Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI)

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.
• 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.

Ans: (b)

Q. The fundamental object of Panchayati Raj system is to ensure which among the following? (2015)

1. People’s participation in development
2. Political accountability
3. Democratic decentralization
4. 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)