Analysis of Local Bodies (25 years of Establishment)

Analysis of Local Bodies (25 years of Establishment)

Positives

  • Taking democracy to the grass root level. A perfect manifestation of direct democracy could be seen in Gram Sabha.
  • It also has become a training ground for future leaders.
  • Reservations for Women, SC/ST have made them empowered. In most of the states (20), more than 50% of seats are reserved for female representatives.
  • Panchayat elections have garnered huge political and public interest. This is despite the fact that political parties do not participate in elections at the local levels directly.
  • Local Issues have been resolved more effectively as local administration is better rehearsed with local issues.

Issues

3Fs (Funds/Functions/Functionaries) issue still prevalent-

  • Funds: Local bodies do not have enough avenues to generate finances. The finances which are devolved too are tied with specific schemes, killing any initiatives if taken.
  • Function: Statistics governments have not devolved the specified subjects i.e. 29 and 18 for Gram panchayats and Urban Local Bodies respectively. It could be understood from the saying “Everyone wants decentralization but up to their level”. The unwillingness on the part of state governments to devolve power is mainly to counter any parallel power structure.
  • Functionaries: Local bodies are highly under-staffed. Most of panchayats at the village level and at the intermediate level function without a proper secretariat. Unlike central services and state services, they do not have a dedicated cadre of their own to function/carry out operations, hence they are dependent on district administration.

Constitutional/Statutory Mandate not Followed

  • Statistics Finance Commission, which looks after distribution of taxes between state and local governments, has not been constituted by many states within stipulated time of five years.
  • States as mentioned above, have not relegated legislative powers to local government, thereby making them parasite.

Era of Proxy Rule

  • It has been alleged that Women, SC/ST representatives do not function as per their whims; they act on the directives of the dominant. Like women act on the advice of their husband and SC/ST representative on the directives of upper caste representatives who have supported them in elections

Institutions

To ensure better compliance of Constitutional mandate and monitoring of varied schemes at local levels, 3 ministries have been constituted i.e. Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

  • Ministry of Panchayati Raj
  • Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Rural Development & Department of Land Resources)
  • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Way Forward

No doubt local bodies have had significant achievements till date but the issues are too draconian and needs to be resolved to ensure the objectives of local self-governance are achieved. Following steps need to be taken -

Adequate Finances

  • Local bodies must be equipped with adequate finances, for this mere dependence on state and central devolved fund needs to be changed. Powers to levy taxes and efficient utilization of present taxation powers needs to be ensured.
  • Options like taxing local produce, use of innovative tools like Municipal bonds; international collaboration etc. could be explored to attract finances.

Ensuring Proper Devolution of Subjects and Substantive Legislative Powers

  • 29 panchayat subjects and 18 urban local bodies’ subjects must be devolved fully; also power to legislate on local issues must be conferred to realize the objectives of decentralization.

District Planning Committees (DPCs) must be made Functional

  • The absence of and dominance of bureaucracy in DPCs has been a cause of concern. DPC plans for the entire district (consisting of multiple panchayats and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs); it has representation from both panchayats and ULBs.
  • It also helps in coordination of various schemes, prepares annual plans, projects etc. which helps in proper planned development.

Dedicated Local Staff

  • Just like state civil services and union civil services, a dedicated cadre via district civil services can be ensured.
  • It will help to overcome the dependence of local bodies on district bureaucracy which usually works on the diktat of union and state government.

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