main responsibility for the entire implementation work should be that of the Chief Executive Officer. The development executive should be of a sufficiently high rank; a person who has successfully "done" a district for a period of not less than 3 years should, therefore be appointed as Chief Executive Officer.

(VIII.5.2, VIII.5.3)

64. Some transitional, mainly personnel, problems involved in division and transfer of the entire district staff into State and District cadres are inevitable.

(VIII.6)

65. Even after the decentralization of district-level functions to Panchayati Raj Institutions, the State Government would continue to maintain some district -level staff for the execution of

its schemes but the extent of dualism of staff would be restricted to State functions which would be determined at the time of decentralizin g the powers to the Zilla Parishad.

(VIII.7)

66. The Collector would continue to exercise the regulatory, revenue and other functions assigned by the State Government. He would also organize and help the conduct of 'Social Audit'. The role of the Collector may have to be reviewed later when some of the regulatory functions of the State are sought to be transferred to the Zilla Parishad.

(VIII.9)

67. Mandal Panchayat would be handling the developmental as also municipal and welfare functions. It would, therefore, be possible for them to have a full-time Panchayat Executive Officer, instead of part-time assistant. His salary and emoluments should be ap propriate to attract sufficiently qualified personnel. There is con siderable staff of different development departments at the field level: in due course, this staff (e.g. such officials as the Agricultural Extension Officer, the Veterinary Stockmen, the Fisheries Extension Assistant, Commercial Crop Extension Workers, Small In dustries Promotion staff and the health sub-centre staff etc.) should move to the Mandal Panchayat level.

(VIII. 10.1)

68. As far as technical inputs are concerned, the line-hierarchy will not be broken. The staff in the Zilla Parishad will be under the control of their superiors for technical matters giving scope for technical line control but they would be under the Chief Executive Officer for purposes of administrative control. The Confidential Character Rolls of the District level technical staff written by the Chief Executive Officer will, therefore, be countersigned by the concerned Head of Department. The Confidential Character Rolls of the Chief Executive Officer, written by the Chairman, could be countersigned by the Commissioner of the Division.

69. On account of increase in the volume of development work and their growing complexity, it would be necessary to constantly study the developmental requirements and mould the structures and functions of the State -level departments looking after the Panchayati Raj Institutions. There sh ould be a Minister for Panchayati Raj whose main tasks would be as follows: -

(a) Enactment of Panchayati Raj legislation;

(b) Elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions;

(c) Training of elected office bearers and executive officers and administration of all Training Centres meant for the Panchayati Raj system as a whole;

(d) Promotion of Audit of Panchayati Raj Accounts;

(e) Review of Panchayati Raj activities for report to the State Legislature;

(f) Promotion of camp training of elected members of Panchayati Raj.

For the routine administrative work, a strengthened Directorate of Panchayati Raj and a Secretariat Department under a Development Commissioner would be necessary but all the development departments would have to play a role in the successful working of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(VIII.13.2, VIII.13.3, VIII.13.4)

70. As a part of the evolution of a new administrative culture, the Heads of Departments from the State Headquarters can call on Chairman, Zilla Parishad on their visits to the districts to acquaint him with the essential features of the visit. The Chairman, Zilla Parishad should also establish rapport with the various State level Directors for achieving smoother and streamlined delivery systems.

(VIII. 12)

71. The Panchayati Raj statutes should be so fr amed as to facilitate the transfer of full powers. The responsibility of the Council of Ministers at the State level is particularly significant in this regard as two Committees of Legislature will be looking after the entire performance of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(VIII. 13.5)

72. The State Government should also arrange for periodical inde pendent evaluation of the working of Panchayati Raj Institutions by independent agencies including educational institutions with the Universities playing an important part.

(VIII. 13.6)

73. The Government of India also have the special obligation to strengthen the process of democratic development management at the rural level. They have to ensure that development programmes falling in the district sector do not, in any way, by-pass the Panchayati Raj Institutions. The suggestions made by us such as increasing the training facilities will require the Centre to play a positive role.

(VII.14)

Financial Resources

74. The current situation in the flow of funds to Panchay ati Raj Institutions from diverse channels has been analysed and the possibilities have been pointed out for either strengthening or emulating the procedures from other States, for augmenting the resources. While this process may have to continue for somet ime, it requires to be emphasised that any proposals for financial devolution or financial decentralization should not emanate from a traditional approach hut from our basic commitment to the logical imperatives of the dynamics of development which clearly postulate the entrustment of a great deal of developmental func tions at the district level, with the Mandal Panchayat playing a key implementational role.

1 (IX. 12.1)

75. Apart from the budgetary devolution from the State Government, the Panchayati Raj Institutions also should mobilise enough resources of their own. No democratic institution can continue to maintain its operational vitality by depending upon external resources. The thesis "no taxation, only representation" should be discouraged. For this purpose, all Panchayati Raj Institutions should have compulsory powers of taxation. A select list of taxation powers should be given to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and out of them some should be made compulsory. It is not possible to have a standard list for all States. But certain taxes like house tax, profession tax,

entertainment tax, special taxes on 'land and buildings' should be levied compulsorily by the Panchayati Raj Institutions at appropriate level.

(IX.12.2, IX.5.4)

76. The taxation power s given to the Panchayati Raj Institutions should be limited and specific and must not operate inequitously. Certain occupations and professions in whom the weaker sections predominant should be exempted, through statutory provisions, in order to ensure social justice.

(IX.5.4)

77. Incentives can be offered for optional taxes realised. These may take the shape of award

of prizes or provision of matching grants. (IX.10.4)

78. In addition to taxes, the Panchayati Raj Institutions should levy fees/taxes for services like lighting, sanitation, water supply, etc. The maxima and minima of these fees should be laid down to avoid arbitariness or lack of uniformity.

(IX.12.3)

79. At this stage, land revenue, cess on land revenue, cess on water rate, surcharge on sta mp duty, entertainment tax and show tax, etc., should also be assigned to the Panchayati Raj Institutions with higher percentage to Mandal Panchayats. To provide local initia tive, the Panchayati Raj Institutions must be statutorily em powered to request the State Government to increase the cesses. In this context, the Committee recommend the complete transfer of land revenue to Panchayati Raj Institutions in a phased manner over a period of five years taking into account the buoyancy of other taxes.

(IX. 12.4, IX.8.2, IX.8.3)

80. In the emerging rural development programme, the transfer of public properties such as porambokes, grazing lands, unreserved forests, orchards, public lands, cattle ponds, fishery tanks, ferries, quarries, etc. would have great sig nificance and these should be statutorily vested in the Mandal Panchayat in cases where it is not already done. This is not a mechanical transfer but for the purposes of maximising the yield out of these resources; this activity will increase as a part of their functions. In the emerging context of escalation in their potentialities and fiscal worth, markets, hats, shandies, fairs, etc. will be a significant source of revenue. Hence, custody of such fairs, hats and other markets should be vested with the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(IX.12.5)

81. With a sizeable population -base and a territorial jurisdiction cover ing a number of "markets" the Mandal Panchayat would be able to tap a more diversified resource -base with greater intensity and elasticity. It is these revenue yielding sources that should be built up both with budgetary support of Government and institutional finances. Such sources will be mostly with Mandal Panchayats but can be transferred to Zilla Parishad, depending upon the size of the source. A scheme of support by State Government from budgetary sources carrying small or no interest supplemented by institutional finance would go a long way in helping the Panchayati Raj Institu tions to proceed with their aims of establishing remunerative enterprises.

(IX. 11.3)

82. Apart from the taxation powers of their own and transfers effected through several

possibilities indicated earlier, a permanent annual grant of not less than Rs. 2.50 per capita should be available to the Mandal Panchayats. It should be the objective; the quantum of several transfers should be, at least, to this target.

(IX.12.6)

83. As the power to impose taxes should not be divorced from the responsibility for their collection, the officials of the Panchayati Raj Institutions should themselves collect the taxes.

(IX.6.1)

84. Combination of Patwari and Secretary as per the suggestion of the Santhanam Team is not desirable. At the time of consolidation of holdings, the provision for reserving areas for common purposes should be strictl y enforced and these should be entrusted to the Mandal Panchayats. It would be possible for the Mandal Panchayat to economise on too many part-time or full -time low paid Secretaries and get the services of a better paid Secretary who would look after the collection of taxes and also be responsible for the other functions entrusted to the Mandal Panchayats.

(IX..6.2, IX..6.3)

85. The burden of collection of land revenue should be left optional to the concerned Panchayats, but the Mandal Panchayats collecting and revenue should get a commission commensurate with the results so as to provide a built -in incentive. When the Mandal Panchayat comes into full-fledged existence the policy, may, however, be reviewed again.

(IX.6.4)

86. When all functions relating to Plan implementation at District level are transferred to the Zilla Parishad, this will also involve transfer of the finance along with projects. The allocation of the projects/plan funds has to be done on a formula worked out to achieve equity among the Di stricts and weightage to backward areas. Further, the non -plan expenditure incurred at the District or lower levels should also be under the administration of the respective tiers, since it would be conducive for composite develop ment work and build up the capabilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(IX.9.4)

87. Administrative expenditure on the salaries, allowances, etc. of the staff transferred as on the date of transfer, be given as a grant to the Zilla Parishads or to the other concerned tiers.

(IX.10.3)

88. The appointment of a State Finance Commission does not appear to meet the situation. The major need is more to achieve an equitable distribution of plan allocations.

(IX.10.9) 89. The establishment of a new financing body, like a Panchayati Raj Finance Corporation,

dependent partly on public borrowing, is not likely to add to the total availability of the credit. What is required in this context is a greater rural orientation to all the financial institutions to facilitate greater flow of credit to rural areas.

(IX.11.6)

90. The pattern of budgeting, followed by the Panchayati Raj Institutions, should be simple.

(IX.13.2) 91. The State Governments also will have to evolve a budgetary procedure which will

indicate the transfers of different types to the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(IX.13.4)

92. Each State Government may, taking into account the local cir cumstances, prepare comprehensive guidelines for the use of their officers and Panchayati Raj Institutions for preparation as well as for approval of budgets.

(IX.13.5)

93. An important element to be emphasised both in the preparation of the budget as also in its format is the emphasis need to be placed on sufficient allocation and earmarking of the funds for the projects for the Weaker Sections. The quantum provided and the ap propriate utilization for the target-groups would be within the jurisdiction of the Social Audit.

(IX. 14.6)

94. Approval of budget by a higher authority seems to be a desirable practice, as it provides a linkage and also enabl es the higher level tiers of Panchayati Raj to know what is happening at the lower tiers and also to make suggestions for better utilization of such funds.

(IX.13.7)

95. A sufficiently high ranking finance officer should be placed at the district level as the entire plan and non-plan funds would be under his supervision.

(IX.13.8)

96. Every State should endeavour to present consolidated finance accounts of Panchayati Raj Institutions to the Legislature.

(IX.14.1) 97. State Governments should immediately rev iew the delay in audit which is partly caused by

inadequate staff and partly by lackadaisical procedures.

(IX. 14.2)

98. Quick clearance of the outstanding audit objections pertaining to Panchayati Raj Institutions has special importance in view of the proximity and involvement of people's representatives with the expenditure at these grass-root levels.

(IX. 14.3)

99. A concurrent audit by the Examiner of Local Funds Accounts should be made operative instead of post audit.

(IX. 14.4)

100. Procedures for su bmission of utilisation certificates by the Panchayati Raj Institutions for the grants given by Government must be made simpler.

(IX.14.5)

101. The State Governments should consider the establishment of a Committee of the Legislature to be specifically con cerned in the financial and physical performance of

Panchayati Raj bodies. Alongwith the consolidated finance accounts, the State Govern ment should also lay on the Table of the Legislature, an Ad ministrative Report on Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(IX..15, IX.16)

Human Resources Development

102. The human factor is not only a component of growth but also shapes the texture of the society. In many ways, therefore, the human resource is more vital than the financial. Development of human resources should be , therefore, a primary feature of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(X.I)

103. There should be three types of training: (i) for officials; (ii) for elected representatives; and (iii) combined courses for both officials and elected representatives together. The programme content would vary as suited for each participating group.

(X.3, X.4, X.5)

104. The training programmes, covering officials as well as non - offi cials, would be of a staggering dimension. This would require not only the activation of the existing institutions but also considerable augmentation of their numbers and resources. Suitable remedial measures should also be taken to resuscitate and revitalize the State-level training institutions.

(X.6, X.7, X.7.1)

105. The National Institute of Rural Dev elopment should be the apex all-India institution for training of trainers, field studies, develop ing consultancy capabilities, research work and improvement in the level of training in the States. Its faculty should be strengthened and upgraded for this purpose. The Government of India has an important role to play in this regard.

(X.7.3, X.7.4, VIII.14)

106. There should be an evaluation for each of the training programmes so that it will be possible to make necessary modulations from time to time.

(X.7.5) 107. Importance should be attached to the programmes for adult educa tion to develop the latent

civic consciousness in all the people and thus strengthen the faith in the working of the Panchayati Raj Institutions. The Panchayati Raj Institutions shoul d have a major role in organising such programmes.

(X.8)

108. As a large segment contributing for the successful operation of a democratic system, special attention is to be paid to the role of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions. Their role could be strengthened in two ways: by allowing them to participate in the election processes more actively and also by giving then oppor tunities for decision making.

(X.9, X.10.1)

109. To secure their participation in elections, for the two seats reserved for women in the Zilla Parishad and Mandal Panchayat, any woman who gets the highest number of votes in the election, even if she does not win, should be taken in as a coopted member,

(X.10.2)

110. There should be a Committee of Women to operate and look after specif ic programmes which largely concern women and children. This would ensure that they do not become victims of the processes of change and that decisions are made by women themselves on priorities and choices involved in their programmes. Such a Com mittee should have the powers of the Mandal Panchayat with reference to the programmes specifically assigned to them

(X.10.3)

111. In designing the Rural Industrialisation programmes there should be special efforts to concentrate on programmes to provide gainful employment to rural women. This will also strengthen their management capabilities.

(X.10.4) 112. The formation of Manila Mandals should be encouraged.

(X.11) 113. The present and the future success of the democratic process through Panchayati Raj

Institutions lies with the rural youth. (X.12)

114. Rural youth is not yet fully covered by the Yuvak Mandals; this weakness has to be attended to. Young farmers clubs can be formed to activate the interest of the rural youth both in Panchayati Raj Institutions and rural development.

(X.13) 115. The Yuvak Mandals should be given the status of an associate body in Panchayati Raj

Institutions through suitable legislative measures. (X.13)

116. Panchayati Raj Institutions have a motivational task in organizing Nehru Yuvak Kendras. (X.14)

117. It would be advantageous to organise National Service Scheme camps through the Panchayats.

(X.15) 118. The role of voluntary agencies in mobilizing people's support for Panchayati Raj will be

crucial. They should be stre ngthened and encouraged to supplement the efforts of the Panchayati Raj Institu tions. The motivational and promotional role of the Panchayati Raj Institutions should be clearly spelt to build up and facilitate the work of voluntary agencies and women's organisation.

(X.11, X.17) 119. Voluntary agencies with requisite expertise, proven standing and well-equipped

organization can assist Panchayati Raj Institutions in the planning process. They can be involved in formulation of projects and schemes and to cre ate strong public opinion in support of measures aimed at social change.

(X.18)

Relationship With Other Institutions

120. The Panchayati Raj Institutions are expected to take up the overall view of the economic and social well being of the people, while the cooperatives have to meet the economic requirements. The relationship between the Panchayati Raj Institutions and coopera tives has thus to be coordinate rather than of a subordinate character.

(XI.2, XI.3)

121. The pattern of functional relationship between the Panchayati Raj Institutions and the cooperatives will broadly be of five types: -

(i) Functions which could more appropriately and effectively be discharged by Cooperative Institutions.

(ii) Functions requiring concurrent and conjoint ac tion of Panchayati Raj and Cooperative Institutions.

(iii) Cooperatives functioning as agents of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(iv) Functions in respect of which Cooperatives require facilities from the Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(v) Where Cooperatives participate in functions which are essen tially the responsibility of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

(XI.3.1.XI.3.2)

122. Panchayati Raj Institutions should undertake the promotional and coordination work like motivation and organisation of coopera tives. The regulatory functions in respect of cooperatives should be done by the cooperatives themselves.

(XI.4)

123. Representation from the cooperatives on the Panchayati Raj In stitutions will be helpful in providing an institutional dialogue between the Pan chayati Raj Institutions and the cooperatives. A reciprocity of representation of Panchayati Raj Institutions on the cooperatives does not appear to be necessary.

(XI.5)

124. Urban-rural relationship is to be viewed in the context of needs of a developing economy and the attendant processes of affording higher level of services and facilities. Integration of rural - urban areas in a balanced reciprocity of economic and social growth can be achieved by linking up the rural areas with urban focal points.

(XI.6)

125. With the existing small panchayats, in due course, giving place to larger Mandal Panchayats, the relationship between the Mandal Panchayats and small municipalities would become more pur posive and meaningful; with some amount of equality, they can even enter into formal relationships for supplies and services.

(XI.8.1)

126. The merger of small municipalities with Mandal Panchayats would be desirable. The focal points and growth centres will facilitate this process.

(XI.8.2)

127. For purposes of com posite planning, the District Plan should encompass the developmental aspects of urban areas and the civic aspects of rural areas.

(XI.8.3)

128. The representation of the municipalities in Zilla Parishad and other appropriate areas will strengthen the process of urban bodies integrating their work with that of the Mandal Panchayats.

(XI.8.4)

129. Smaller Municipalities should be treated at par with Mandal Panchayats for providing benefits flowing through various Special Agencies such as SFDA, MFAL etc. to t he people living in these towns.

(XI.8.5)

130. Panchayati Raj Institutions can assist the Centre and State - sector corporations and boards established particularly for commercial activities with promotional and marketing components. In this context, the ro le of Panchayati Raj Institutions would consist of creating the local organization and locating the area- wise specialities.

(XI.9)

131. Zilla Parishad will be responsible for assessing the overall credit requirements and arranging for its inflow by locali zing the needs and locating the areas. The lower tiers should follow this up.

(XI.10)

132. Mandal Panchayats should assist in the establishment of Regional Rural Banks by providing necessary infrastructure and also help the banks in verification procedures or in the analysis of the viability of loan proposals.

(XI.11)

DISSENTING NOTE ON ASOKA MEHTA COMMITTEE REPORT

By EMS Namboodiripad

NOTE ON THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PANCHAYATI RAJ

INSTITUTION E.M.S. Namboodiripad

1. I had hoped that, in spite of our differences on the basic approach to the problems dealt with by the committee, 1 would be able to agree with the colleagues on the concrete proposals being made with regard to democratic decentralization. On a study of the report, however, I find that the differences in the basic approach have expressed themselves in some concrete proposals. I am therefore, obliged, while signing the report, to add this note.

2. Let me at the very outset make it clear that I agree with the main conclusions arrived at, and

recommendations made, by my colleagues, namely,

(a) "Panchayati Raj should not be singled out for criti cisms, failures and pitfalls which are not particular to it alone." (1.10.1)

(b) "Both from the political and socio -developmental angles, it is imperative to decentralise power, planning process and developmental activities below the state level. "(III.l)

(c) "Our recommendations about the transfer of substan tial quantum of powers from the State Governments to the local bodies has implications for the existing scheme of distribution of powers between the Union and the States which would require a detailed but separate consideration." (III.5)

(d) "The first point of decentralisation below the State level should be the district." (IV.2) (e) "The present trend as also the past experience points to the size of Panchayats being

larger." (IV.4.4). (f) "Next to the district, Panchayat will have to be the hub of developmental activities."

(IV.4.8) (g) "A Committee system at the district and other levels as required should be introduced….

The salient ones to be suggested now would be on Agriculture, on Education, on Small Industries, on Finance and Public Works. A Committee of the chairmen of these committees will be the standing committee with Chief Executive Officer as Secretary. The composition would be on proportional representation." (IV.10)

(h) "Political parties should be allowed to partic ipate effectively at all levels. We have readied a stage of political evolution when it would be unrealistic to expect that political parties would keep themselves away from these elections." (IV.14.1)

(i) "There was not much enthusiastic response (to Nyaya Panchayats), though many advocated their relevance and revival to settle petty disputes. The dilemma facing the rural people seems to be that, while they want justice at their doorsteps, their experience does not encourage them to place faith in Nyaya Pancha yats as constituted today." (IV. 18.2)

(j) Recommendations regarding the decentralization at the district level as spelt out at paras V.5.1, 2, 3.

(k) "All the staff engaged in development that is now available at the district and lower levels for these pro grammes will have to be placed under the elected representative bodies. This would mean that all the staff relating to decentralized items at the district level, and those subordinate to them in the respective depart ments should be working for the Zilla Parishads."

(VIII 2.1 &2,2)

(1) Class III and Class IV staff should be fully handed overto Zilla Parishads. (VI1I.3.3) (m) "When it is postulated that all the developmental staff will be under the Zilla Parishads,

it is also assumed that the y will be under the administrative control of one Chief Executive Officer like the Chief Secretary at the district level who will be under an elected body."

(VIII.4) (n) Recommendations regarding the system of line hierarchy atparaVIII.11 (o) "Similar to the lack of will that is attributed to the political executive, an administrative

will to work an alternate system should also be developed. Till now, control has never included a horizontal co -ordinating point. As far as State Head of the Department is concerned, an alteration has to be fostered." (VIII.12)

(p) “The decentralization of powers by the State and the entrustment of these powers to the Panchayati Raj Institutions should take into account the aspect of financial capabilities." (IX.1.1)

(q) "One of the important recommendations of the Committee is the transfer of functions relating to implementation of projects at the district level to the Zilla Parishad. This automatically involves transfer of the nuances along with projects” (IX.9.4)

(r) Paras IX.10.1 to 9 regarding grants from the State and JX. 11.1 to 6 regarding remunerative enterprises.

(s) “Any proposals for financial devolution or financial decentralization should not emanate from a traditional approach but from our basi c commitment to the logical imperatives of the dynamics of development which clearly postulate the entrustment of a great deal of developmental functions at the district level, with the Mandal Panchayats playing a key implementation role.” (IX.12.1)

3. The above recommendations, if accepted and implemented by Central and State Governments, would go a long way form democratic decentralisation from a dream to a reality. I, therefore, hope that there will be no further delay in imple menting these recommendations.

4. I, however, have basic differences in the approach to the f decentralisation as is

explained in the report as a whole , particularly in Chapters I, II, VI and VII. These difference on approach get reflected in sever al concrete proposals, spelt out m the other Chapters, I would, therefore, explain what the basic differences in approach are.

5. I have already noted my agreement with the report where it state that Panchayat Raj

should not be singled out for critic ism. But, in noting other elements which too should be subj ected to criticism, the report has omitted what according to me is the crucial factor-lack of political will on the part the former and the present ruling parties at the Centre with regard to decentralization of powers.

It is for instance, well -known that the 30 years of Congress rule resulted in increasing encroachments into the powers of the States as laid down in the Constitution. Many including the State Chief Ministers belonging to the then ruling party were in fact, resentful but did not open their mouths at the Chief Ministers' gatherings (I have myself had personal experience of several of them supporting me in private whenever, as the Chief Minister of Kerala, I was raising th ese questions at the meetings of the National Development Council and Chief Ministers' conferences; they told me that they are not free to express themselves. I was, they said, in fact, defending their interests as well).

There was, therefore, the natural expectation after the present Government assumed office

that the question of Centre -State relations would be given a second look. Many Chief Ministers including some who belong to the present ruling party, were sympathetic to the idea. But, like his predecessors, the present Prime Minister too, is preventing any change in the constitutional set-up. He is doggedly refusing even to have a national debate on this question.

6. That this is actually hampering the process of decentralization from the State to the lower

levels is in a way acknowledged by my colleagues who have clearly stated in Chapter III, para 5, that "the existing scheme of distribution of powers between the Union and the State would require a detailed but separate consideration."

This, however, does not, according to me, bring out to the full the crucial importance of recast-

ing the constitutional frame work regarding Centre -State relations. I am of the view that, unless the whole question is fully reconsidered, leading to radical amendments in the Constitution, all that is proposed in this report would remain as much on paper as the Balvantray Mehta and other recommendations have so far remained.

7. It is true that the Constitution while defining the Direc tive Principles of State Policy,

mentioned the formation and functioning of Panchayats. The importance of this for the effective implementation of the five-year plans has also been emphasised in innumerable documents of the Central Govern ment and of the Planning Commission. It was in pursuance of this that the Balvantray Mehta Study Team was appointed.

The report of the present Committee is based on these recom mendations and the attempts to put those recommendations into practice. That is why the resolution appointing this Com mittee and the draft under discussion now are based on the idea of Panchayati Raj, the vehicle of rural development. The idea implies that, while there is maximum possible decentralisation of the developmental function of administration the regulatory functions will not be decentralized.

8. I am opposed to this whole approach. The Constitution itself according to me, failed to

envisage an integrated adminis tration in which, apart from the Centre and the States, there will be elected bodies which will cont rol the permanent services at the district and lower levels. Democracy at the Central and States levels, but bureaucracy at all lower levels —this is the essence of Indian polity as spelt out in the Constitution. Added to this is the fact, in the actu al work of the Constitution, the Centre made increasing encroachments into the rights and powers of the States. This trend reached its high watermark in the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution.

It was with such a centralized administration as its core that Panchayats were envisaged in the

Constitution and the Balvant -ray Mehta Report. It is, therefore, not surprising that neither the bureaucrat nor the politician at the States level is prepared to decentralize whatever power has been conferred on the State under the Constitution. The point is to make a radical change in the very concept of democracy and adopt what is called four-pillar democracy. It is regrettable, that, while acknowledging the force of this reality, the report in the Chapter on "Re view and Evaluation" does not nail down the chief hindrance to decentralization at the district and Panchayat levels.

9. I am in disagreement also with the approach to the “Dynamics of Development" as

projected in Chapter II. This in its turn has impl ications for Chapter VI on "Planning" and Chapter VII on "Weaker Sections". Before discussing the recommendations made in these two Chapters, let me briefly state my criticism of the "Dynamics of Development" as projected in Chapter II.

I am of the view that the achievements in the field of plan ning have been so listed in the Report that the wood is missing for the trees. By the term "wood", 1 mean the fact that the entire process of planned development which began in 1952 (the inauguration of the first five-year plan)) has been one of capitalist development without either breaking with foreign capital or ending land monopoly; usury, caste oppression, etc. All the "technological revolutions'" that have been mentioned in the report are, according to me, the trees each of which is sought to be described in detail.

I have no quarrel with the description of these technological changes that have been taking place

during the entire post -Independence period, particularly during the 26 years of plan ning. My criticism is that these technological "revolutions" have been so enthusiastically praised that their social impli cation, i.e. the increasing division of society into an exploiting minority and an exploited majority is missed.

In all the countries where capitalism supplanted feudalism (beginning with the United Kingdom),

development of capita lism meant as big revolutions in the technological sphere as or even bigger than are now taking place in India. The "techno logical revolutions", however, inevitably led to the enrichment of a handful of the owners of the means and instruments of production at the expense of the vast majority who are deprived of their small property. Nowhere has a bourgeois "technological revolutions" taken place without creatin g a wide gulf between an ever-prospering minority of the exploiters and a growingly impoverished majority of the exploited.

India, however, stands on a footing entirely different from the countries which witnessed this

process of bourgeois revolu tions (mainly in Western Europe, North America, and Japan). Unlike in these latter and like many other Asian and African countries, India has had its capitalist development without making a complete break cither with foreign economic domina tion or with those pre -capitalist institutions like feudal land monopoly, usury, caste oppression, socio -cultural backwardness, etc. which provide the biggest obstacle to the very technolo gical revolutions that are necessary if the country is to be modernised. This makes the su fferings undergone by our exploited majority still more unbearable; the mass of the work ing people have to bear the double burden of feudal (including caste) oppression, backwardness, exploitation, etc. and of capitalist exploitation.

10. It is this doubl e burden of pre -capitalist and capita list modes of exploitation that gives the problem of what are Called "the weaker sections” its specific character. For, what are called the weaker sections include two distinct categories of the working people.

The fi rst category consists of those who, even after several decades of capitalist development

(under the British and in the post-Independence years) are still subjected to many forms of landlord, usurer, caste and other exploitations of a pre -capitalist society. These are the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward castes.

The second category consists of people who, a few genera tions ago, i.e. under the then existing

socio-economic and poli tical system, were free from caste oppression and explo itation— the "upper castes"—a section of whom have, under the inexo rable logic of capitalist development, been thrown into the army of the landless, the unemployed and otherwise oppressed and exploited sections of capitalist society.

Included in the latt er category are the women who were subjected to antequated forms of

oppression, exploitation and backwardness in the conditions of pre-capitalist society and who, under the system of capitalist exploitation, are subjected to new forms of oppression and exp loitation. The overwhelming majority of women are subjected to the oppression and exploi tation of both kinds which makes 50 per cent of the total population a really "weaker section".

What is called "the problem of the weaker sections" is thus the proble m of two kinds of

oppression and exploitation — feudal and capitalist —to which the overwhelming majority of our population are subjected. All the proposals, schemes, etc. intended to "help the weaker sections of society" will remain at best mere -palliatives unless and until the people as a whole are emancipated from the feudal as well as the capitalist modes of oppression and exploitation. The "weaker sections" have to uplift themselves, through their own fighting organisations, political parties, etc. rathe r than depending on the benevolence of others. In the absence of this self -conscious organisation and struggles of the toiling masses, the "schemes" meant for helping the weaker sections will become so many new devices to fool them. It is from this view po int of the organized struggle to end the system of exploitation (pre -capitalist as well as capitalist) that I am looking at the entire problem of defending and extending democracy.

By democracy here, I mean the system of parliamentary democracy with adul t suffrage;

periodical elections; the execu tives' responsibility to the elected legislature; the role of law; full protection of the citizens' rights and freedoms which are known in our Constitution as the fundamental rights of citizen ship, etc. These co nstitute a set of valuable rights which our working people won after decades of struggle and which can be used by the exploited majority in its struggle against the exploiting minority.

Our experience of working this system proves that since the parliame ntary democratic system as

prevails today provides the exploited majority a powerful weapon with which to fight the exploiting minority, the latter does its utmost to reduce demo cracy to a mere formality to subvert it whenever and wherever the exploited majority uses it to get anywhere near the seats of power. Defence of parliamentary democracy at the Central and State levels (where it exists but is very often threatened by the authoritarian forces) and its extension to the district and lower levels as env isaged in the four-pillar democracy is, therefore, of extreme importance in the advance of Indian society.

My faith in democratic decentralisation is in other words, arises from the fact that it helps the

working people in their day-to-day struggles again st their oppressors and exploiters. I cannot, therefore, think of the Panchayati Raj Institutions as anything other than the integral parts of the country's adminis tration with no difference between what are called the "develop mental" and ''regulatory" functions. What is required is that, while certain definite fields of administration like defence, foreign affairs, currency, communications, etc. should rest with the Centre, all the rest should be transferred to the States and from there to the district and lower levels of elected adminis-trative bodies.

11. Considering the proposals made in the report from this angle, I now propose to examine some of these proposals on which I have reservations, objections and alternate suggestions.

Firstly, I am opposed to the suggestion of including the nominee of district level cooperative federation and other categories of members of Zilla Parishad and other Panchayati Raj institution bodies. I am for purely elected bodies at all levels of Panchayati Raj. Having coopt ed members as suggested in the report is a hang over of the idea that Panchayati Raj Insti tutions are concerned with development alone and not the elect ed organs of administration at the appropriate level.

Secondly, with regard to the elections to all Panchayati Raj Institutions, 1 suggest that

proportional representation with the list system should be adopted. Since the Mandal Panchayats are according to the report, to consist of 15 members directly elected, the whole Panchayat area can be considered a single 15-member constituency. This will give enough opportunity for any organised group (political party, religious minority, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, women, etc.) which has the support of not less than 1/15th of the electorate (about 7 per cen t) to return one

member. At the other levels of Panchayati Raj like the Panchayat Samiti (wherever it conti nues), Zilla Parishads, etc. elections should be organised on the basis of multi -member constituencies with no less than 10 seats in every constitue ncy and not more than 15, This will provide every social or political group which has electoral support of l/10th to l/15th of the people the possibility of returning one member. The argument advanced in the report (VII.9.2) that "the list system is alien to the territorial approach in the election system" does dot convince me. I am, on the other hand, of the view that Indian politics and the state of political parties in our country have reached a stage in which the adoption of the list system even for Sta te Legislatures and for Parliament would help the solution of many problems which are now considered insoluble. One of the suggestions that I have to make on the amendment of the Constitution, infact, is the adoption of this system.

Thirdly, I have alread y stated that I am in full support of the idea of a two -tier Panchayati

Raj—the larger Panchayat which has been given in the report the name of Mandal Pan chayat and the Zilla Parishad. I am in support of it because of the general consideration that the two-tier set-up is likely to be less expensive and more effective as well as my own experience in Kerala.

I am, however, conscious that some other States have other patterns of organisation which involve more than one tier below the district level. The recommendations that we make should not bar such arrangements in a particular State where this is considered necessary. It should nevertheless be stated that every endeavour should be made to replace the three -tier system by the two-tier system, since that will help the process of democratic decentralization.

Fourthly, I oppose the recommendation made at Para IV. 18.4 “in favour of a qualified judge to preside over an elected Nyaya Panchayat being associated with him”. The report itself admits that there is no enthusiasm for Nyaya Panchayat, the reasons being that people do not expect elected panches to be objective and do justice to the poor. Any proposal for bringing the judiciary closer to the people can, therefore, be considered only as a matter of reforming the judicial system and not as a part of democratic decentralization of administration. The Government may consider the various reports, referred to in our report, separately and not as part of strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Fifthly, I have already referred to the integrated powers and responsibilities to be conferred on the Panchayati Raj Institutions in which no demarcation is made between developmental and regulatory functions. I am understand the position if it were argued that, under the present circumstances, law and order should remain with the State and not shared with the District or Mandal Panchayats, even though on this question too, there is room for difference. But, as the report itself admits in Para XI.4 “the cooperative system has a number of regulatory functions beginning with registration”. How then can it be argued that ‘all functions such as law and order or the actions under other regulatory acts including social legislations may remain with the Collector only?” (V.10.1). I am afraid that the ghost of the earlier ideal that Panchayati Raj Institutions should be completely divorced from all regulatory functions and made to confine themselves only to developmental functions is haunting my colleagues.

Sixthly, the problem of what is called “ the weaker sections of society” is, as I have already pointed out, a product of the existing social order in which two kinds of oppression and exploitation—pre-capitalist and capitalist —are mixed. The solu tion for that problem is ultimat ely the ending of this double oppression and exploitation. The essential pre -condition for this is the unity of the overwhelming majority of the oppressed and exploited, belonging both to the Scheduled

Castes, Scheduled tribes and other backward castes on the one hand and the so -called "upper castes" on the other.

Looked at from this point of view, reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other backward communities has a positive as well as a negative aspect.

Positively, it helps, upto a poin t, in raising the educational level and securing some position

in the official hierarchy for the millions of people who have had for centuries remained oppressed and exploited under the caste system. Emergence of a small group of intelligentsia, the professionals and members of the official hierarchy drawn from castes which were comple tely excluded from a share in administration under the caste system is certainly a gain not only for these castes but for the very cause of social advance.

Its negative feature is that, if this is looked upon as a method of securing jobs for the

castes concerned, it sets the poor and the oppressed belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes against their brethren belonging to the so -called "upper castes". As was noted above, the inexorable law of developing capitalism is throwing larger and larger sections of those who have been born in the so -called "upper castes" families into the ranks of the landless, the unemployed, and otherwise oppressed and exploited.

The basic problems of the poor belonging to both categories being the ending of caste as well as

class oppression, what is required is that the poor regardless of caste, should join together in the struggle against their common oppressors. The manner in which the masses belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and backward communities are made to believe that reservation is the panacea for all their problems sets them against their brethren belonging to be so-called "upper castes" and weakens the struggle against the common oppressors.

Striking a personal note, I may mention that I have for the last 45 years been an ardent

advocate of reservation of jobs not only for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but also for other backward communities. This, in fact, has been the stand adopted by all the major political parties in Kerala. Gradually, however, a situation developed in which the poor belonging to the so-called "upper castes" began to feel that they are being denied those opportunities which are given even to the rich belonging to the backward castes.

A demand, therefore, arose that the criterion of reservation should be not caste but economic

status. After a good deal of public debate, all the major political parties in Kerala have now come to the position that, while for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes reservation purely on caste basis should continue for some time more, a combination of caste and eco nomic status should be used in providing reservation for the other backwards communities.

I would not claim that what has been proposed in Kerala is the last world even for that State.

There is, therefore, no ques tion of applying what has been suggested in Kerala to the other States, I am, however, convinced that the question of re servation for government jobs as well as jobs in private insti tutions is becoming an extremely explosive subject, setting one section of the poor against the other. This is doing great damage to the common cause of the poor belonging to all communities. Fresh thinking is, therefore, necessary on the question, so that ways and means can be found for ensuring the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other backward communities that they would get a legitimate share in employment opportunities, while the unity between them and the poor belonging to the "upper" castes is preserved.

Several recent incidents like Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, Marathawada, Kanjawala in Delhi, etc.

show that the problem of unity among the poor belonging to all castes and communi ties is of over-riding importance today. It is easy for a demagogue to whip up passions either by "taking up cudgels

on behalf of the "Harijans" or by appearing to "fight for the owning but working peasants". Dividing the two sections on this basis and making them fight against one another would help only the rich and well -to-do, who want at all costs to prevent the poor uniting themselves in their common struggle.

The fact, after all, is that none of the developmental plans, the plans of helping the Harijans to

uplift themselves, the plans of modernising trie rural areas, etc. has helped the agricultural labourers, working peasants, artisans, low -paid middle class em ployees, etc. at whose expense are growing a narrow stratum of the rural and urban rich. Reservati on of posts would not help more than a handful out of an ocean of the landless and un employed to get jobs. While this is good so far as it goes, it has harmful consequences for the poor mass as a whole in that it divides them into mutually conflicting groups. What is required, therefore, is to evolve some formula or other (de -pending on the specific condition in a particular State) through which the two considerations of caste and economic condition would be combined, so that the poor belonging to both cat egories can come together on a common platform of struggle, rather than getting divided into two hostile camps.

This question of reservation with regard to posts in govern mental or other services has, of

course, no direct relevance to the subject matter which we are discussing in this report. It, however, has its relevance in considering the reservation of 20 per cent of the Chairman's posts to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Let me at the outset make it clear that I am as much con cerned as my colleagues at the total

inadequacy of the repre sentation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Pan chayati Raj Institutions, particularly in the key posts of Chair man. I am therefore, fully with my colleagues in desiring to do whatever is possibl e to overcome this lag. The question is of the method to achieve this desirable objective.

With regard to the manner of filling the posts of members of Panchayti Raj Institutions, I have

already indicated that pro portional representation with the list sy stem is better method of ensuring this. This system, which is eminently practicable in our conditions, will perhaps ensure greater representation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes than reservation of particular constituencies since every politi cal party which con tests the elections is likely to include at least one candidate belonging to this category in its list. If, as I have suggested earlier, the constituencies will each have 10 to 15 members to be elected, it is very likely that the number of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes candidate selected will be more than under the system of reserving certain seats for them.

I am, however, more concerned at the recommendation made by my colleagues that certain

definite Panchayati Raj Institutions (Mandal Panchayats, Zilla Parishads, etc.) should be declared as those which should compulsorily have Chairman drawn from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This goes against what my colleagues state at Para IV. 11.4 in the report, where attention is drawn to "the occasional frictions between the panches and the Chairman which might arise if the Mandal Panchayat Chairman represents a direct electorate are sought to be avoided". I would humbly suggest that the same friction would develop between a Chairman who occupies that post on the sole ground of belonging to a particular caste, if the majority of his colleagues who have to work with him are temperamentally against him. Such frictions in the working of the Panchayati Raj Institutions are bound to have their repercussions in the public life of the Panchayat or District concerned.

It should, in this connection, be noted that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes being by

the very definition of the term part of the "weaker sections of society" and acknow ledgedly a

minority in any Panchayat or rural area, they cannot defend themselves in any situation of frictions and confronta tions on a caste basis unless they have the support of the majority of the poor belonging to the other castes. It is, the refore, in the very interests of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that whatever proposals are being made to assure them a reasonable share in the Panchayati Raj administration would unite them with the poor belonging to the other castes.

I would, therefore, suggest that, instead of having a statutory provision that the Chairman of such

and such Panchayat or Zilla Parishad shall always be drawn from the Scheduled Castes and/or Scheduled Tribes, a convention should be established among all the pol itical parties contesting the elections that a minimum percentage of every party's candidates for the Chair man's posts shall be drawn from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. If this is adopted—and I see no reason why it should not be adopted —every political party which wins elections in Panchayati Raj Institutions will set up that percent age of candidates for the Chairman's posts. This, in fact, may be more than what the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes get under the proposal made in the report.

Seventhly, the problems of administration and financial resources dealt with in Chapters VIII

and IX should, in my view, be dealt with from a different angle. I have indicated above that the four-pillar democracy envisaged by me, should mean an integr ation of the Central, State, District and Panchayat as the essential parts of an organic whole—the administration of the country.

The manner in which the Central and All -India Services, State Services and the Services of

Local Bodies have been separated, with different terms and conditions of service are creating heart burnings among the employees. The Central and All -India Service employees look upon the State employees as poor relations, while the latter look upon the local employees in the same manner. It is necessary that this is put an end to and uniformity of scales and terms of service are established for all the layers of government officials. This alone will make the administration an integral whole.

In the matter of financial reasources, too, the re is great urgency to have a fresh look from the

point of view of the finan cial resources of the whole country. After all, the resources which are at the disposal of the State and Central Governments are those which can be attributed by the people at low er levels. It is, therefore, unreasonable to expect that after the Centre and State tap all the financial resources which have been allotted to them and which are in fact collected from the very district and local areas where Panchayati Raj Institutions ar e working, these latter should find their own resources independently of the Centre and the States.

There is nothing derogatory for the Panchayati Raj Institutions to demand and secure grants and

other forms of financial assistance from the State and the Centre. Here again, what is. required is that the Central and State Governments, together with the Panchayati Raj Institutions, should have an overall review of the financial resources of the entire administration and agree on the proper collection and distribution of all the resources that can be tapped.

I am not raising this as a matter of theoretical generalisa tion. I am obliged to raise it

because the report does talk of "the need for some taxes being binding upon the Panchayati Raj Institutions" (IX . 5.4). Amongst such taxes to be compul sorily levied and collected by the Panchayati Raj Institutions are land cess, surcharge on stamp duty, taxes on commercial crops, etc. It is obvious that all these are in effect additions to the burden of taxation tha t the rural people have to bear, since these suggested taxes are over and above what the State and/or Centre have already levied. Making these "compulsory" for the Panchayati Raj Institutions is a proposition with which I cannot agree. That is why I sugge st that fresh thought should be given on the incidence of taxation on particular sections of the people, on particular forms of property or on particular commodities which are levied by the Centre and the States and now proposed to be levied by the

Panchayati Raj Institutions. Such additions to the burden at a time when rural poor are rightly demanding relief from the burdens of existing taxation will rouse resentment and resistance.

Finally, it is unfortunate that the report does not take into consideration the fact that there are voluntary organisations which have a sizeable membership and are active in the rural areas, such as the Kisan Sabha, Agricultural Labour Organisa tions, Students and Youth and Women's Organisations, etc. which are not and would re fuse to be non -political. Many of them are very active and enjoy the confidence of the people. Wherever such organisations exist, they should be given an important role in the schemes of human resources development. I am afraid that this aspect is ignored by my colleagues because of their prejudice against political parties or organisations oriented towards them.

Let me, in the end, reiterate that, inspite of these reserva tions, criticisms and suggestions, I am

of the view that the report, if accepted and implemented, would go far in decentra lizing and democratising the administration.

A SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE FROM SHRI S.K. DEY MEMBER, COMMITTEE ON PANCHAYATI RAT INSTITUTIONS

Providence had assigned me a unique position since August 15, 1947. I had been fo rced to act as the architect as well as the sentinel for the implementation of the Panchayati Raj system across India ever since the idea had been conceived in the wake of Community Development. The rise of the basic foundation to the democracy to which we stand committed as a people the short plateau of its peak operation followed by its steady de cline over a decade ever since 1966, had been a period of thrill and joy and then of agonies over the heartless atrophy of work and the hope of millions.

During this sad interval, I have also had the experience across the world of developing

nations- Latin America Africa Middle East and Asia as Special Adviser (Rural Development) to Administrator, United Nations Development Programme and last as Special Consul tant to United Nations Relief Opera tion, Bangladesh, at what perhaps was its hey day. My observa tions and conclusions of trends whether in Latin America Africa, Middle East or Asia, seem to have been fairly well borne out by what has followed throughou t. This places me under a special obligation to share the same bluntness of views and understanding with my country's men and women and what is more, the Government of India who have been kind enough to let me share this current labour of love with other f riends. My experiences having been fairly unique to myself, could not in fairness, be thrust in their trends or conclusions on other friends in the Committee. This constitutes the sole raison d'etre for this supplementary note even though I share the conclusions and recommendations in the Report free of all reservations.

My experiences, across India and the world at large, confirm that development by definition is

an integrated process, and rural development is but part of a rural urban continuum Development cannot be achieved except through a categorical co-ordination between all nation building agencies on the one hand and the people in their multifarious organisations and institutions on the other. Coordination of official agencies as a secure measure is a myth except when it is achieved through control by democratically elected representatives of the people. The logic has to be followed through, with scrupulous care. Political parties in a democracy as a corollary, have to be given even opportunities to play their constructive role at levels where they are acceptable to the people. ]f these be not done, pro grammes of development will tend to concentrate on a few who together with their counterpart in the administration as well as in the political system, will ride roughshod on the

hunchback of the people. This alone, more than all other factors combined, will account for the politics of the street we see round the world. This alone will explain the growing authoritarian rule in developing nations including what we witnessed even in India only lately.

The one India we knew, already stands trifurcated. The feudal trend in us, high or low, is still

deeper in the system than the trend of democracy which is the call of the age. Panchayati Raj, implemented wit h skill, honesty and will alone holds the key to the foundation of a real democracy. This way alone lies the promise of the State to "wither away" in substance some day, through further devolution of authority, resources and responsibilities in voluntary i nstitutions and organisations of people. If this is not done and timely enough, not even provi dence can save this last seeming survival of democracy among developing nations in India and the further inevitable split in this country in the peculiar juxtaposition of the forces at interplay in the world in which we live today.

A last word on the subject —the role the Government of India can play in the consummation

of what the Government ultimately decides on the subject. The obligation cannot be discharged by any individual Ministry created for this purpose or through an existing Ministry. The past lessons including those of the separate Ministry of Community Development despite the resistance put by the then Administrator of the Pro gramme with, the Prime M inister of the day against its creation, are meaningful enough in their implications. Panchayati Raj, basically different from all other facets of Government, is a process that involves the Government as a whole.

Sd/- S.K. DEY 17-8-78.

NOTE OF DISSENT

It is with great disappointment that I am making the follow ing observations about the Report of the Committee on Panchayati Raj Institutions which I have signed subject to this Note.

I find a serious lacuna in the scheme of Panchayati Raj as envisaged in the Report. In fact, it is

more than that. The very foundation of the structure of Panchayati Raj is missing. I know that this Committee is not responsible for the original sin, but with its announcement in December last following one of the most striking manifestations of not only the people's faith in democracy but also of their capacity to work it and defend it, a widely shared hope had arisen in the country that perhaps the deliberations of this Committee would lead to a new beginning, that at long las t self-government would become a reality at every level.

The purpose of decentralization was not merely to help development howsoever it is defined,

but the creation of an integrated structure of self -governing institutions from the village and small town onwards to the national level in order to enable the people to manage their own affairs. Panchayati Raj was to be the foundation of Swaraj. Till we are able to create such a structure we shall not succeed in harnessing the large dormant capacities and ini tiatives of the people even for developmental purposes, and till then development itself will remain a chimera.

While I have no quarrel with the scheme of Zilla Parishads and Mandal Panchayats envisaged

in the Report, these have been left hanging in the air. I had pleaded more than once in the Committee for recognition of the village, functioning through its Gram Sabha, i.e. the village assembly consisting of all voters in the village, as the primary unit of Panchayati Raj and as the foundation on which the upper tiers should rest and from which they would derive strength and vitality. But, unfortunately, apart from a casual and patronizing reference to the Gram Sabha

as "deserving genuine encouragement", its place as an organic and vital part of Panchayat i Raj does not find place in the recommendations.

There is no doubt in my mind that to talk of democratic decentralization or of the participation and involvement of the people in the democartic process has no meaning when the opportunity for them to do so at the only level where they can effectively function is denied to them. Gandhiji's concept of society as an "oceanic" structure comprising of concentric cir cles of live and vibrant communities, of which the village or the primary face -to-face community was to be the hub and the centre, is vital to democracy, I am strongly of the opinion that the village must be the base, and the Gram Sabha an integral part, of Panchayati Raj. Without this base not only Panchayati Raj or democratic decentralisation would have no meaning but democracy itself would remain fragile.

I am sorry that our Committee has missed a great opportu nity of putting democracy on a sure

foundation.

Sd/- SIDDHARAJ DHADDA 17-8-78,

Report of the

COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION

PROGRAMMES

Chairman: G.V.K. Rao 1985

Department of Rural Development Ministry of Agriculture

New Delhi

GVK RAO COMMITTEE REPORT

Summary of Recommendations

GROUP REPORTS

Group I Structural Overlaps and constraints in Rural Development Programme

Integration in Rural Development Programmes: How to bring it about

Decentralisation of Planning

Panchayati Raj Institutions

Administrative and Organisational Changes

Group II

Group III

Identification of the needs of the poor

Procedure of lending

Utilisation of loan

Recovery of loan

Organisation of the banks

Staffing

Coordination between banks and development administration

Cooperatives

Organisation of the poor

Group IV Preparation

Funds

Administrative arrangements

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The Committee feels that the time has come to take a total view of Rural Development. It has to encompass all economic and social development activities handled by different agencies at the field level. It is not advisable any longer to limit anti-poverty programme to a few specific schemes.

2. Past experience clearly indicates that government machinery (bureaucracy) alone cannot be assigned the responsibility for achieving economic development and social justice.

3. While the objectives of removal of poverty, as laid down in the Seventh Plan, must be adhered to, local initiative must be encouraged and the detailed strategy worked out by local people. It is, therefore, essential to involve the people and their representatives effectively in drawing up programmes of rural development and their implementation.

4. Panchayati Raj institutions have to be activised and given all the support needed so that they can become effective organisations for handling people's problems. Elections to these bodies should be held regularly.

5. It is also necessary to encourage voluntary agencies, with informed idealism, operating in rural areas, in every possible way.

6. The district should be the basic unit for policy planning and programme implementation. The Zil a Parishad should, therefore, become the principal body for management of all development programmes which can be handled at that level.

7. The President of the Zila Parishad can be directly elected for a term co -terminus with the Zila Parishad, or for one ye ar each on the Mayoral pattern. The work of the Zila Parishad should be done by a number of Sub -Committees, elected on the basis of the proportional representation so that participatory democracy could be developed and encouraged.

8. Panchayati Raj institu tions at the district level and below should be assigned important

role in respect of planning, implementation and monitoring of rural development programmes.

9. Some of the planning functions at the state level may have to be transferred to the district level for effective decentralised district planning.

10. In this connection, the Committee recommends the introduction of the concept of district budget. It is desirable that it is brought into being as quickly as possible.

11. The concept of a properly prepared distr ict plan is reiterated. The Preparation of a proper plan is a pro-requisite for having a process of development which will ensure that the poor are properly taken care of. All the development departments should clearly indicate the activities which they would undertake for assisting the poor.

12. The district plan should include all the resources available both in the plan and non -plan as well as institutional resources.

13. It is necessary for the banking institutions including the cooperatives to ensure that the credit requirements of the rural poor are adequately met, such facilities should also cover the legitimate consumption credit requirements of the poor.

14. The process of economic development itself should be designed so as to reduce poverty. The implementation of land reforms has to be done with greater vigour so as to

ultimately ensure that the land goes to the tiller.

15. Since rural development encompasses the activities of a number of departments at the state level, there is an urgent need for effective coordination and proper direction at this level.

16. The Committee recommends that a very Senior Officer of the rank of Chief Secretary designated as Development Commissioner be incharge of development administration at the state level.

17. The majo r Rural Development Departments like Rural Develop ment, Agriculture, Animal Husbandly, Co -operation, Industries etc. should be directly under his purview. The Secretaries of these Deppts. will work directly under him.

18. The Committee is of the view that dev elopment administration at the district level has to be treated as a major activity involving significant responsibilities.

19. The Committee, therefore, recommends that a post of District Development Commissioner(DDC) be created to look after and coordinate all the developmental activities in the district.

20. The DDC may be made the Chief Executive of the Zila Parishad in those states where the Panchayati Raj institutions hold the responsibility for planning and implementation of various development programmes.

21. In those states where Zila Parishads are not in position, the DDC could function as chairman and Chief Executive of the District Development Council.

22. The office of the DDC should be of a higher status than that of the District Collector in order to establish the primacy of the Development administration over maintenance administration.

23. The existing districts set up with weak planning machinery multiplicity of agencies and lack of effective coordination needs revamping.

24. Along with the establishment of the office of the DDC, significant restructuring of planning and implementation machinery at the district level should also be effected.

25. The proliferation of development agencies and departmenta lisation and fragmentation of function should cease.

26. The most important constituent of the district development office will be the Distt. Planning Team, the Distt Rural Development Team and the Distt. Finance and Accounts Officer who will be incharge of the district budget also.

27. The District Level Officers of the various functional/line departments will continue to handle the work relating to their respective areas. However, the schemes and programmes being implemented by them should form an integral part of the District Development Plan.

28. The major operational machinery for implementation of district rural development plan will be the block level set up. For this purpose revamping of the block machinery is essential.

29. The Committee recommends that the Block Development Office should be the sheet-anchor of the entire rural development process. For this purpose the status of this office should be upgraded. The Chief Executive Officer of the block/tehsil may be designated as Assistant Development Commissioner (ADC). The ADC should be an officer of the status of Sub-Divisional Officer.

30. The ADC should be a dynamic young person, preferably below the age of 35 and in any case not above 40. His background, training, managerial capability and motivation should be appropriate for the task as the leader of the team which will be incharge of all development functions in the block.

31. There is an urgent need for rationalisation/reorganisation of blocks to ensure that they become viable units for the task assigned to them.

32. On the basis of certain criteria of population, area and terrain, average size of the block may be one lakh population in the plains and 50,000 population in the hilly and difficult terrain and tribal areas.

33. On the above basis there could be about 6000 CD blocks.

34. There is also an urgent need for rationalising the deployment of functionaries at the district level and below.

35. Considering the task to be assigned to the various levels of administrative set up at the district level and below the State Governments may have to work out th e staff requirements.

36. In some cases there may not be significant augmentation of the strength; the

requirements will be met by redeployment of the staff after necessary reorientation/training.

37. Wherever additional staff requirements are involved, the State Governments may send the proposals to the centre.

38. A Committee of Secretaries of the Departments of Planning, Expenditure, Agriculture and Rural Development will examine and approve the additional requirements on the basis of certain norms;

39. Two-thirds of the cost of additional staff should be borne by the Centre during the Seventh Five Year Plan.

40. A refresher/orientation training may be organised for the different functionaries engaged in Rural Development Programme. For this purpose, additional training facilities be created wherever necessary and the full cost thereof may be borne by the Centre.

GROUP REPORTS

GROUP I

Reference : Review the existing organisational set -up for on - going rural development and poverty alleviation programmes; (2) to identify structural overlaps and constraints, and suggest a decentralised set-up for planning and implementation of the programmes.

Chairman: Prof. K.N. Raj Rapporteurs: 1.Dr. M.L Santhanam

2.Dr. V.L. Prasad

Members

1. Dr. G.V.K. Rao 2. Dr. S.K. Rau 3. Shri Sanjoy Dasgupta 4. Shri K. Subba Rao 5. Shri K. Ramamurthy 6. Shri R. Srinivasan 7. Dr. S.N. Mishra 8. Shri H.R. Verma 9. Dr. K.V. Sundaram 10. Shri Surjit Misra 11. Shri S.P. Malhotra 12. Prof. V.R Gaikwad 13. Shri V. S. Prakash Rao 14. Prof. N. Rath

15. Shri S.V. Ranganath 16. Shri K. S. shastry 17. Dr. N.J.Kurian 18. Dr. C.B. Agarwal 19. Shri R. Sudarshan 20. ShriR, Prabtvu

21. Shri Shivaji Singh 22. Shri Ranjan Chatte 23. Shri S.P Gaur 24. Shri C.Ray 25. Shri M. Ramakrishnayya 26. Dr. Indira Hirway 27. Shri S. Guhan 28. Shri J.C. Jetli 29. Prof. B.M.Bhatia 30. Shri Bhaskar Barua 31. Dr. T.V. Sampath 32. Shri Pankaj Agarwal 33. Dr. P.C. uoshi 34. ShriS.Sinha 35. Shri V. Sundaram 36. Shri Mukul Sanwal 37. Shri M.L, Mehta 38. Shri N.V. Madhavan 39. Dr.M. Shiviah 40. Dr. S. Balakrishna

Structural Overlaps and Constraints in Rural Development Programme

The first issue that deserves att ention is the present status of the structural overlaps and constraints of rural development programmes and strategies.

(1) The need for special programmes or anti -poverty programmes arose because the overall development efforts were not taking care of the weaker sections. It was thought that the special programmes will correct the bias of general development and improve the position of the poor. The relevant equestion now is: Should we continue both the approaches simultaneously and independently, or should we integrate both the units into one? Should we allow the general efforts to go on when we know that these are

selective in nature in the sense that they by -pass the poor and backward areas? It was felt that this separation is not proper and gener al and special programmes should be integrated with each other at both the planning and implementation levels. After all, rural development encompasses anti-poverty programmes also.

(2) As regards the present set of anti-poverty programmes it was felt that the situation is like the blind men and the elephant. Each programme is conceived independently, planned independently and implemented independently, and consequently each has only a partial view of the problem. The result is that we have a set of programmes which do not make a whole picture. There is a need to have a total approach in this context also.

(3) One important question was raised as to what are the chances of success of the present set of anti-poverty programmes. The empirical studies made in this area do not give an encouraging picture. Apart from the points about the integration above, there are many other factors responsible for the limited success. Some suggestions were made in this area. First of all, the planning component of individual programmes is found to be weak. This leaves considerable scope for adhocism and manipulation in the planning of the programmes. There is a need to improve the planning of individual programmes. Secondly, IRDP kind of asset -based programmes have a trend towards corruption in many cases and, therefore, the programmes have not worked well. It was suggested that the subsidy given to IRDP beneficiaries should be removed and instead the beneficiaries should be given easy terms of credit at low interest rates and easy installments for repayment, etc. Another suggestion was to deposit the subsidy in the beneficiary's bank account and give him an interest on it for about three years. This will also encourage the beneficiary to run the scheme successfully for at least three years.

As regards wage employment programmes like NREP, it was suggested that works should be taken up on private farms also to enable the small and particularly marginal farmers to improve their lands (it was pointed out by some that such works are already taken up under NREP in some states). In this connection it was also suggested that the negative effect of NREP in terms of the asset distribution against the poor should be erased either by imposing taxes on private farmers and/or by allo wing collective ownership of NREP assets to the workers who work on it.

(4) It was felt that there was a need to distinguish between the two categories of poor, namely, the poorest and the other poor. While the latter category many times manages to get the ben efits of anti-poverty programmes, the former category is almost always left out of the purview of these programmes. The poorest groups normally are unwilling and unprepared to take up self -employment and, therefore, they should be offered wage employment. It is really surprising how IRDP gives top priority to this category for self -employment programmes. It was, therefore, felt that if these two categories are separated and suitable policies are formulated to help them the overemphasis on self-employment under IRDP will be reduced considerably.

(5) A view was expressed that though the present set of anti -poverty programmes exphasise wage and self-employment, they do not have any direct focus on providing relief to the poor from their exploitative situation. The socio -economic power structure in our rural areas have created a situation where the poor masses are forced to depend on the rural rich for almost everything. As this unilateral helpless dependence of the poor on the rich breeds exploitation, there is a need to identify these points of exploitation and plug them. Steps like grain banks or grain golas, well spread public distribution system, consumption loans (working capital loans), loans to meet the credit need for social functions, are important in this context. It was felt that unless this exploitative dependence is attacked upon, other anti-poverty programmes will give only limited success.

(6) In this context, suggestions regarding social security also was made. It was suggested

that social insurance should be provided to the poor in the case of old age, disability, widowhood, etc. Massive expansion of such pensions and insurances is needed to help the poor in the lowest strata.

(7) Other suggestions made in this con text were enforcement of the minimum wages of land reforms. etc.,

Integration in Rural Development Programmes: How to bring it about

It was felt that the lack of integration between rural development planning and anti -poverty programmes, as well as among various anti-poverty programmes themselves is a serious problem as it has created a good amount of confusion in our planning. How to bring about this coordination? Diverse suggestions were offered.

(1) Three kinds of alternative models were recommended for bringing about coordination at the district level. These models were as follows:

(a) The Zilla Parishad should be the ape body for the overall planning at the district level. It should be assisted by a District Planning Board (DPB), which should be an advisory expert body with a planning cell. The plan should be prepared by the DPB and sent to the Zilla Parishad for review and authentication. In this model all the rural development activities pertaining to the district should be covered under the purview of the district body.

(b) For the states where the Zilla Parishads are not in existence the alternative is to set up

a District Planning Council at the district level. The Collector should be the Chairman of the Council (and should be redesignated as District Development and administrative Commission) and be given a higher status and he should coordinate all the developmental activities mentioned in the first alternative. In order to reduce the other burden of the Collector, a senior Deputy Commissioner or a junior Deputy Commissioner should be appointed to perform the routine tasks as well as protocol, etc.

(c) The third alternative model was to create a corporate structure at the district level with the mayor as its statutory head. The Mayor's tenure should be one year and elections should be held every year for the post. In this model standing committees should do the planning and coordination work. The advantage of this model is that it does not create a vested interest of power at the district level.

(2) It was felt that as the members of schemes and programmes are very large, the problem of coordination is going to be a highly complex problem. It is, therefore, necessary to scrap a large number of schemes and programmes to minimize the task of coordination.

(3) A suggestion was made that the planning function for the district level should be done on the basis of a set of objective norms. It was suggested that as the intervention of politicians prevails at the state as well as at the district level, and as bureaucrats who are not objective in their planning decisions, planning should be strictly done by a well prepared formula which is prepared by experts and finalised only after the discussions in the state legislative assembly. Planning at all the levels - district, block and village-should be done strictly on the basis of such a formula. If small money is left with local authorities, it should be used for filling infrastructural and other gaps.

(4) A view was also expressed by some that here is not much need for coordination among

various agencies as there are limits to coordination and as there are limits to what bureaucracy can do. It was felt that sectoral freedom is needed to carry out sectoral planning efficiently. In this context two suggestions were made: One suggestion was to develop an anchor of powerful economic activity at the district or block level around which other activities can be developed. Considering the fact that the pressure on the administrative system is too much, there is a need to redu ce the pressure by developing anchor activities outside the government. These activities could be relating to the farm -industry linkages. The township model as suggested by Gadgil, the amul dairy model with a core activity at the centre, or the sugar cooperative model (which is more compact) are the different models developed in this context. It was felt that the anchor activity will improve the farm-industry linkages and reduce the problems of integration in the government to a considerable extent. The other suggestion made was of developing 8 to 9 core rural development programmes. This pluralistic core approach would minimise the need of coordination and at the same time improve the sectoral efficiency of planning.

(5) As regards integration of planning ef forts at the centre some felt that there was a need to integrate the inter -departmental coordination at the centre. As charity should begin at home, the central government should first take steps to improve the level of coordination among its various functionary.

(6) Also, a need was felt for exchange of information and interaction among various state governments. It was felt that the National Development Council should take up this clearing house role effectively.

Decentralisation of Planning

(1) It was felt by all that there is a concentration (over centralisation) of power and planning at the centre. As this affects the strength of planning at lower levels, it is necessary to decentralise this power and to involve districts (and lower bodies) in deci sion making. A feeling was expressed that decentralisation is perhaps not acceptable to politicians and bureaucrats as it implies sharing of power. But considering its necessity, there is a need to take a bold step to distribute the power of decision making at lower levels also.

(2) Decentralisation of planning at the district and below the district implies setting up a multi-level framework that covers all the levels. These levels should be the district, the block, the sub block (cluster of villages ) and the village level (sub blocks could be formed on the basis of agro climatic conditions). Decentralisation will be effective only if planning is done at all the levels, and financial and other powers are shared by all the levels.

(3) It was suggested, how ever, that there are a few pre -conditions for undertaking this kind of decentralisation: (a) there should be only one planning agency at each level, (b) the professional and technical staff should be appointed at each level, and (c) senior cadre officers are appointed at the district and block levels so that the level of efficiency improves and decentralisation really take place.

(4) A view was expressed by some that the credit plans prepared by banks are not very useful for planning purposes at the distric t level and lower levels as these plans are more like collection of schemes and less like plans, banks' involvement or cooperation in preparing micro level plans was emphasised in this context.

(5) Decentralisation at the district level implied that the total schemes implemented in rural areas should be divided into state sector schemes and district sector schemes in a clear fashion. It was suggested that this decision of the schemes between the state and district sectors should be done with the help of the criteria determined by the

Asoka Mehta Committee for dividing the schemes into the central and state schemes.

Panchayati Raj Institutions

Considering the variety of experiences of the states regarding panchayati raj institutions, it was felt that no unifor m set of recommendations can be made in this respect. Some states (a few) did not have panchayati raj institutions, and some others did not have happy experiences with them. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, for example, the panchayati raj set -up is there and it appears to be functioning well as the panchayats are helping agricultural and related development. However there the panchayats do not represent the interests of the poor and, therefore, should not be involved in the planning and implementation of develop ment programmes in a direct fashion. On the other hand, a few states do have representative panchayats and they are in a position to undertake development activities for the poor. These panchayats should be involved in district and lower level planning in these states.

It is, however, not desirable to keep the elected bodies out of the planning process altogether even in the states where panchayats are not doing well. It was suggested that in these states plans should be prepared by experts on the basis of objective norms and it should be put to the panchayats for their consideration. They should be allowed to make modifications if they could justify them.

Administrative and Organisational changes

Administrative improvement cannot be brought about merely by increasing the strength of the staff, but it will come only if the staff is prepared to undertake programmes to fulfil the social objectives of plans. Improvement in the quality and the morale of the staff is essential in this context.

(1) Some suggestion s were made to improve the performance of the staff in anti -poverty programmes; the first suggestion was regarding better follow -up and better monitoring of the programmes. Poverty cannot be removed by one shot efforts, continuous follow-up also is necessary. The second suggestion was regarding development journalism. It was felt that this kind of journalism can improve the monitoring from outside the government.

(2) When the districts are too big, as many times they are, on DRDA is not in a positio n to cover it. It was, therefore, suggested that there should be one DRDA per 10 blocks, and the population covered by it should be about 1.00 to 1.25 M.

(3) There is an urgent need to strengthen the staff of development administration at all levels in terms of quality as well as in terms of number. It was suggested that as VLWs at present are over-burdened, their number (both territorial and functional VLWs) should be fixed regarding their number with respect to the population covered by them. Women should also be properly represented in the total strength of VLWs.

(4) There is a need to improve the professional expertise, including planning expertise of development administration. It was suggested that number of extension officers in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, industries, irrigation, energy, etc. should be raised and the strength of junior engineers should also improve. It should be seen that the professionals sent to rural development departments are really competent and are not transferred to these departments as a punishment.

(5) There is a need to improve the quality and status of the Block Development Officer.

It was felt that as their function is very important, they should be given better status as well as better training.

(6) In this context , a suggestion was made that the involvement of professionals from outside the government should be allowed as enough expertise is not always available with the government.

(7) In order to improve the performance of the staff it is necessary to avoid frequent transfers. An officer should be allowed to remain in an office at least for a few years (norms should be fixed about this) so that he is able to produce some results. It should be noted that all these changes do not necessarily mean a big increase in the staff. Sometimes it may mean cutting down the staff also.

(8) To improve the performance of the development administration, it was felt that there was a need to improve the data -base at the district level. A view was expressed that it was possible to generate enough data through some efforts even today. However, some others felt that there were some important gaps in the available data which needed to be filled in. These gaps were identified as the data regarding details of water table and water potential, unemployment and poverty, and inflows and out -flows of human beings (migration) and of commodities are not available. In this context, it was suggested that there was a need to redesign the NSS sampling so as to make the data on unemployment and poverty available at the district level. The need for improving the accuracy of data was also pointed out by some.

GROUP II

Reference: Role and the functions of Panchayati Raj Bodies and their relationship with the administrative set-up

Chairman : Prof. M.L. Dantawala

Members

1. Shri Nirmal K. Mukherjee 11. Shri N.B. Ramasingh 2. Prof. G. Ram Reddy 12. Shri C. Ramaswamy 3. Shri P.O. Puranik 13. Dr. C. V. Raghavulu 4. Shri Sahadevbhai Chaudhary 14. Dr. Hosiar Singh 5. Shri M. I. Patel 15. Dr. S.K. Mishra 6. Prof. Kuldeep Mathur 16. Shri S.N. Jatar 7. Shri B.C. Sarkar 17. Shri G.R. P. Reddy 8. Shri Mahendra Mehta 18. Dr. R.N. Tripathy 9. Shri Rameshchandra Kanade 19. Dr. U.V.N. Charyulu 10. Shri Birendra Singh 20. Dr. B. Sudhakar Rao

The present administrative arrangements for rural development and poverty alleviation programmes are unsatisfactory not only because there are too many schemes, each with its own set-up, but also because all of these stand apart from other development activities of the so called line departments. It is necessary to think in terms of district development as a whole, embracing all development activities in a district plan or non -plan, rural or urban. Rural development and poverty alleviation programmes would then become components, important ones no doubt, of a single District Development Plan. It is for district development in this total sense that appropriate administrative arrangements have to be

devised.

Following the recommendation of the Balawantrai Mehta Committee there was a general agreement that the panchayati raj system with its three tiers offered the most appropriate pattern for the purpose of decentralisation in political and administrative authority.

Quite a few state governments adopted the panchayati raj system with minor variations. But only two or thre e states achieved a degree of success in the process of decentralisation both in planning and administration. Gradually, however many states abandoned the system and those which still adhered to the idea of decentralisation deflated the importance of the panchayati raj organisation and substituted it with bodies having representation of state leadership and the district level bureaucracy.

The decline in the status and authority in the panchayati raj system was attributed to reluctance of the political leade rship at state level to share power with district leadership. The latter was viewed as a rival focus of power which would compete with the former in future elections. It was also mentioned that the district bureaucracy was also not reconciled to serve under the control and direction of the Zilla Parishad leadership.

Of late, there appears to be a revival of the idea of decentralisation. This is probably a consequence of the experience gained from a large number of rural development and poverty alleviation programmes.

But the return to decentralisation has not meant revival of the system of panchayati raj.

Some of the states like Maharashtra and Gujarat which had experimented, somewhat successfully, with the panchayati raj system, subsequently opted for a Di strict Development Agency or DRDA with a mixture of state political leadership. A somewhat weak representation of the panchayati raj, have not reverted to a full fledged acceptance of the panchayati raj as the appropriate agency for rural development and poverty alleviation.

Only two states, Karnataka and West Bengal, appear to have put their full faith in devolution of planning authority on the panchayati raj system. A study of what has been put through in West Bengal since 1978 and what is intended in the Karnataka Bill, expected to receive the President's assent in the near future, reveals the following basis features:

(1) In both states, the first point of decentralisation below the state is the district. This accords with the Asoka Mehta Committee's recommendation.

(2) In both states, the Zilla Parishads are based on direct elections, in Karnataka wholly so, in West Bengal dominantly so.

(3) In both states, the chairman of the Zilla Parishads are from amongst the directly elected members.

(4) In Karnataka, it is intende d that DRDAs will cease to exist and their function merged with the Zilla Parishads. So will be the functions of district planning bodies. Also district heads of line departments will come squarely under the Zilla Parishad. Each Zilla Parishad will have a chief secretary, giving it the flavour of a district government. Horizontal coordination will be the responsibility of the Zilla Parishads.

(5) In West Bengal, the district magistrate is also the chief executive officer of the Zilla Parishad. The chairman of the Zilla Parishad is chairman of the district planning committee, as also of the DRDA. Horizontal coordination in this case is sought to be achieved by the key role allotted to the chairman Zilla Parishad.

(6) In Karnataka, there will eve ntually be only one-tier below the district, namely the mandal

panchayat In West Bengal, there are two tiers: the panchayat samitis at the block level and the gram panchayats.

The working group was of the view that decentralised planning bodies (zilla pari shads) should have enough freedom to plan according to their perception of local development potential as well as constraints. There are two other parameters within which they will have to work. These are-

(1) In an unequal society, sharply divided in terms of access to assets/skills, direct election will be greatly influenced by money power and we may get a so called representative leadership with doubtful commitment to poverty alleviation and elimination of exploitation of the poor. Under such a sit uation, some instruments/arrangements may be necessary to safeguard and protect the interest of the poor.

(2) An autonomous planning body (like the Zilla Parishad)_ may be tempted to prepare plans much beyond the availability of financial resources which are mostly derived from 'outside' sources, i.e. not raised through their own efforts. Such extravagant demands when not satisfied would provide a cause for conflict. Likewise, such a planning body may not like to adhere to certain accepted rational priorit ies. If a large number of district planning bodies ignore these priorities, the cumulative state plan may turn out to be highly divergent from the one which is in the interest of the state as a whole. Hence, such of the autonomous district planning bodies will have to work within the broad sectoral allocations determined at the state level.

The Group felt that if the authority to plan and implement the rural development and poverty alleviation programmes is vested in the zilla prishad, it should logically follow that the administrative machinery concerned with these programmes should function under the control of the zilla parishad. However, such a transfer of the administrative personnel to the zilla parishad would bisect the line departments (Agriculture, Irrigation, Foresty,....etc.) in two parts- one above the district and one below, this will result in isolation of the district administrators below district level and not only affect their career prospects but over a period, result in loss of profession al competence due to lack of continuous professional contact. To overcome this difficulty, the transferred staff should come under the Zilla Parishad for operational purposes, its career planning and professional competence should be looked after by the respective departmental hierarchies.

The Group further felt that, with the zilla parishad being entrusted with the responsibility of planning and implementation of district developmental activities, it will be necessary to ensure the durability of the zilla parishad as an institution. While legislation in regard to zilla parishad, and indeed panchayati raj institutions as a whole, will vary from state to state, there should be a constitutional provision requiring direct elections to Zilla Parishads being held regularly under the supervision of the Elections Commission.

The Group considered certain tentative suggestions arising out of the enlarged role visualised for zilla parishads, which the High- level Committee may like to examine further: These are-

(1) Each state should have an inter -district council, analogous to the inter -state council contemplated in article 263 of the Constitution, which should serve as a forum for discussion of interdistrict as well as state -district problems and for evol ving state-wide consensus on basic policies and priorities, especially in respect of the problems of the poor and of the weaker sections generally.

(2) Each district should have an ombudsman to whom individual citizens, or groups of

them, can go for redress of grievances arising out of alleged maladministration by the zilla parishad. A provision for this should be included in the panchayati raj legislation of each state. The possibility of the collector being empowered as ombudsman, where he is not a functionary of the Zilla Parishad (as in West Bengal), could be explored.

(3) Panchayati Raj Institutions below the level of Zilla Parishads will be different in different states, the inter -face between these and development staff below the level of district hea ds will need to be worked out state by state, keeping in mind the principle of accountability to the people's representatives.

GROUP III

Reference: Suggesting arrangements that would best ensure en effective participatory role for members of the target gr oups, an appropriate relationship between them and the organisational set- up.

Chairman : Dr. P.R. Dubhashi

Members

1. Dr. G. Rajal Rao 2. Shri C. Mohan Ram 3. Shri R. Rajamani 4. Dr. K. Hanumantha Rao 5. Shri R. M. Shah 6. Shri K. K. Mathur 7. Mrs. M. Shakuntala Rai 8. Shri S. R. Bajpai 9. Shri A. Seshachary 10. Shri K. A. Bhat

11. Shri S. Mohana Krishna 12. Shri R. Koteswara Rao 13. Shri H. K. Bansal 14. Shri A. S. Puntambekar 15. Shri R. C. Mishra 16. Prof. D. Ravindra Prasad 17. Dr. P. T. George 18. Dr. R. N. Tripathy 19. Shri M. A. Qayum

Identification of the needs of the poor. It is necessary for the banking institutions to

take note of the credit requirements of the rural poor. Often these cannot he dealt with properly with the traditional rules and procedures of lending; consequently the poor are forced to resort to the moneylender, though he charges much higher rate of interest, but nevertheless has the merit of accessibility and ability to meet their immediate needs of the rural poor including purely consumption requirement. The lending to the poor must be loo ked at from the point of view of the poor themselves rather than from the bank's point of view. It may not be possible for the poor to make a transition from below the poverty line to a situation above the poverty line, merely by a single loan from a lendi ng institution. It is necessary to carefully examine the stages through which, over a period of time, the poor can make such a transition and suitable strategies should be worked out to facilitate such a transition for the purpose. Mere traditional and rou tine approach and routine implementation of the IRDP would not do. It is necessary to examine the conditions under which the poor live and work. The Group considered whether the model of new kinds of banks exclusively for the poor, as in Bangladesh, could be adopted in the country. The Group did not come to any definite conclusions on this, but was definite that new innovative approaches departing from the traditional approaches of the past will be necessary. For example the banks may adopt the kinds of approaches that are adopted by the non-institutional sector of money lending.

Procedure of lending. It is in this context of what is stated above that the group would make following suggestions regarding the procedures of lending:

a) One time lending to acquire an asset and the recovery of that loan may not help raising the people above the poverty line. Continued refinancing over a period of time is

necessary.

b) Lending should be on a group basis rather than on an individual basis. Lending may be done to a coopera tive of the poor engaged in some kind of productive activity.

c) Lending should be supported by provision of backward and forward linkages which would make lending productive.

d) Along with the loan, the poor should be provided help by way of infrastructural support which would provide a measure of economic security for the poor.

Utilisation loan. (a) At the time of advancing the loan itself, support services that are required for its proper utilisation should be provided. (b) There should not be delay in giving loans after identification. The procedure of releasing subsidy loan should also be linked with the introduction of the scheme under which lending is made. (c) Monitoring should not be confined merely to the disbursement of loan. The progress made in the utilisation of the loan and its impact in terms of improving the earning capacity of the loanees should also be regularly monitored.

Recovery of loan. The procedure for recovery of loan should be according to the potential

earning capacity of the beneficia ry. A direct nexus between the borrower and the bank should be established so that the banks are able to keep in contact with the beneficiaries so necessary to ensure recovery. Often recovery process is hindered by political climate created by the vested interests which gives a wrong impression that the loans need not be repaid.

Organisation of the banks. (a) There is a need for organising the branches of the banks in the remote places so that they are accessible to the poor. Adequate number of branches sho uld be established at the block level. At the same time care will have to be taken to see that there is no overlapping. There is need to avoid duplication; where in a village more than one banks are set up for the same purpose, there may be problems of coo rdination between the various financial institutions, (b) In the absence of adequate number of bank branches mobile banks may be introduced, (c) The single window system is recommended as it will be helpful to the beneficiaries, (d) There is need for a coo rdinated functioning of various branches of different banks. The lead banks are not able to undertake regular review and coordination of various branches of the banks. Hence, in each district NABARD should establish its agency which should coordinate and supervise the activities of the various commercial banks.

Staffing. There is a real problem of inadequacy of staff with sufficient knowledge and interest in the work of lending under the anti-poverty programmes. Suitable career placement policy should be evolved by the banks so that the bank personnel are placed in remote rural areas in the early years of their career when they do not have much family responsibility. There is need for effective attitudinal change in the bank staff; proper training for develo ping suitable outlook is required.

A serious problem is that of corruption in the banks while advising loans to the poor; suitable vigilance machinery should be set up for preventing and checking corruption. There should be supervisory officers in the bank s who can keep a watch on lending to the poorer sections.

Coordination between banks and development administration. (a) At all stages from

that of identification to the financing of loan, its proper utilisation, provision of infrastructure support, and backward and forward linkages, the repayment of loan and continued cycle of advancement and repayment, there should be close and continuous coordination between the rural development administration and banking institutions, (b) Suitable procedure should be

evolved to eliminate conflict between the DRDA and banking institutions, for example while banks do credit planning following Calendar year, DRDAs do it for the financial year which makes the coordinated approaches difficult, (c) Block machinery needs to be strengthened so as to provide the pre -credit service functions as well as functions which are associated with the proper utilisation and provision of supporting services, (d) There should be backward and forward linkages to credit planning by the banking institutions, (e) Different procedures should be evolved for coordination and monitoring. Responsibilities should be fixed on the officials of government agencies and banking organisations. (f) The Consultative Committees exist at present where both the officials of development administration and banking institutions are represented. The working of the Consultative Committees at the block and district levels should be streamlined and strengthened.

Cooperatives. Cooperatives provide an integrated mechanism covering all stages of agriculture including credit, supply of inputs, marketing, processing, etc. They also provide mechanism for organising the rural labour. The potential of cooperative system particularly functional cooperatives like milk and the agricultural produces marketing is considerable.

For better functioning of the cooperatives, the following steps may have to be taken: (a) There should be an earmarked representation of the poor on the governing bodies of cooperatives, (b) There should be arrangements to ensure that the services of the cooperatives are accessible to the poor, (c) There is excessive politicisation of the cooperatives. Cooperatives should be developed as purely economic institutions helping the poor, (d) The domination of the vest ed interests must be eliminated, (e) The complicated procedures which make it difficult for the poor to use services of cooperatives should also be simplified, (f) The arbitrary winding up of the cooperatives which recently is seen in some parts of the country should also be discontinued.

Organisation of the poor. The poor should be organised as members of formal institutions like cooperatives as well as members of informal groups. The poor may not be organised as a whole, but in terms of specific functiona l activities. Mechanisms for organising the poor should be studied. The process of creating awareness amongst them is the beginning. It will be done through village meetings. The motivated functionaries in the government organisations and banks can create awareness amongst the rural poor. Something of the old approach of the Community Development emphasising the process of participation should be revived. Suitable voluntary organisations can also play a significant role in organising the rural poor. The development administration can identify and support the voluntary organisations in this work.

GROUP IV

Referene : Role of voluntary agencies and the organisation of the rural poor.

Chairman : Shri S. S. Chakraborthy

Members

1. Shri B. D. Sharma 11. Shri Anil C. Shah 2. Shri A. Kaushal 12. Shri Bunker Roy 3. Dr. Rajammal P. Devdas 13. Dr. B. K. Sarkar 4. Dr. (Mrs.) Sarasamma Raj 14. Shri Lalit Mathur 5. Shri J. B. Singh 15. Shri R. Koteswar Rao 6. Shri A. P. Ferna; .dez 16. Shri Tushar Shah 7. Shri Sharad Kulkarni 17. Shri P. V. Prabhu 8. Shri B. Rudramoorthy 18. Dr. K. C. Alexander

9. Prof. G. Haragopal 19. Dr. U. V. N. Chaiyulu 10. Dr. D. R. Prasad

The main problem of the failure of poverty alleviation programmes is due to lack of organising the rural poor.

Hence, there is a need for org anising the rural poor to create a counterveiling force against exploitation and to enable them to reap the benefits from the developmental programmes. It is recognised that voluntary agencies can mobilies rural people and effectively organise the beneficiaries and rural poor who could be aware of their duties, responsibilities and the advantage of the programmes. It was also pointed out that the dissemination of information to the beneficiaries and even to the voluntary organisations is far from satisfacto ry at present. Government orders, government circulars, resolutions relating to rural development programmes are not disseminated to the voluntary agencies as well as to the beneficiaries/people.

There is greater need to create a system in which there shou ld be a free and continuous flow of information to all the voluntary agencies and the people who are involved in the anti-poverty alleviation programmes. There should also be a continuous research, monitoring and evaluation of these programmes taken up by the voluntary organisations. There should be an Advisory Cell at the Planning Commission, state and district levels which will guide and advice the agencies on various aspects of rural development. The voluntary organisations should be adequately represented in these Advisory Cells at various levels.

While discussing a model for voluntary organisations, the group considered that a clear distinction between non -governmental organisations (NGOs) and voluntary agencies should be drawn. Trade Unions, Cooperativ es, Khadi institutions fall in the category of NGOs. Even amongst voluntary agencies there are two broad groups viz, voluntary agencies engaged in social service and voluntary agencies engaged in developmental programmes. Voluntary agencies for rural development with focus on alleviation of poverty should satisfy the following criteria:

(i) It must be registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or equivalent state laws;

(ii) It must be based in a rural area;

(iii) It must have worked for at least 3 years before it becomes eligible for government assistance;

(iv) It must have professional and managerial expertise to carry out relevant programmes of development;

(v) It must believe in non-violent and legal methods;

(vi) The office bearers of voluntary organisation should not hold any office elected or otherwise of any political party;

(vii) It should be secular;

(viii) It must not work for profit;

(ix) It should work towards comprehensive rural development with focus on anti-poverty programmes in the rural areas.

Preparation. The group noted that in the 7th Plan period there is a positive move

towards involving voluntary agencies in the planning and implementation process. In the Approach Paper to the 7th Plan mention was made th at (i) there is a need to organise the beneficiaries (the rural poor) to ensure that schemes, benefits and subsidies reach them through the delivery system (in other words see that a 'dole' becomes a right) and (ii) voluntary organisations must be involved to serve as the eyes and ears of the people. There are indications that the government is serious about involving voluntary agencies.

Funds. The Group considered in detail the question of financing the voluntary sector. There are two facets of this proble m namely, (i) recognising a voluntary agency working in the field of rural development and (ii) actual disbursement of funds for specific programmes. In relation to the first point there were two views expressed. One view was that the recognition of a volu ntary agency should be done by a committee of voluntary organisations themselves which should be accessible to the government. The other view was that the present system where the government recognises the voluntary agencies may continue. In relation to the question of funding again there were two views. One view was that the funding agency should be away from the scene of action. In particular, it was suggested that the Planning Commission or the Central Government may directly fund the voluntary agencies. The other view was that the funding for voluntary organisations should be a part of the district planning itself and the funds for this purpose should flow from the district level. This will be in consonance with the general approach of decentralisation where a third tier for effective planning and implementation of developmental programmes is being envisaged.

Administrative arrangements. This makes it all the more timely to start thinking in terms of a voluntary agency model which could be tried out with the support of the Planning Commission in selected areas of the country where such voluntary agencies exist. There is a need to try out new models/alternative approaches and new systems of reaching the rural poor and seeing that benefits actually reach them at lesser cost.

The model being suggested must necessarily be different from government models but at

the same time it must also contain elements that are acceptable to all types of voluntary agencies with different ideologies. The voluntary agency model (VAM) and its terms of reference must take the following elements into account:

(i) The area of operation of a VAM dedicated to comprehensive rural development should confine itself to a block and smaller units. However, these voluntary agencies which may take up specific programmes for implementation may have larger jurisdiction.

(ii) The emphasis of VAM should be on human resource development leading to comprehensive development of Village.

(iii) A programme of human resourced development cannot be target- oriented and the pace of development should be worked out by the voluntary agency keeping in view the local village conditions, etc. within the overall frame of the district plan.

(iv) The state delivery system is tending to be highly expensive. The VAM should evolve less expensive models.

(v) The VAM should follow an integrated approach with emphasis on skills, attitudes and resource base of the people.

(vi) There must be built -in feedback system which allows for free flow of information from the village to the voluntary agency and the bureaucracy and percolation of information to the village level.

(vii) By far, the most crucial element in VAM will be the importance given to community accountability. If the service of a village functionary is not satisfactory for reasons of incompetence, inefficiency or expensive in human terms, the community may ask the voluntary agency to withdraw that functionary or to dispense with the services of the voluntary agency itself.

(viii) There should be forums at the block level for regular discussion of field and

administrative problems between the beneficiaries, the voluntary agency and the district level staff.

What will this model achieve? (1) When the voluntary agencies as envisaged above are established, they can be expected to provide organisational support and focal point for the poorer sections of the community. In case of any problems within competency of the agency or otherwise the people can approach them for help and guidance particularly in crisis situations.

(2) They will enable the people to become self -reliant using the local resources, improving their own skills help in organizing themselves for taking up the more difficult tasks.

(3) The voluntary agency, in due course, can provide an altern ative system for making various social and other extension services available to the people otherwise provided by the established government agencies and other organisations.

(4) The voluntary agencies will provide a forum where the beneficiaries will get necessary training and orientation for upgrading their skills and resolving their problems and taking benefits of various developmental programmes.

(5) The final goal of rural development programme is to enable the community become self-reliant and manage all their day-to-day affairs in the spirit of the Gram Swaraj. At the moment, the entire responsibility for administration as well as development is that of the state which discharges through a long hierarchy extending to the village le vel. This structure is to expensive and non-viable particularly for anti -poverty programmes and the field level responsibilities must be assumed by the community itself. A cutting -off point, therefore, has to be visualised at which level the institutional support of the state should be available yet the functioning should be left to the people themselves. This is possible only in face to face situations in a village or a group of villages. The voluntary agencies as envisaged by the group can become the catalytic agents for bringing about the transformation and enabling the community to acquire needed capabilities and resources for achieving this. In due course, as the community becomes self -reliant, even the need for voluntary organisation should disappear and the role of the voluntary agency should be internalised by the community.

L.M. SINGHVI COMMITTEE REPORT

Integrated Vision of Democracy

Ascent and Ennui of Panchayati Raj Momentum

Causes of Decline

An Approach to Conceptualisation

Need for Constitutional Protection

Party Politics and Panchayati Raj

Nyaya Panchayats

A Plea for Integrated Administrative Structures

L.M. Singhvi Committee 1986

The concept of panchayats was a part of the philosophy of 'Purna Swaraj' and 'Gram Swaraj"1. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru breathed into those concepts and inexorable and practical patriotic impetus during the era of India n struggle for independence. Indeed, at the seed time of our Constitution, the concept of village panchayats was not a remote and hoary historical concept. It was a part of the legacy of India's struggle for freedom and its quest for its own traditions and identity.

The Constitution of India was enacted, adopted and pro claimed in the name of the people of

India as an organic docu ment of democratic self -government and rule of law, enshrines for democratic faith and resolve of the resurgent people of India committed to the philosophy of "Swaraj" not only in the sense of emancipation from the colonial yoke of an alien imperial power but in the sense of self -government and the protection of the fundamental rights and dignity of the individual as a way of life and social habit. The fabric of our constitutional philosophy is woven with the warp and woof of democracy and rule of law.

The Constitution of India provides for republican democracy at the national level in the form of

its bicameral Parliament and by making the Council of Ministers collectively responsible to the House of the People. The same basic pattern of parliamentary institutions is replicated at the level of States which form the Union of India. In the quasifederal framework of India's Parliamentary democracy, the creation of Panchayati Raj institutions and their organisation was, however, left to a general directive embodied in Article 40 of the Constitution in the following terms:

Organisation of Village Panchayats—The State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government".

Article 40 came to be discussed and inserted somewhat belatedly on 22nd November, 1948 as Article 31 (A) in the Draft Constitution of India and now renumbered as Article 40 in the Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. It is significant to recall that at one point of time, the omission of village pan chayats from the draft constitution was sought to be jus tified on the ground that the village communities in India which had survived through many vicissitudes were not fit to be units of self-government. On that issue, there was considerable furore and ferment among Members of the Constituent Assembly. A modus vivendi was then worked out behind the scences. As a result, Shri K. Santhanam's amendment which eventually became article 40 of the Constitution came to be accepted in a somewhat reticent and quiescent manner. No controversial statements were made. The debate in the Constituent Assembly on this provision occupies less than eight pages and does not fully reflect the range of conflict out of which the accord was fashioned. Earlier, Dr. Rajendra Prasad has also expressed the view somewhat wistfully that the Constituent Assembly should have attempted to adopt village republics as the basis of the Constitution. The Constitutional Adviser, Shri Senegal Narsaing Rau, while sympathising with the idea, has pointed out that it was too late to make an attempt to chan ge the basis of the Constitution, the preparation of which had already progressed considerably. As Shri T. Prakasam implied during the debate in the Constituent Assembly Shri K. Santhanam's amendment was belated but welcome attempt to salvage the Constitution from the fundamental standpoint of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of grass -root

democracy. In the speeches made in the Consti tuent Assembly, there were echoes of the Gandhian concept of village self -government and eloquent references to India's ancient republican and democratic traditions.

Clearly, the inclusion of Article 40 as a Directive Principle of State Policy did not more than

accommodate a conceptual viewpoint. It did not enact it in a mandatory and constitutive form as an integral and operating part of the constitution. Article 40, however, does contain in it the seeds of a constitutional mandate and unequivocally projects the concept of village pan chayats as units of self-government and requires that they should be endowed with all necessary po wers and authority to enable them to function as units of self-government.

The true potential of Article 40 lies not merely in its direc tive to the Indian State at all levels as

a part of constitutionally formulated principle of State Policy to organise village panchayats but in its significant concomitant mandate that pancha yats should be endowed with "such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self -government". The message of that mandate is clear and clarion. It means that the task and the tryst of the founding fathers of the Constitution would remain incomplete unless village pan chayats begin to function as units of self-government as a part of our democratic policy. An attempt to conceptualise the frame work of panchayat institutions is to take its inspiration from the constitutional mandate to complete that unfinished task. The teleogical emphasis of that constitutional mandate is structural, operational and functional with its implicit ramifications for our democracy and development, for freedom and welfare, and for justice, liberty, equality, individual dignity, national unity and Indian people's fraternity as integrally correlated concepts.

Integrated vision of democracy

The national parliament and the Centr al Government, the State Legislatures and the State Governments and the whole pyramid of our judicial system are important to the working of democracy and the maintenance of the rule of law. In their own respective spheres, these legislative executive and judicial institutions provide an important infrastructure. To the common Indian villager, however, they do not represent a preoccupying part of his daily life. The revolution in communication technology does often enough lift and transport him audio-visually to the ambiance of these institutions but he cannot quite relate to them in terms of his daily needs and everyday concerns. Self-government may mean to him only the spectacular occasion when he exercises his franchise; but his participation in the electoral process for the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha cannot give him a sense of full and meaningful participation in the democratic process. He is unable to feel great power and even the greater responsibility of being a citizen in the demo cratic republic that is India. There are gaps and anomalies in the democratic experience of the Indian citizen, particularly in the countryside. Panchayati Raj institutions in our rural areas and municipal bodies in our urban areas represent, first and foremost, the poss ibility of a truly dependable and durable institutional assurance for overcoming those distances and gaps. Without local units of self -government, we cannot hope to establish a viable and vibrant democracy. It is in this perspec tive that rural and urban development are, in effect, two sides of the same coin and are parts of a composits continuum of what may be called democratic urbanisation. Self -government necessarily subsumes and supplements developments in all its ramifications in rural as well as urban contexts. It is with an integrated vision that they have to be reviewed, restructured, reclaimed, renewed and revitalised.

The experience of local self-government in the urban areas and in the districts in different parts

of India during the period of Br itish rule was uneven. It is true that certain ground rules of municipal self -government were evolved in the cities and towns during that period. Some of the municipal bodies acquit ted themselves so creditably that they become examples of civic self -

government at its best. There were, however, other municipalities which appeared to be insufficiently imbued with the philosophy of local self -government. The District Councils were primarily administrative structures and did not quite come into their own. One of the obvious reasons was that the country was dominated by colonial administration and its pre -emptive imperatives. In the countryside, panchayats were quite often caste institutions with a pivotal social role but they did not function as institutions of State and instruments of self-government and social change.

The constitutional vision of republican self -government at the village level enshrined in

Article 40 came to be unfolded a few years after the commencement of our Constitution when it became increasingly self-evident that community development and socio-economic transformation could not be achieved with out democratic participation. This compelling and inescapable realisation of the limitations of the bureaucratic models led to an enthusiastic interest in Panchayati Raj institutions which was enlivened by generous impulses.

The Community Development Programme was launched in 1952. The blocks came to be

established as units of develop ment administration. The National Extension Service was established soon thereafter with a view to reinforce the adminis trative network to tackle the problems of growth and develop ment at different local and functional levels. At that stage there was, relatively speaking, only nominal public participation through nominated representatives of the public. Soon, lack of public involvement and participation began to be perceived as an impediment in the successful implementation of the Commu nity Development and National Extension Service Programmes. Based on that perce ption, the Second Plan document recognised the necessity for speeding up the development of democratic institutions and concluded that "unless there is a comprehensive village planning, which takes into account the needs of the entire community, weaker sec tions like tenant -cultivators, land less workers and artisans may not benefit sufficiently from assistance provided by the Government." Referring to the aim of the National Extension Movement to reach every family in the village, the Second Five Year Plan reported that in order to fulfil that aim it was necessary to have "an agency in the village which represents the community as a whole and can assume responsibility and initiative for developing the resources of the village and providing the necessary lead ership. Indeed, rural progress depends entirely on the existence of an active organisa tion in the village which can bring all the people including the weaker sections mentioned above into common programmes to be carried out with the assistance of the administration." The thinking underlying the Second Plan was that village panchayats along with co-operatives could play a considerable part in bringing about a more just and integrated social structure in rural areas. The thrust of the Second Five Year Plan was to establish statutory panchayats in all the villages though more as vehicles for national extension and community development projects and not so much as units of self -government. It was primarily from this angle that the number of panchayats was to be more than doubled by 1960-61.

This Committee is of view that it has been a fundamental error to regard Panchayati Raj

institutions primarily as con venient tools for administrative programmes and development projects. That error had the effect, in greate r or lesser measure, of devaluing and downgrading the role of these institutions as units of self -government and relegating them to a secondary position, harming and hampering both democracy and development.

Ascent and ennui of Panchayati Raj momentum

The Balwantray Mehta Team was appointed in January, 1957 to study and report on the Community Development Projects and National Extension Service with a view to "economy and efficiency" and, among others "for the assessment of the extent to which the movement has succeeded in utilising local initiative and in creating institutions to ensure continuity in the process of improving economic and social conditions in rural areas." Once again the approach was

primarily to achieve economy and efficiency. The Balwantr ay Mehta Team, however, found that "Development cannot progress without responsibility and power. Community Development can be real only when the community understands its problems, realises its responsibilities, exercises the necessary powers through its chosen representat ives and maintains a constant and intelligent vigilance on local administration." It was with this objective that the team recom mended an early establishment of statutory elective local bodies and devolution to them of the necessary reso urces, powers and authority.

The recommendations of the Balwantray Mehta Study Team came as a fresh breeze and gave a

new lease to community development and extension service projects. It paved the way for a new era of Panchayati Raj institutions which wa s inau gurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 2nd October, 1959 at a national rally at Nagaur.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described the new beginning as "the most revolutionary and

historical step in the context of new India." In a sense, it was an act of fa ith in republican democracy and was as important an event as the establishment of the parliamentary system itself for the people of India and by the people of India. The idea rode on the crest of the new wave of public enthusiasm which had found a sense of direction and an institutional habitat. The spirited launching of Panchayati Raj institutions at Nagaur seemed to capture the public imagination. That memorable rally aroused high hopes and great expectations. The idea was not meant to be a mere counsel of convenience or as a design of an auxiliary system of development administration. Indeed, the momentum of that momentous change was lost and the Panchayati Raj institutions began to decline when their status and role as units of self -government were ecli psed by a combination of several factors of decadence and disarray. When the basic premise of Pan chayati Raj institutions as units of self-government was lost, these institutions also lost their capability to fulfil the promise of development.

After the Balwantray Mehta Study Team reported, legisla tion was enacted in different States

except in the State of Meghalaya and Nagaland and UTs of Lakshadweep and Mizo ram. According to the Committee set up by the Planning Commission which reported in December 1985, a three -tier system has been adopted in 12 states and 1 Union Territory, two -tier system exists in 4 states and 2 union territories. Electoral system also differs from state to state. In terms of structures, electoral procedures, powers and functions, there is a considerable variety in the Panchayat institutions adopted by the States. There are, today, more than 2,17,300 village panchayats in the country covering over 96% of about 5.79 lakhs inhabited villages and 92% of the rural population of our country. There are about 4,526 panchayat samitis of different nomenclature at the block, taluka or tehsil level. There are about 330 Zila Parishads covering about 76% of the district in the country; each Zila Parishad has on an average 13 to 14 Panchayati Samitis and about 660 Gram Panchayats.

Though there are variations from state to state, it may be broadly stated that the functions

entrusted to panchayats include village roads, community wells, maintenance of public parks, tanks, irrigation works, public hygiene, drainage and other civil services. In some states, they are also responsible for primary education and are entrusted with functions relating to rural industries, primary health care, medical relief, women and child welfare, maintenance of common grazing grounds and other community lands and properties and provision of inputs of agricultural production. The extent and tempo of the involve ment of Panchayati Raj institutions in basic planning and implementation of development projects is also subject to wide variations from State to State and even within the States. Most Panchayati Raj institutions appear to suffer from grave insufficiency of resources which generally devolve upon them from assignments in the land revenue and water rate, or additional surcharge on cess on land revenue and water rate and various grants by the State Governments in some cases revenue is derived from octroi and assignment of forest

revenue. Some of the Panchayati Raj institutions also derive income from taxes on buildings and non-agricultural lands or from sur -charge on stamp duty on transfer of immovable property. Variable in terms of yield, but not unimportant in the lives of Indians in rural areas, there are local taxes, fees, cesses, tolls, licence fees and other simila r levies, on trades, industries, water supply, sanitation, lighting, markets, bazars and haats, pilgrims, fairs and festivals, exhibitions, entertainment shows, rest houses, bus stands, car stands, camel parking, vehicle parking, animals, cattle ponds, fis h ponds, slaughter houses, ferries bridges, cattle grazing lands and commercial crops. The list of subjects on which levies may be made may not appear to suffer from brevity but the sum total of yields and collections do suffer from chronic paucity particularly in the context of the responsibilities which are or ought to be entrusted to Panchayati Raj institutions and their significant bearing on the quality of life in our rural areas. The network of Panchayati Raj institutions covers the length and breadth of the country today but not in the sense and manner they were meant to. Numerically and quantitatively there are myriads of these institutions dotting the entire land scape of our country. Powers and functions have been conferred on them by legislative enactments. There is, however, a feeling that these institutions have become moribund and that they have been denuded of their promise and vitality. There is a legitimate question mark against these institutions, not because the constitutional promise has been abandoned nor because self-government is no longer an article of faith with us, not because we have lost faith in ourselves; but because we have allowed these institutions to be neglected, because we have failed to nurture them with the inputs and mate rial and human resources necessary for them and because the operational claims and quest of political power have taken a heavy toll on the fundamental concept of self-government and public service.

Causes of decline

Initially democracy and development seem ed to march hand in hand. There was climate of optimism and resurgence, but within a few years of the inauguration of the new era, Pancha yati Raj institutions began to sag, stagnate and decline.

The potential of Panchayati Raj institutions as centres of people's power aroused

apprehensions and a jealous hostility all around. Elected representatives in Parliament and State Legislatures saw with dismay their inevitable dependence on Panchayati Raj functionaries with whom they were not quite willing to share power. There was public apathy and indifference and a perceptible weakening of political will to support these institutions on a priority basis. There was chronic insufficiency of resources at the disposal of these institutions. Most of these institutions had to function in a hand to mouth predicament in a state of perpetual neglect and humiliated impoverishment. The bureaucracy was becoming alienated after the initial phase and had begun to resort to systematic by -passing of these institutions. Programme after programme was launched without involving Panchayati Raj institutions in them. These pro grammes have become close preserves of bureaucracy under mining and frustrating the Panchayati Raj institutions as units of local self -government. Facilities for training were meagre. Research and reform inputs were negligible. Political faction alism and certain public disenchantment with these institu tions weakened them further and these institutions failed to nourish themselves from the reservoir of people's power because Gram Sabha as a basic institution did not become a living and pulsating reality. Corruption began to creep in. What is worse, elections to Panchayati Raj institutions were not held for years together. Elected Sarpanches and Panches and other Pan chayati Raj functionaries were suspended and Panchayati Raj institutional were superseded frequently and indiscriminately.

This is a formidable catalogue of causes. These were and continue to be more than merely

symptomatic maladies or minor ailments. Th ese ailments which have afflicted Panchayati Raj institutions for nearly a quarter of century are primarily the ailments of our body politic. From the very start, it was an onerous struggle for survival for the Panchayati Raj institutions in the face of

hostile and adverse encounter with institutions of established power. Unfortunately, the elected political elite as well as the entrenched bureaucracy saw in the emerging leader ship of Panchayati Raj institutions a competing cadre with whom they were not pa rticularly anxious to socialise or cooperate. The State Governments which were primarily responsi ble for nurturing these institutions began to look askance at them. Not surprisingly, these institutions also suffered from benign neglect at the national le vel, although occasional expres sions of concern were not lacking. These expressions, however, proved to be cries in the wilderness.

This committee is of the view that Panchayati Raj institutions declined because of lack of

conceptual clarity, absence of political will and denial of national priority, lack of continuous process of research, evaluation, feed back and correction at these institutions in a blind alley.

The Committee is of the opinion that the quantitative and geographical expanse of Panchay ati

Raj institutions throughout the country is not necessarily an asset, unless we set about purposefully to change their orientation. These institutions can be turned to good account but there are Augean stables which cannot be cleansed except by turning the waters of the river Alpheas through them. The concept of grassroot democracy for its own sake and the concept of development as an integral part of self -government can be durable inputs of catalysis and chatharsis to make Panchayati Raj institutions fully effective and credible.

An approach to conceptualisation

First and foremost, this committee conceptualises the Panchayati Raj institution as basic units of self -government. The Committee takes the Indian villages and the Gram Sabha as the republican ba se of our democratic nation. The Com mittee considers the Gram Sabha as the embodiment of direct democracy.

The Committee believes that the concept of Panchayati Raj institutions must draw its inspiration

from the quintessential concept of Gram Swaraj. Th at is the explicit mandate and background of Article 40 of the Constitution. The Committee is of the view that the concept of village panchayats as units of self-government is central and integral to the Constitutional mandate and is vital in terms of the living rural reality. The committee is of the view that villages may be reorganised and many of them may in the process be grouped and enlarged in order to make for more viable village panchayats and enlarged villages should continue to be the primary and homogenous units of self-government with a measure of direct democracy.

The Committee is conscious of the fact that demographic size of villages in our country

varies considerably. According to the report of Asoke Mehta Committee, a demographic analysis of our villages show that 26% of them have popula tion below 200, 52.3% has a population of more than 200 but below 1000; 20.5% of our villages have a population ranging from 1000 to 5000; a little less than 1% of our villages have a population of more than 5000 but below 10000 and nearly 2% of our villages have a population of 10000 and above.

The demographic size of the area is no doubt relevant to the effective transfer of technology,

organisation of services in respect of health, education, agricultural and industrial sectors and other welfare activities. Rationalisation of territorial limits and demographic size is a highly desirable goal in the on -going process of democratic self -government, technology transfer and economic development. The Committee recommends village reorganisation in our country on the basis of relevant criteria which should take into account factors of identity, continuity, contiguity, homogeneity, communications and techno -economic, demographic and cultural factors. The Committee feels that there is a case for larger and more viable village units. Ideally, our village panchayats should have a population of five thousand or less but demographic size is only one

of the relevant dimensions. These would be the villages of the future. The task of delimitation of reorganised villages should be performed preferably by a Commission in each State under the mandate of a statute on the basis of clearly enunciated criteria, the application of which would have to be carefully balanced in the light of public representations and popular proclivities. The Committee would, however, caution against the concept of large federal mandal units with numerous hinterland village as basic units of self -government. Even though federated Mandals may appear to be administratively more efficient from a planning point of view, they will be democratically less self-sufficient and less self-reliant.

Striking a balance between techno-economic viability and village identity in an optimum mix of

demographic and geographical size should be a policy goal and practical endeavour keeping in mind that each village must be viewed as unit of self-government. We are of the view that optimisation of economic growth and social justice is bound to follow in the wake of village pa nchayats operating as units of self -government and as cradles of civic culture, social ethos, public -education, poverty alleviation programmes, voluntary citizen action and constructive work. It will require considerable patience but it will pay handsome dividends.

The Panchayati Raj institutions should be organised as a part of the process of democratic

decentralisation for building up the institutional edifice from the grassroots upwards and not as a gift of devolutionary process. The Committee is of th e view that the Panchayati Raj institutions have to be viewed as institutions of self -government which would naturally facilitate the participation of the people in the process of planning and development flowing from and as a part of the concept of self -government. Development planning should be democratic planning. The Committee feels that bureaucratic structures and devolutionary strategies cannot achieve people's participation in a meaningful manner.

The Committee is of the view that the operational dy namics of Panchayati Raj should be

directed to achieve community and social mobilisation, transcending the barriers of caste, religion, sex and disparities of wealth and surmounting social disabilities and disadvantages. The Panchayati Raj institutions should become vehicles for homogenisation, secularisation and socialisation of national ethos. This has to be a conscious process through specific programmes and by an effective utilisation of the media of mass communications.

Need for constitutional protection

The committee envisages and recommends that local self-government should be constitutionally recognised, protected and preserved by the inclusion of a new chapter in the Consti tution. Local self-government and more particularly, Panchayati Raj institu tions, should be constitutionally proclaimed as the third tier of Government. The Committee commends the broad framework and content of the constitutional amendments which were drafted several years ago in 1974 -75 by a committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. L.M. Singhvi and comprising of Shri S.K. Dey (formerly Minister of Community Development) and Shri R.C.S. Sarkar (former Law Secretary and Chairman of Union Public Service Commission) as a starting point. The Committee is of the view that a separate cha pter should be added in the Constitution so as to make the identity and integrity of the Panchayati Raj institutions reasonably and substantially inviolate.

The Committee views with concern the peculiar phenomenon of elections to Panchayati Raj

bodies no t being held for years after the expiry of their statutory terms in most states. The magnitude of delay in holding elections was shocking and staggering in many cases. Without the renewal of their man date, the Panchayati Raj institutions became empty shel ls or mere wirepulling mechanisms. An electoral mandate is evidently the life breath of a democratic institution. To deprive the Panchayati Raj institutions of that life breath was to suffocate and

asphyxiate them. The Committee is of the view that electi ons to Panchayati Raj bodies should be held promptly

at the end of the specified term. A constitutional provision should be made to ensure regular, free and fair elections for Panchayati Raj bodies and the task should be entrusted to the Election Commissio n of India operating through State Commissions or similar appara tus. No Panchayati Raj institution should be allowed to remain superseded for more than six or seven months. These elections should be held on the basis of the electoral rolls which are prepared for the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies.

The Committee feels that in order to avoid apprehensions and charges of political bias or

interference, it would favourably consider recommendation for a Panchayati Raj Judicial Tribunal to be constituted in each State to adjudicate contro versies in relation to elections, suspensions, supersessions, dissolutions and other matters relating to the working of Panchayati Raj institutions and its elected personnel.

The Committee is of the considered view that ways and means should be found to ensure the

availability of adequate financial resources for Panchayati Raj institutions to function effectively. The Committee notes that institutions of local self -government have often been reluctant to raise revenue resources by the exercise of their taxing powers. The Committee views this tendency with concern and hopes that this would be over come progressively. The committee would suggest a pattern of compulsory and optional levies and a list of subjects in respect of which powers to levy taxes and fee may be entrusted to Panchayati Raj institutions with a provision that for a given period, the State Governments shall levy and collect on behalf of Panchayati Raj institutions and shall disburse to them, on the basis of the recommendation of Finance Commission in each State. The Committee also suggests that the Finance Commis sion appointed by the Union Government under the Constitu tion should make an adequate earmarked provision for Panchayati Raj institutions. The commi ttee further recom mends that resources budgeted for various rural development and poverty alleviation programmes should be routed through Panchayati Raj institutions which would as a result gain in authority sand effectiveness.

Party politics and Panchayati Raj

The committee is of the view that it is neither practicable nor desirable to injunct the participation of individuals asso ciated with political parties in Panchayati Raj institutions by law. If a consensus is not reached and if elections are held, it does not decisively change the situation merely to provide by law that no party symbols will be allotted in the elections, so long as parties in fact remain active in the electoral process. Indeed there is something to be said in such a situation to allow the cleansing symbolisis of open electoral competition and contest which is otherwise a part of national politics. The Committee feels that the role of political parties or self-denying self-restraint by political parties in that respect has to be evolved by a consensus among the political parties rather than making it a subject matter of legislative prohibition. Perhaps the issue should be thrashed out by the Prime Minister in the National Development Council and in consultation with lead ers of different political parties. In this respect the Committee awaits responses, from political parties and others so that a pragmatic, workable and consensual recommendations may be made by the Committee. In this respect, the present situation calls for a candid and forthright reappraisal.

Nyaya Panchayats

The Committee is of the view that the institutions of Nyaya Panchayats are a valuable aid to the development of social habits of self-government and rule of law. Nyaya Panchayats should be entrusted with functions of mediation and concilia tion in addition to adjudication. The Committee suggests that there may be a Nyaya Panchayat for a cluster of villages constituted by election or appointed from a special panel to be prepared for the purpose. In addition, each party to the dispute may be permitted to choose a Nyaya Panch from a panel to be presided by a professional judge as in the case of arbitration proceedings. Alternatively they may be elected by a consensus in primary Panchayat units so far as possible. It is suggested that appropriate qualification and training may also be prescri bed and a permanent staff for keeping records and for service of notices or summons should be appointed. In this connec tion, the Committee would like to consider the full implications and ramifications of the recent recommendations of the Law Commission in respect of another variant of local in the form of Gram Nyayalayas.

A plea for integrated administrative structures

The Committee concurs broadly with the recommendations made in the Report of the Committee to Review the Existing Administrative Arrangements for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation Programmes (CAARD) in respect of inte grated administrative structures for planning and development. The Commi ttee considers it appropriate to underline that these administrative structures for planning and development should be dynamic and independent and should at the same time be integrated with institutions of local self -government losing their dynamism and independence.

The principal technical and administrative officers of various specialised departments alongwith

their line formations should be part of the organisational and administrative structure of the Zila Parishad. The District Development Commissione r would be the chief executive officer of Zila Parishad. The District Development Commissioner should be entrusted with the task of assisting in coordinating the planning and imple mentation activities of various departments, agencies and institutions at the district level.

Officers of high calibre, proven competence and sympathy for Panchayati Raj institutions

should be detailed to function as Panchayati Raj officials. The Committee recommends that every official in the administration should be made to work in

Panchayati Raj and rural development setting so as to sensitise our public adminis tration to the problems of rural India.

The Committee emphasises that the administrative structures should not be top -heavy and the

administrative personnel should be made aware of the importance of Panchayati Raj institutions and their accountability to them generally.

The Committee is strongly of the view that substantial training, research and public education

inputs should be pro vided to strengthen the Panchayat i Raj institutions and the performance capabilities of those who are called upon to func tion as voters, elected representatives, administrative officials and voluntary workers in relation to Panchayati Raj institu tions. Voluntary institutions should be given the pride of place in providing these inputs. The Committee feels that this would be the most productive and profitable investment in democratic institution

building. A model legislation within the framework of the proposed new chapter in the Constit ution

should be prepared with sufficient scope for appropriate local adaptations. The Committee recommends the National and State level Local Self -Government institutes,

and Centres for training at the district level, should be established and entrusted with training, evaluation and research responsibilities particularly in relation to Panchayati Raj and urban local institutions. The institutes and centers should also be a clearing house of infor mation relating to local self-government and should monitor and report developments in that field.

The Committee is of the view that the proposed National Institute of Local Self -Government

should, in respect of its research and evaluation functions, utilise universities, research bodies and voluntary organisatio ns such as All India Panchayats Parishad which should have a consultative nexus with it and which would be an invaluable resource for dissemi nation of information as well as for proper motivation.