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Panchayati Raj System in India – Sainik School Entrance ExamClass IX
Concept
 Three-tier rural self-government system (village, block, district).
 Aim: Grassroots participation & rural development.
 Gandhi: Gram Swaraj (village self-rule).
 Article 40 (DPSP): State to organize village panchayats.
Evolution before Independence
 Mayo’s Resolution (1870): Decentralization.
 Ripon’s Resolution (1882): “Magna Carta of Local Democracy.”
 GOI Act, 1935: Local self-govt provincial subject.
 Gandhi favoured villages; Ambedkar opposed (saw villages as regressive).
Post-Independence & Committees
• First State: Rajasthan (1959, inaugurated by Nehru).
• Major Committees:
• Balwant Rai Mehta (1957): 3-tier PRIs, genuine power transfer.
• Ashok Mehta (1977): 2-tier (Zilla Parishad + Mandal Panchayat), political parties in elections, constitutional status.
• G. V. K. Rao (1985): Zilla Parishad central, District Dev. Commissioner.
• L. M. Singhvi (1986): Constitutional recognition, strong Gram Sabha.
• Thungon (1988): 3-tier PRIs, 5-year tenure, reservations, State Finance Commissions.
• Gadgil (1988): Constitutional status, direct elections, taxation powers, State Election Commission.
Constitutionalization – 73rd Amendment Act (1992)
• Came into force: 24 April 1993.
• Added Part IX (Art. 243–243O) & 11th Schedule (29 subjects).
• Gram Sabha as foundation of direct democracy.
• Three-tier system (village, intermediate, district).
• Elections: Direct for members; indirect for chairpersons at higher levels.
• Reservations: SC, ST, OBC & 1/3rd seats for women.
• Tenure: 5 years; elections within 6 months of dissolution.
• Institutions: State Finance Commission (243I), State Election Commission (243K).
• Exempted areas: Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Scheduled & tribal areas.
Finances
• Union & State grants, State Finance Commission, internal resource generation.
• Weak financial autonomy → heavy dependency.

Recommendations & Best Practices
2nd ARC: Clear function demarcation, bottom-up planning, fiscal incentives.
Best practices:
AP – Village Secretariats.
Karnataka – Panchayat cadre.
Kerala – Highest devolution index.
Rajasthan/Haryana – Minimum education norms for candidates.
Conclusion
Panchayati Raj is the foundation of grassroots democracy. The 73rd Amendment gave it constitutional status, but effective functioning still requires real devolution of powers, financial independence, trained manpower, and active Gram Sabhas to achieve Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj.

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