Book review: P. C. Sikligar, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development: Policy, Practice and Implications
| Published date | 01 March 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00195561231204595 |
| Author | Neela Bai R. |
| Date | 01 March 2024 |
220Book Reviews
P. C. Sikligar, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development: Policy, Practice
and Implications. Blue-Rose Publishers, 2022, 325 pp., `315. ISBN: 978-
93-90380-73-2.
DOI: 10.1177/00195561231204595
The provision of federal structure divides the powers of government from the
Central to the States, down to the local. The term federal connotes the division of
constitutional power from one to other channels on a hierarchal basis but Central
authority holds power over the entire national territory. The Constitution, through
federal structure, allocates certain powers to the Central government and others
are reserved for the state governments. State governments, according to require-
ment, make changes in the state legislations or release modified instructions to
the local government by the central government. The central government has
got the power to formulate and implement policies through state or Central
governments.
The Panchayati Raj system was rst formulated in Nagaur district (Rajasthan)
on 2 October 1959 with the recommendations of the Balwantrai Mehta Committee.
As per the recommendations of the Constitution, the Panchayati Raj Institutions
have been categorised into three tiers (District, Block and Gram Panchayat) of
which Gram Panchayat is a basic unit of the local administration. Panchayati Raj
system functions across the country, except for Assam (tribal majority districts),
Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, where the Constitution has imparted greater
autonomy to the tribal areas.
Since Independence, the Government of India has formed different Committees
to upgrade the functions of the Panchayati Raj system. The functions of
Panchayati Raj have been elaborated by the implementation of the Seventy-third
Constitutional (Amendment) Act 1992. This Act was also extended in the tribal areas
of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh under the framework of fth
scheduled areas, whereas the northeastern states have been categorised under the
Sixth Schedule of the Constitution applicable to tribal areas.
The Seventy-third Constitutional Amendment empowers Panchayats through
the devolution of powers and sharing responsibilities for economic development
and social justice in rural areas by promoting the participation of the people.
The Eleventh Schedule of the Seventy-third Constitutional Amendment Act
incorporates 29 subjects that empower Panchayats to concentrate on rural devel-
opment and poverty alleviation programmes by creating infrastructure, both for
individuals and for common uses, employment both self and wage, upgrading
health issues, facilitating social assistance schemes, etc. Panchayat bodies have
got the power to collect appropriate taxes, revenues, duties, tolls, fees, service
charges, rents from Panchayat’s assets and so on. Gram Panchayats have become
hubs to facilitate basic services through the network of e-Seva. The Gram Sevak
(Gram Panchayat Secretary) is a nodal functionary who monitors functions of the
Seva Kendra, organises meetings of Gram Panchayat and Gram Shaba, maintains
records scheme-wise, monitors the progress of the schemes implemented in
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