Context:
Tamil Nadu’s Local Body Elections delayed of the 9,624 village panchayats, 314 panchayat unions, and 28 district panchayats.
Local Self Government:
- The 73rd Amendment was passed in December 1992 and came into force on April 24, 1993. It established a three-tier system of PRIs in rural areas, with Gram Panchayats at the village level, Panchayat Samitis at the block level, and Zilla Parishads at the district level.
- Article
- Articles 243–243(O)
- Both rural and urban government are included.
- There are two types of local government:
- Panchayatas in rural areas and Municipalities in urban areas.
Rural Local Governments (Articles 243G and 243H):
- Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) is a system of rural local self-government in India.
- Constitutional Provision
- Part-IX to the Constitution of India added, that is ‘The Panchayats’.
- This act has added a new Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution.
- Ministry
- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR)
Urban Local Governments (Articles 243-P to 243-ZG)
- Established to make democratic decentralization.
- In India there are eight kinds of urban local governments
- Municipality, Notified Area Committee, Town Area Committee, Municipal Corporation, Cantonment Board, port trust, special purpose agency, and township.
- Constitutional Provision
- Part IX-A, Articles 243-P to 243-ZG
- Ministry
- Under the direct control of the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Home Affairs.
73rd Constitutional Amendment Salient Features:
- Organization of Gram Sabhas.
- Three-tier Panchayati Raj Structure
- Establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj Structure at the Zila, Block, and Village levels.
- Three-tier Panchayati Raj Structure
- Minimum age
- Minimum age for contesting elections to Panchayati Raj institutions.
- Reservation
- Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes in Panchayats.
- State Election Commission
- State Election Commission to be established in each State to organize elections to Panchayati Raj institutions.
- State Finance Commission to be established in each State every five years.
- Tenure
- Tenure of Panchayati Raj institutions is five years.
- Financial Powers
- Financial powers in respect of taxes, duties, tolls, and fees.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQ
Q. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in (2017)
(a) Federalism
(b) Democratic decentralisation
(c) Administrative delegation
(d) Direct democracy
Ans: (b)
Q. The fundamental object of Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? (2015)
- People’s participation in development
- Political accountability
- Democratic decentralization
- Financial mobilization
Select the correct answer using the code given below
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans: (c)
