To what extent, in your opinion, has the decentralisation of power in India changed the governance landscape at the grassroots ?

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.