The 73rd and 74th Amendments introduced the third tier in the Indian government system three decades ago. In India today, there are almost 3 million local people’s initiatives, 50% of which account for women. Decentralised governments indicate a commitment to democracy but if the functioning of these local bodies is not strengthened, it will lead to erosion of trust and poor development that is not rooted in people’s needs. The Gram Panchayat plays a vital role in this system, as it is elected with people’s will and can prioritise and voice their concerns most effectively. It can easily implement schemes related to livelihood, housing, and much more. However, there are some institutional faults as plans made are not realised, as interventions due to poor infrastructure and apathy in the higher government officials. This can have very negative implications on the outcomes of the Gram Panchayats’ work and the trust people have in them. In Odisha, the improvement in infrastructural activities did not result in curbing migration for better work opportunities. The quality of natural resources and water availability was one of the key determinants that Gram Panchayats had to solve through an action plan. Some steps can be taken to strengthen Gram Sabha such as the establishment of gram sabhas as a forum for debate and discussion, capacity building of Gram Panchayat Staff, and leveraging local revenue sources. Click on the link below to read full story –
Odisha: Sustainable Local Governance Through Public Participation
