Evaluating Panchayati Raj Institutions

Local Democracy and Good Governance edited by Ranbir Singh & Surat Singh

Deep & Deep. Pages: xx+288. Price: Rs. 1280/-

Whatever be the form of government, good governance is essential for its durability. For the working of a democracy it is indispensable. Lack of, or even poor, governance can spell disaster for a democratic dispensation. Moreover, in today’s world where information knows no barriers, peoples’ aspirations for a comfortable and dignified way of life are becoming increasingly manifest around the globe – the recent mass protests in Tunisia and Egypt are the latest examples. Why are people demanding a democratic form of government in those countries? Obviously, because with all its faults democracy is best equipped to meet their expectations. We are fortunate that India already has a democratic form of government. 

Over the years various democratic institutions have been evolving in order to become more responsive to the citizens’ demands. With the increase in general prosperity and increasing access to means of information like television, computers and Internet people even in the hinterlands are becoming more conscious of their rights and needs. In order to meet these, general governance needs to be upgraded. Better ways of distribution of items of necessities like food, water, sanitation, housing and electricity need to be devised. Similarly, law and order agencies too need to improve their functioning to become more effective in the fast changing societal scenario. For all this various existing institutions and instruments of governance need to be upgraded and, where and whenever necessary, new ones formulated/built and activated. For this, it is important to give great importance to local governance. The sum total of grassroots level of quality governance will reflect in the overall national level situation. We are fortunate in having readymade institutions for local governance in the form of panchayats.   

Although panchayats have been part of India’s rural scene since ancient times their worth as effective tools of grassroots governance has yet to be recognized fully. The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee had envisaged the “planning from below” concept as early as in 1957 but it took the government quite a bit of time to fashion necessary micro-level systems for making panchayats viable vehicles for development. Before this happened, several other committees and working groups were formed that looked into several aspects of micro level planning at the block level and the reasons for failures of the Panchayati Raj. However, the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) have yet to be made seamless components of the overall architecture of governance.

The authors have pointed out that such constitutional amendments as of 1992 and 1993 have helped in revamping the PRIs and have also, arguably, empowered women. Prof. Jagroop Kaur makes a valid point while concluding that women are better empowered in southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu than in Punjab and Haryana. The remote control, however, still remains in the hands of patriarchs. Although the PRIs are proving to be effective grassroots level institutions of democracy much needs to be done in respect of making them more potent instruments of local governance.

Professors Ranbir Singh and Surat Singh have done an excellent job of editing the papers presented by various scholars who have provided insights into such states like Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh, Punjab and Haryana etc. There are well argued papers on democratic decentralization and good governance; the papers on women’s empowerment are thought provoking. Most of these papers dwell upon the results of actual experience in various states, presenting a comprehensive picture. More importantly, while dwelling extensively upon the evolution of panchayats over a period of five decades since 1959 this book enumerates various strengths and weaknesses of the PRIs in today’s context. The painstakingly collected data and information, as well as analyses, can prove invaluable to our policy makers as well as those scholars who would like to do further research. This tome is a must for your bookshelf.