UPSC Mains 2015 · GS II · Q3 · 12.5 marks · 200 words

In absence of a well-educated and organized local level government system, ‘Panchayats’ and ‘Samitis’ have remained mainly political institutions and not effective instruments of governance. Critically discuss.

हिन्दी में

सुशिक्षित और व्यवस्थित स्थानीय स्तर शासन-व्यवस्था की अनुपस्थिति में ‘पंचायतें’ और ‘समितियाँ’ मुख्यतः राजनीतिक संस्थाएँ बनी रही हैं न कि शासन के प्रभावी उपकरण। समालोचनापूर्वक चर्चा कीजिए।

Local Government

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Key to effective decentralisation is "political decentralisation should follow finance and functional decentralisation". Discuss in context of impediments faced by local governance in India.”

Kush MotwaniAIR 11 · CSE 2023 · 348 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a date or context

Local self govt in India is not a new concept. It dates back to Sabhas in Vedic period, to elected local bodies during Cholas, as documented in Uttarmerur inscriptions.

In post independence India, they were formalized and given constitutional status via 73rd and 74th amendment - to realize Gandhian vision of Article 40.

Body · points

Diagram
* In India: * 73rd and 74th Amendment led to Political decentralization * But financial and functional decentralization was left to a future date - which in many cases has not come yet

Impediments faced :

  1. Elections → not regular (Eg:) held after 7 years in Tamil Nadu → lack of independence of state election commission. → violent (eg: west Bengal.)

  2. funds → some states have not yet formed state finance commissions → local bodies reluctant to collect revenue (eg): Bengaluru, Jaipur collect only 5-20% of their potential property taxes (Economic Survey). Most funds from Union/State govt are tied (eg): 50-60% of finance commission grants are tied

  3. functions → No state has devolved all 29 subjects of 11th schedule. → most states have devolved less than 10

  4. functionaries → bureaucratic interference → local staff not trained

  5. District Planning committees → formed in only 9 states till 2022

  6. Extension to Scheduled Areas → only 8/10 states have PESA → no Municipal Extension to Scheduled Areas Act

  7. Gram Sabha → not an effective check on Panchayats → social audit not regular

  8. Similarly, ward committees not formed // → Lack of effective check on municipalities.

Thus, political decentralisation should follow financial and functional decentralisation :

  1. For financial decentralisation : → compulsory State Finance commission (15th Finance Commission) → greater un-tied funds → performance based funding - based on increasing revenue. [Eg: Kerala - entertainment tax] //

  2. For functional decentralisation → adopt [principle of subsidiarity] (2nd ARC) → ie, function should be devolved to that level, which is best suited for it.

  3. For effective exercise of functions ↓ skilling of functionaries (Eg: Volunteer corps in Kerala)

  4. To empower political participation as an effective check : → use of e Gram Swaraj portal ↓ details of all funds with Panchayat ↓ [greater political decentralisation]

  5. Social audit via SHGs.

These steps will empower the political decentralisation, in line with Gandhian vision.

Close · a way forward

None written.

How toppers approach this question, and more on its topic: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper II, Q3. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.