INSTITUTE OF RURAL MANAGEMENT ANAND

Transcription

1 INSTITUTE OF RURAL MANAGEMENT ANAND Commissioned by MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ, GOI

2 Background of SoPR Constitutional Provisions shall and may Status of the Mandatory Provisions Status of the Discretionary Provisions Accountability of PRIs: Audit arrangements; Social Audit Lessons and Challenges ahead

3 Fifth Round Table of Ministers in-charge of PR (28-29 Oct 2004) Annual Administrative Reports by Panchayats Annual State Reports by State Governments Annual Report on State of Panchayats by Union Ministry of PR Objectives, inter alia Qualitative assessment of progress Comparison and learning by using common format (suggested) Reports SoPR 2006 by GoI Hon ble Prime Minister s observation on value of independent assessment SoPR An Independent Assessment, by IRMA, Released by the Hon ble Prime Minister on this day of SoPR An Independent Assessment, prepared by IRMA 7 themes of relevance to Panchayats, State Profiles, In two volumes, 525 pages Released by the Hon ble Prime Minister today (24 April 2010)

4 State of Panchayats covering a limited number of States Draws upon but NOT a presentation of the COMPLETE Report Also draws upon secondary sources wherever necessary Emphasis on highlighting achievements, trends, alternative (good) practices & challenges ahead

5 Gram Sabha vision of direct/ participative democracy Panchayats to be constituted at Village, Intermediate and District levels as institutions of self government Direct election for all seats ; indirect election for Chairpersons at IP and ZP Reservation of seats and offices of chairpersons for SCs and STs at all levels Not less than 1/3 rd reservation of seats and offices of chairpersons for women including those for SCs and STs at all levels

6 Duration of 5 years - Elections to be completed within the duration or before the expiration of 6 months from the date of dissolution Described as A Right to Life State Finance Commission to be constituted every 5 years For examining the finances of Panchayats and recommending on their resource requirements State Election Commission Election matters not be called in question in any court; matters to be dealt by an election petition Shall also apply to Union Territories; Exceptions for some areas and States

7 Powers and Functions of Gram Sabha Election of Chairperson of Village Panchayat Ex-officio Memberships in Panchayats Reservation for OBCs Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats to function as institutions of self government Preparation of plans for economic development and social justice Implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as may be entrusted to them including those in relation to the matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule Powers to impose taxes by, and Funds of, the Panchayats Composition of SFCs Audit arrangements

8 All States have held elections to constitute Panchayats at appropriate levels except Jharkhand At least 2 elections have been held in States At least 4 states, M.P, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal have held 4 elections Number of Panchayats: All India Gram Panchayats 2,32,855 Intermediate Panchayats 6,094 District Panchayats Total -- 2,39,491

9 Number of Elected Representatives Gram Panchayats -- 26,45,883 Intermediate Panchayats 1,56,794 District Panchayats 15,613 Total ERs in Panchayats 28,18,290 the largest anywhere in the world All States have implemented the reservation provisions

10 The proportion of SC Elected Representatives at All India level has risen from 12.56% in 2000 to 18.66% in 2010 The proportion of ST Elected Representative at All India level has risen from 8.58% to 11.83% Beginning with Bihar in 2006, many other States Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Orissa, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh have increased the reservation for women to 50%

11 In the year 2000 EWR proportion was 31.14% due to lower proportions in some States. In 2010 the lowest is 33% - AP, Guj, Mah, Punjab highest are Karnataka (43.19%) and WB (42.99%) (among States that continue to have one-third reservation). States where elections have been held with 50% reservation (i.e., MP, Chhattisgarh) proportion of Elected Women Representatives is about 52% Today - about 6% EWRs are in unreserved seats given the large base this works out, conservatively, to at least 1,50,000

12 Of the 15 States studied, 12 have had three State Finance Commissions. All except AP, Arunachal, Gujarat (Jhk & Chhts) have also received 3 SFC recommendations. Bihar, HP, MP, Punjab & WB have accepted the 3 rd report. Elsewhere these are under consideration

13 74 th CAA required formation of District Planning Committees In all districts of 12 States covered under the theme of Planning, DPCs have been formed. Secondary sources show that all States except Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir have formed DPCs Among these states, WB, Tripura, Rajasthan, Haryana, Orissa have prepared District Plans by all DPCs In AP, Bihar, Gujarat, Punjab, BRGF districts have prepared plans; initiatives are on for other districts

14 Among States covered; only West Bengal and Punjab have indirect election for Chairperson of Village Panchayats Except West Bengal, all States have provided for exofficio membership of MPs and MLAs in the Intermediate and District Panchayats Among States covered, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, M.P., Punjab, Rajasthan, U.P. and W.B., have provided for reservation of seats for OBCs

15 States have followed, varying scope and style of activity mapping and devolution Subjects or matters of Eleventh Schedule Assam, Chhattisgarh and H.P. have used subjects including more than 27 in their activity mapping Departments Haryana had included 10 departments; but later 5 have been withdrawn AP (10), Bihar (13), Gujarat (14+5), Orissa (18), and Tamil Nadu (24) have used departments for the purpose Both activity mapping and devolution being re-examined by governments in Assam, Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan

16 State GP own revenue as a percentage of total expenditure ( ) State GP own revenue as a percentage of total expenditure ( ) Tripura 0.59 WB 2.81 Assam 0.75 Rajasthan 3.96 Gujarat 1.64 MP 6.16 Chhattisgarh 1.69 Punjab HP 2.67 Haryana Source: All Tables calculated from, MoPR (Roadmap), sourced from Thirteenth Finance Commission

17 States Own Revenue/ GP ( ) States Own Revenue/ GP ( ) Bihar 0 MP 20,585 UP 1,998 Chhattisgarh 23,279 Tripura 7,992 Punjab 94,352 Rajasthan 8,278 AP 1,59,563 Gujarat 13,489 WB 1,62,940 HP 16,744 Haryana 2,95,878 Assam 20,264

18 Own revenue is a small percentage of total expenditure for GPs Lease-rental income from Shamalat land is a major income source in Haryana and Punjab Figures in tables are averages the range of own income of GPs is very wide in Punjab Punjab and Haryana have enhanced the administrative sanction limits for Panchayats at different levels; the matter is being considered in some other States

19 None of the States studied reported Panchayat window in state budget. Alternative practices in enhancing non-tax revenues and resources of Panchayats Lease/ rental income Punjab and Haryana Matching grant for resource raised for certain social purposes Haryana Soft loans for infrastructure development Haryana Untied grant incentive for District Development Plans by DPCs - Assam

20 Transfer of functionaries a continuing challenge Most states have done this at the GP level Membership of line officials in standing committees West Bengal; reportedly effective Some personnel control functions such as writing of ACRs (Haryana), attendance certification (in many), reporting of deficiencies (HP) No or very low Influence over transferred functionaries across levels in most States

21 Alternative practices Panchayat Cadre Gujarat, (Maharashtra) since 60s; Karnataka in recent decades, under very active consideration in Rajasthan Officials attached to Standing Committees as members/ secretaries as in West Bengal Empanelment of technical personnel for Panchayats to draw upon H.P., A.P. Contractual arrangement with Panchayats Punjab for RMC, RVC, Elementary school teachers Fresh recruitments by Panchayats para Teachers in Bihar

22 Parallel Bodies - bodies with overlap of functions with Panchayats DRDA has been merged with ZP in MP, Rajasthan, and WB (among 15 states covered) Jharkhand PR Act provides for merger is likely to be effective after constitution of ZPs Externally funded programmes DPIP, MPRLP, WORLP At village level; School Development and Management Committees, Village Water and Sanitation Committee, Forestry related committee, Rugi Kalyan Samithis Promising practice All village committees to synchronise meeting with GP Haryana

23 Audit Arrangements Majority of States have Director, Local Fund Audit, i.e., Assam, MP, Rajasthan, AP, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab C&AG s institutions undertakes audit of Panchayats in West Bengal, Bihar, UP, Himachal, Tripura, and Jharkhand Other than Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh, other 13 States have adopted the Technical Guidance & Supervision/ Support (TGS) of C&AG. Implementation at various stages of progress Updated accounts and timely audit are crucial remains a challenge, especially at the Gram Panchayat level

24 Social Audit Evidence of successful social audit in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh Annual meeting is used to share accounts and budgets in Punjab, Haryana as also others; this is often construed as social audit Attendance and meeting quorum requirements for Gram Sabha remains a challenge WB initiative of Gram Sabha for Intermediate and Zilla Panchayats has much learning to offer.

25 Panchayats have got constituted; reservation clauses have created spaces for inclusion. Size of Gram Panchayats across States vary; this is so even within a State. State legislations provide for standing committees in Panchayats. These are also formed. But their activation and functioning remains uncertain Devolution seems to follow a muddling through approach Of the 3Fs, devolution/ transfer of Functionaries today is clearly the most crucial and biggest challenge Alternative practices quoted earlier, across States with respect both to funds and functionaries require careful attention to derive lessons and create examples Government notifications regarding devolution, especially transfer of functionaries are not reflected in practice/ operations at Panchayat levels Thus we see two views regarding functional domains of Panchayats one that is seen in government orders and another that obtains at the operational/ Panchayat levels

26 Guidelines of five of the six CSSs studied (NREGS, NRHM, SSA, IAY, ICDS, ARWSP-Swajaldhara) provide for Gram Panchayat involvement in planning and implementation However, only in 4 of the 8 states studied (Guj, HP, Karnataka, TN) Gram Panchayat have played some role in planning. Involvement of Panchayats in NREGS thus seems to be unique Degree of Panchayat involvement in Centrally Sponsored Schemes is influenced by extent of devolution, particularly of functionaries In general, Planning function of Panchayats is yet to take shape in most States

27 Reservation of seats has significantly increased the presence of SCs/ STs and women Early signs visible of greater participation and empowerment of elected representatives from reserved categories Institutional barriers require attention for further gains Have Panchayats become institutions of self government? In most states covered in this research, it is difficult to answer in the affirmative.

28 Thank you for your attention and patience