in-absence-of-a-well-educated-and-organized-local-government-system-panchayats-and-samiti-have-remained-mainly-political-institutions-and-not-effective-instruments

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sunil tiwary asked 2 years ago

In absence of a well-educated and organized local government system, ‘Panchayats’ and ‘Samiti’ have remained mainly political institutions and not effective instruments of governance. Critically discuss.    Viewpoints:  Discuss the social and institutional structure of the Panchayat.  Explain the dynamics of panchayat and their socio-educational background.  Demonstrate how lack of awareness and education has become the biggest hindrances in delivering governance. 

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sunil tiwary answered 2 years ago

The Panchayati Raj system was introduced in order to implement policies of the government and bring transformation in rural India. In post-independent India, the failure of implementation of the Community Development Programme compelled the government to think about the administrative unit at the village level. 

  • The 73rd Constitutional Amendment made the panchayat more inclusive by incorporating women, Dalits, and Tribes in the Panchayat. But the Panchayati raj system faces perennial problems of the socio-economic and educational background of the elected as well as of electors.
  • The Constitution mandates the panchayat to foster economic development and social justice awareness and education, continuing the old-age system of patriarchy and caste system. It was the reason Dr. B R Ambedkar strongly opposed the idea of village-republic in the Constituent Assembly and he portrayed village as a sink of localism, den of ignorance, and hub of communalism. 
  • It included women, Dalits, and Tribal groups in the panchayat but education and awareness were lacking in Indian villages. Women get 33 percent reservation and get elected as panchayat but they largely worked under influence of their husband (pradhanpati) or son (pradhanputra). They were not only elected as proxies but failed to bring social change due to a lack of awareness and education. The influence of upper-caste continued even Dalits get representation as per their ratio of population. And this happens due to the absence of education. However, there are various examples of uneducated women, Tribal and Dalits representatives who have transformed the village through a panchayat yet well education system and lack of skills are the biggest hindrances in delivering governance at the local level.  

In absence of a well-organized system of education and lack of awareness at the local level has made the panchayat an institution of politics rather than an institution of local governance.