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DEMOCRATIC DECENTRALISATION THROUGH PRIS IN INDIA: SUCCESSES,

FAILURES AND PROSPECTS

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The Indian Journal of Political Science
Vol. LXXXIII, No. 4, October-December, 2022, pp. 607-614 (ISSN NO. 0019-5510)

DEMOCRATIC DECENTRALISATION THROUGH PRIS IN INDIA:

SUCCESSES, FAILURES AND PROSPECTS

Mohinder Singh
Meenu

Over the years, democratic decentralisation has acquired new dimensions in India. It is devolution of
power to the democratically elected Panchayati Raj Institutions having an indigenous legacy that goes
back to Mahatma Gandhi’s efforts to recognize the traditional rural panchayat which had run through
the millennia within the contemporary democratic framework. Its basic objective is the establishment
of a decentralized and participatory democracy through both urban and rural local self governments.
The present paper has been devoted to discuss and examine democratic decentralized through
PRIs in India, its successes, failures and prospects as well as suggest measures for strengthening of
democratic decentralized system through PRIs. The studies on PRIs in India have noted the impact
of 73rd Amendment on decentralized administrative set-up, providing durability, direction, dignity
and stability; opening up avenues for the weaker sections including women participation, providing
decentralized planning, creating culture of participation and consultation, social mobilization and
public awareness generation. However, there has been limited success due to lack of awareness,
political and administrative will, reluctancy to vest local bodies with sufficient powers and functions,
etc. Appropriate suggestions have given in this paper for empowerment of PRIs through most suitable
devolution package.
Keywords: Decentralisation, Mobilization, Accountability, People Participation, Contemporary,
Consultation, Empowerment, devolution, Reluctances, Avenues, Millennia

Introduction efforts. However, policy-makers soon realised that

the Community Development Programs had failed to
During the protracted freedom struggle, achieve their goals because people were uninterested
Mahatma Gandhi established the concept of local in them and did not fully engaged themselves.
self-government, which he combined with his
overarching conception of gramme swarajya (village A committee was formed under the chairmanship
self-government).1 ‘A new clause was inserted’ in of Balwantrai Mehta to investigate the means and
the Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 40) methods for establishing a people-centric institution.
to accommodate the village panchayat, which reads: The committee’s report gave rise to India’s three-tier
‘The state should take steps to organise village panchayati raj system. Its principle goal was to make
panchayats and endow them with such power and local government more people-centered and to keep
authority as may be necessary to enable them to bureaucracy in check. The State Government was
function as units of self-government.’ Because the urged to devolve sufficient powers to the panchayats
Directive Principles’ sections were unenforceable, and empower them with appropriate capabilities to
state governments felt no obligation to form and carry out development projects.3
strengthen local panchayats.2
Despite its noble intentions, the Mehta committee
The Community Development Programme was unable to achieve its goal. Next The Ashok Mehta
was established as the first attempt at grass-roots committee was formed to address the shortcomings of
participation. Community Development Programs the Balwantrai Mehta committee. The committee also
were established in order to mobilise development emphasised decentralisation, in which the greatest

Dr. Mohinder Singh, Visiting Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, RIMT University
(Punjab)
Dr. Meenu, Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati
(Assam)
608 The Indian Journal of Political Science

number of people could engage and a variety of micro Datta5 in his paper “Democratic decentralisation
projects could be conducted to better people’s lives. and Panchayati Raj in India: perspectives and
it advocated for a two-tier system of panchayati raj practices” has pointed out that in India, the dispute
institutions. over local self-government revolves around whether
it should be viewed as a democratic institution, a
Mehta committee was followed by, other tool for achieving development programmes through
committees such as the C. Hanumanth committee, the citizen participation, or both. The architects of the
G. V. K. Rao committee, the L. M. Singhvi committee, constitution’s conception of panchayats as rural
the P. K. Thungan committee, and others to speed up units of self-government did not correspond to their
the country’s democratic decentralisation process. conception of the division of powers, functions, and
Despite all of these efforts, the panchayati raj failed resources between the centre and the states in the
and the system entered a state of stagnation. constitution. As a result, the concept of panchayats as
self-governing units in villages has certain flaws.
73rd Constitutional Amendment was passed to
resurrect the dormant panchayati raj, breathe new Venkatesu6 in his book: Democratic
vitality into it, and provide legal status. Through Decentralisation in India Experiences, Issues and
the establishment of the panchayati raj system, this Challenges has highlighted that decentralisation
Act marked a watershed moment in the activation of facilitates the identification of people’s needs and
grassroots democracy. The Gram Sabha was accorded preferences by allowing them to participate directly
constitutional status. in the creation and implementation of plans. It
empowers the weakest sections of society and, to
In the context of Panchayats, “devolution”
some extent, overcomes the elite’s dominance. In
indicates that when responsibility over a specific
India, the Panchayati Raj system is often regarded as
activity is transferred from the state to local
the most important decentralisation tool for making
governments, the latter should have the authority to
democracy truly representative and responsive. The
make choices about its planning and implementation.
73rd Amendment supports India’s decentralisation
Panchayats require staff assistance and resources,
movement by transferring powers from states to local
as well as the transfer of functions to effectively
governments.
implement their decisions.4
Srinivasan7 has contributed a paper entitled
In the process of devolution of responsibilities
“Local government in India: Past, present, and future
and powers to the Panchayats, functions, finances, and
perspectives” in the edited book has described that
officials are all complementary. The administrative
over 65 percent of India’s population reside in villages.
and financial devolution to the PRIs, as well as the
PRIs role is critical for reducing poverty, improving
degree of autonomy granted to them under Article
livelihoods, and most importantly, achieving
243G, will determine the success of the Panchayati
distributive justice. He looks at local governance in
Raj System.
India from three perspectives: history, representation,
In an ideal environment, the PRIs would and delivery, to see if it delivers on its promises. In
have sufficient autonomy as institutions of self- essence, it implies that democratic decentralisation
government to decide on local needs and priorities, in the PRI model can only thrive if institutions
and to create and implement schemes in accordance operate independently of political interventions and
with those needs and objectives. The package should political citizenship is encouraged through voice and
comprise the devolutionary aspects as well as an awareness programs.
acceptable level of autonomy backed up by sufficient
Paul8 in his article, “Strengthening rural
administrative and financial authorities.
decentralisation: A study on the role of international
Literature Review organisations” has analyzed that the term
“decentralisation” has come to apply to a wide range
The relavant literature has been reviewed in the of institutional innovations. It can also be viewed as
following paragraphs. a tool for transferring authority and responsibility.
The District Planning Committee integrates the plan
Democratic Decentralisation through PRIs in India: Successes, Failures and Prospects 609

with the plans created at the district level by the examine democratic decentralized through PRIs in
local entities. The Panchayats’ success or failure is India, its successes, failures and prospects; and to
determined by their planning and implementation. It suggest measures for strengthening of democratic
also relies on the engagement of as many people as decentralized through PRIs.
possible at every level of the planning process, from
proposal to implementation. People’s engagement Concept
in local development has takes place through the
It became a platform for participatory
preparation of a Panchayat-level development plan,
democracy, allowing voters to engage in the
as well as project coordination at the Panchayat’s
conceptualization, design, implementation, and
intermediate and district levels.
monitoring of socio-economic development projects
Jha9 in his paper “Democratic Decentralizaton for village development in addition to electing their
and Socio-Political Inclusion of Marginalized representatives. However, it has been observed that
Communities: A Study of Musahar Community in participation at Gram Sabha sessions is comparatively
Madhubani District of Bihar, India” has opined that low and the government personnel predominate.
democratic decentralisation is the process of devolving
The Gram Sabha can only consider issues that
governmental powers and resources from the centre
are on the government’s agenda. The marginalised
to lower-level elected officials in order to encourage
portion of the population remains mute observers.
more direct citizens engagement in governance. But
The 73rd Amendment Act advocated for the
in reality, there is little or no evidence—theoretical or
devolution of authorities and services to local
empirical—to give a hint on its performance on social
governments. Devolution of funds has not yet
and political inclusion of marginalised communities.
occurred. Furthermore, if the State Government fails
Thirupathi10 in his paper “Democratic to publish the State Finance Commission’s report, the
Decentralisation and Devolution of powers at the state’s local self-governing bodies and Panchayati raj
grassroots level Democracy: Issues, Challenges and institutions may be unable to receive grants- in- aid
Implications” has found that very little progress from the Union Government.
has been made in this direction. Local governments
Only when power percolates down to the
continue to be shackled and ineffective, mere
grassroots level only then the democratic ethos
servants of higher-level governments. Despite the
finds true nutrition. Rural India’s progress can only
fact that around 32 lakh people’s representatives
be secured if people are able to participate in the
are elected every five years with considerable pomp
development process that affects them. Participation
and expectation, democracy has not improved.
should be voluntary rather than imposed from above.
Lack of proper funds, bureaucratic dominance, late
Panchayati Raj institutions can get success if local
elections, lack of autonomy, and meddling of area
people actively participate in their workings and PRIs
MPs and MLAs in the functioning of panchayats have
are the vehicles through which participation can be
negatively affected their effectiveness.
ensured.
Patra11 in his paper “Rural Development by
Successes
Panchayat in Undivided Midnapore District, West
Bengal” has desired that the Panchayat institutions’ The Governments of India, Ministry of
dysfunctions must be adequately addressed in order to Panchayati Raj, the state governments, civil society
counteract the system’s entropic tendency. organizations, non-government organizations have
been working for the rural development and for
Review of literature related to democratic
empowering the PRIs through different provisions.
decentralisation through PRIs in India shows that
there is need to improve the condition of PRIs in Timely elections for the PRIs have been
India. conducted according to the annual report of 2020-
21 of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Objectives
Total 255487 village panchayats have been
The objectives of the study are to discuss and
610 The Indian Journal of Political Science

formed having31.65 lakh elected representatives, 7195 and at block level 7195 intermediate panchayats
14.53 lakh elected women representatives during the have been working. At the lowest level, 664469
year 2020-21.following table shows that the number villages have 255487 village panchayats. In the
of districts having PRIs is 734 and the number of Northeast states, total 16067 traditional local bodies
district panchayats is 659.The number of blocks is have been working.

S. UNITS Number
N
1 No. of districts 734
2 No. of district panchayats 659
3 No of blocks 7195
4 No. of intermediate panchayats 6829
5 No. of villages 664469
6 No. of village panchayats 255487
7 No. of traditional bodies 16067(Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, Tripura)

Source: Annual Report 2020-2021, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.

The percentage of elected women representative in the last PRIs elections according to Annual report
(2020-21)

S.N. Name of tier Elected Repre- Elected Women Repre- % of elected women
sentatives sentatives representatives
1 Gram Panchayat 2963617 1364453
2 Block Panchayat 184106 79839
3 District panchayat 17326 8217
4 Total 3165049 1452509 45.89

Source: Annual Report 2020-2021, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.

The data in the table shows that the representation Maharashtra, Tripura, Bihar, Telangana, Puducherry,
of the women in the PRIs has improved and it has Himachal Pradesh and Assam are delivering 10 or
increased from one-third to 45.89 percent in the last more services electronically to the people at local
elections for PRIs. level through different levels of PRIs in these states.
The services pertain to issue of birth certificate, death
Speedy and Electronic Service Delivery by certificate, marriage certificate, ration card, caste
Panchayats in India certificates, income certificates, age certificates, old
age certificates, widow certificates, BPL certificates,
All the state governments and union territories
legal heir certificates, electricity permission
have enacted laws related to speedy deliveries of
certificates, janani suruksha yojana certificates, alias
services to the people at local level, to encourage
certificates, vehicle registration, factory registration,
people’s participation in the programs of the
trade licenses, property card, NOC to electricity
government, and to provide benefits of the different
service companies, drinking water and building
welfare schemes to the people. The states of West
permit certificates.
Bengal, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Democratic Decentralisation through PRIs in India: Successes, Failures and Prospects 611

Selected State-wise number of electronic services delivered.

S. Name of Name of electronic service delivery No. of No.of Tier of Panchayat

N. state/UT Act services Pan-
chayats
1 Assam The Assam right to public service Act, 33 Zila panchayat
2012
2 West Bengal West Bengal right to public service 10 Gram Panchayat
Act,2013
3 Gujarat Gujarat information technology 14 6000 Zila panchayat
(electronic service delivery)
rules,2014
4 Andhra Andhra Pradesh public services de- 20 16000 Gram Panchayat
Pradesh liveru guarantee Act, 2017
5 Karnataka Sakala Act 12 6009 Gram Panchayat
6 Maharashtra Maharashtra Right To Public Service 20 27881 Gram Panchayat
Act,
7 Tripura Tripura Information 11 1178 Gram Panchayat
Technology(Electronic Service Deliv-
ery)Rules 2015
8. Bihar Right to Public Service Act, 1999 13 4446 Zila panchayat,
block panchayat,
Gram Panchayat
9. Telangana Telangana Panchayati Raj Act, 2018 14 12768 Gram Panchayat
10 Puducherry The Information Technology Act,2000 15 108 Zila panchayat,
Gram Panchayat
11 Himachal 20 3226 Zila panchayat,
Pradesh block panchayat

Source: Annual Report 2020-2021, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.

The above table shows that out of 29 states, 10 Progress under Mission Antodaya
states and one UT have been providing more than
10 services electronically to the common citizens at The Finance Minister said in his 2017-18 Budget
rural local level. This clearly indicates that the local Speech that he would launch Mission Antyodaya to
governments are actively working for providing basic lift one crore households out of poverty and make
services speedily to the people. 50,000 Gram Panchayats poverty-free.

National average under the mission Antodaya (plan year 2020-21)

S.N. FIELDS In % Parameters

1 Social security 34.04 Benefits under PMJAY
2 agriculture 24.47 Total households engayged in non farm activities
3 Drinking water 64.55 Availability of total piped tap water
4 Good Governance 30.96 Representatives undergoing trainings under RGSA
612 The Indian Journal of Political Science

5 Rural Housing 27.70 Total househols with cuccha wall and cuccha roof
6 Roads 30.88 Maintenance of internal pucca roads
7 Maintenance of community 22.83 Maintenance of internal pucca roads
Assets
8 Financial Communication 51.52 Availability of banks, ATMs, telephone service
Infrastructure
9 Vocational education 13.28 Availability of vocational education centers
10 Education 55.19 Availability of high school, SS School, degree colleges
11 Health and sanitation 47.81 PHC,CHC, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, community waste
disposal, total households with energy
12 Poverty Alleviation 35.57 SHGs accesses bank loans
Programs
13 Health and nutrition 48.62 Sanitary latrines
14. Women and child 33.99 Total children immunized, mothers and women
development receiving benefits under ICDS-CAS

Source: Annual Report 2020-2021, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.

PMJAY( Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana), development priorities of the region in which
RGSA(Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan ), ICDS- they live.
CAS(Integrated Child Development Scheme-
Common Application Software), SHGs(self-help • Only a few local governments put in enough effort
groups) to prepare the Gram Sabha site in such a way that
small group deliberations in various sub-groups
The data in table in …illustrates that under the can be organized and real deliberations can be
Mission Antyodaya, the position has significantly facilitated. It has been observed that the gram
improved regarding Drinking water, Financial sabhas are not showing their better performance
Communication Infrastructure, and availability of due to lack of active participation, manipulations,
high school, SS School, degree colleges etc. has lack of commitment etc. Years have ruled
improved more in rural areas as compared to other together but the lowest rung of PRIs has not been
Fields fully involved in ensuring both quantitative and
qualitative changes. The organisation and conduct
There is no denying the fact that concerted efforts of Gram Sabha meetings are incompatible with
have been made by and through the PRIs to provide ensuring people’s participation in debates and
required services in the country side but remarkable decision-making. Their requests, concerns,
success could not be achieved. and perceptions of local development are not
properly captured and reflected in Gram Sabha
Failures of Democratic Decentralisation
decisions. In most cases, Gram Sabha decisions
• In most situations, local governments do not are not considered meaningful inputs when
provide enough notice and publicity for Gram local governments make decisions about local
Sabha meetings. The majority of individuals are development and governance. Furthermore,
unaware of the meeting agendas, as well as the the Grama sabhas debates are dominated and
topics of discussion and deliberation at Gram manipulated by a small number of political
Sabha meetings. It was discovered that a big leaders, who marginalise the vast majority of
proportion of local administrations feel uneasy participants. As a result, people’s enthusiasm in
with citizens’ democratic discussions on issues attending Grama sabha meetings has waned, and
such as their perceived requirements and the they no longer see the value in doing so.
Democratic Decentralisation through PRIs in India: Successes, Failures and Prospects 613

• In majority, the Panchayati Raj Institutions better future prospects of the PRIs.
have not proved their utility by proving suitable
platform for consultation and discussion. As a • In order to achieve much more benefits we will
result, stakeholders lack a sense of ownership, have to make necessary arrangements for the
and their engagement and creative contributions improvement of literacy level of people who
to strengthening democratic governance and have remained neglected and are not actively
development are limited. The majority of participating in the local bodies i.e. in the
local governments are unwilling to make their gram panchayats. No doubt, funds have been
systems more open, participatory, transparent, earmarked for the extension of educational
and accountable, as well as to use their inputs in facilities in the interior areas. It has been noticed
development planning and implementation. that in most of the cases neither the gram sabhas
nor the gram panchayats have significantly
• One of the primary issues that panchayats contributed in the socio-economic transformation
face is that majority of the elected members of rural dwellers in general and those groveling
are illiterate. Because they are merely paid a in poverty in particular. Nothing is impossible
small honorarium, the members have no sense but it requires dedication and commitment on the
of duty. As a result, they are frequently found part of politicians, administrators and the rural
to be negligent in carrying out their tasks and community as a whole. Even today, we are very
responsibilities. much in the need of imparting adult education to
be arranged at easily approachable vicinity and
• There is no effective devolution of finance, in accordance with the timings best suited to the
and the funds released are insufficient and needy. We can involve NGOs, civil societies, and
improperly spent due to poor management. The the social workers for arranging and imparting
lack of proper public participation is a significant adult education of a quality besides, the elected
impediment to rural development. People have representatives of the PRIs as well as all adult
been estranged from their panchayats due to voters of rural areas should be made fully aware
corruption, nepotism, and unwarranted political of their rights, duties, responsibilities and active
meddling. The presidents and members of and effective participation in the working of
panchayats have been reported to be heavily the PRIs. This would need local level seminars,
influenced by the ruling party in the majority of workshops, personal interactions, nukkad nataks
cases. etc.
• Although women’s numerical strength has • Better future can be ensured through improving
increased as a result of the 73rd Amendment Act, accountability, transparency, and responsiveness.
notwithstanding the 33% reservation, women There is other area where we will have to
have not been able to advance to a position of focus i.e. internal management system of local
active participation. The patriarchal system government organizations. This can be made
continues to keep women out of politics. possible through the development of mutual
respect, mutual recognition, support, and
• The PRIs have been working under the excessive
cooperation between elected representatives and
interference on the part of political leaders
officials.
belonging to party in power. Moreover, the
representatives hailing from depressed classes • Apart from other things, trainings and capacity
and women representatives are not generally building is also a grey area which demands
allowed to significantly contribute in policy, launching a broad citizen education campaign
local planning, implementation, monitoring at to spread the values of decentralisation and
evaluation of various developmental programs. democratic local governance and increase citizen
and community participation. To empower
Future Prospects
citizens and communities in local development
The overall performance of the PRIs has and democratic governance, massive campaigns
remained good on the basis of which we can have of awareness generation about right to
 614 The Indian Journal of Political Science

information, right to service, citizen’s charter, 4. Tondon, Rajesh.(2002),Primary Education and

Gram sabha duties and responsibilities are also Panchayati Raj Institutions, PRIA and Partners, New
required. Delhi,p.8

• For revamping rural local bodies there is still 5. Datta, P. (1994). Democratic decentralisation and
need of devolution of funds, functions and Panchayati Raj in India: perspectives and practices.
functionaries so that these institutions could Administrative change ,Centre for Administrative
become more result oriented and effective tools Change, Jaipur,India, vol. 22(1), July-December.
of rural transformation
6. Venkatesu, E. (2016). Democratic Decentralisation in
• Every Panchayats must provide open platform India:Experiences, issues and challenges. Routledge
for raising issues, suggesting measures to solve India,2019
the local development problems. There has to be
strict adherence to scheduled meetings where 7. Srinivasan, R. (2016). Local government in India:
all stakeholders and others must ensure their Past, present, and future perspectives. In Comparative
presence. Studies and Regionally-Focused Cases Examining
Local Governments. Edited by Ugur Sadioglu and
• As we know that qualitative changes can take Kadir Dede, IGI Global.
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decentralisation: A study on the role of international
Conclusion organisations. Space and Culture, India,2(2), pp 49-56

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fact that the every local self government has to be Political Inclusion of Marginalized Communities: A
committed for strengthening participatory democracy Study of Musahar Community in Madhubani District
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