Constitution of India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government. Think over the situation described in the following statements and explain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayats in becoming units of self-government.
A. Government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a huge steel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steel plant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolution that before establishing any big industries in the region, village people must be consulted and their grievances should be redressed.
B. The government has decided that 20 % of all its expenditure would be done through the panchayats.
C. A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building for village school, the government officials turned down their proposal saying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannot be spent otherwise.
D. The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a part of village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased to exist in government’s books.
E. A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region are depleting fast. They decided to mobilise village youth to do some voluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.
A. As the government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a huge steel plant and this will adversely affect the villages by the steel plant.
Gram Sabha has passed a resolution against it. It implies that the state did not consult the gram panchayat to establish the steel plant. This action of the State Government will harshly weaken the institution of Panchayats. The Gram Sabha of one of the villages who’s affected by this should pass the resolution that village people must be consulted and their grievances must be redressed before the panchayat. It will strengthen the village Panchayats as the Gram Sabha can now move independently for the benefit and welfare of the people in the village.
B. The decision that has been taken by the state government that 20% off its expenditure would be done through the Panchayats will prove to be major help in the finances of the Panchayats. It will make the village panchayat stronger and will make its resources available allowing them to spend at the need of the people. The panchayat need to find an independent source of revenue because at the same time financial dependence of the local bodies on the state government will hinder their competence to work effectively.
C. This proves to be a weak point in the system of village panchayat as it does not have funds to maintain and carry out welfare projects and functions for the people in the village. They have to be dependent on the government officials for funds for these developments which bind them from their complete freedom. The rejection of the demand for funds for building a village school by government officials saying that the funds are allotted for certain other schemes, will surely deteriorate the Panchayats in becoming autonomous.
D. Giving power in the hands of people strengthen the panchayat as it creates new unit of self government. This leads to more people participating in ground level. If the government has divided the village on its own without people concern then it will surely weaken the panchayati system. On the other hand if the decision took place under the recommendations of the panchayat then it will prove to be a strengthening decision.
E. It strengthens the village self governance as it reflects the ability of village panchayat to mobilise people use and utilise their own resources without external interference or help from the state government. There would be cooperation between the gram panchayat and the people which will strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institution in India. Mobilizing the youth in some productive and volunteer work will increase the involvement of people at the local level to support the Panchayati Raj system.