Second Administrative Reform Commission (ARC) recommends Empowerment of Local Governments
The Second ARC spent three days in Hyderabad from 18-20 November interacting with police, government as well the general public. On the 19th November 2005, they met with the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and other Government officials.
The meeting with the governments focused on pushing for effective and accountable local governments. When local governments in countries such as communist China, military controlled Pakistan too suitably empowered and effective, the unsuitable notion of a vast nation like India being ruled by a few centres of power was discussed with much fervour. Apart from the above, implementation of the Right to Information Act (2005), Citizen’s charter, as well as establishment of an independent ombudsman with the power to investigate, impose penalties and remove both elected officials and other appointed members, was discussed.
Restructure of rural-local government, was also the topic given importance to during meeting with the CM. It was accepted that the one of the challenge faced by the nation was in restructuring rural and local governments in order to suit the requirements of growing urbanization and to meet challenges of infrastructure.
Currently in rural India there are 1.5 million habitats, each with an average population of about 500 people. These habitats are clubbed into 600,000 revenue villages. There are 2,50,000 gram panchayats in the country which in turn are organized into village panchayats, the smallest unit of elected governments. In Andhra Pradesh, there are 59000 habitats, 29000 revenue villages and 22000 village panchayats. These 59,000 habitats are scattered far and wide, making it virtually impossible to provide meaningful public service infrastructure or urban amenities, given the absence of economies of scale. Lack of adequate resources and infrastructure has resulted in these small villages getting even more depopulated and increasing urban migration issue. Several major states of India have been addressing this problem in recent years by clustering several villages and constituting bigger village panchayats.
Our Inputs
Lok Satta sponsored, Federation for Empowerment of Local Governments (FELG) is convinced that there is a need to reconstitute village panchayats in Andhra Pradesh so that administrative, physical and social infrastructure maybe provided in adequate measure, in larger panchayats.
Therefore FELG is now engaged in creating a win-win formula for restructuring of panchayats by retaining the current powers and functions they exercised at that level while adding new powers and functions that they will exercise when a larger unit maybe created. Such restructuring should be accompanied by significant financial delegation and functional domain and adequate instruments of accountability. Lok Satta and FDR are entering into a debate with political parties in this topic and will appreciate suggestions to make panchayats more suitable and effective.
The meeting with the governments focused on pushing for effective and accountable local governments. When local governments in countries such as communist China, military controlled Pakistan too suitably empowered and effective, the unsuitable notion of a vast nation like India being ruled by a few centres of power was discussed with much fervour. Apart from the above, implementation of the Right to Information Act (2005), Citizen’s charter, as well as establishment of an independent ombudsman with the power to investigate, impose penalties and remove both elected officials and other appointed members, was discussed.
Restructure of rural-local government, was also the topic given importance to during meeting with the CM. It was accepted that the one of the challenge faced by the nation was in restructuring rural and local governments in order to suit the requirements of growing urbanization and to meet challenges of infrastructure.
Currently in rural India there are 1.5 million habitats, each with an average population of about 500 people. These habitats are clubbed into 600,000 revenue villages. There are 2,50,000 gram panchayats in the country which in turn are organized into village panchayats, the smallest unit of elected governments. In Andhra Pradesh, there are 59000 habitats, 29000 revenue villages and 22000 village panchayats. These 59,000 habitats are scattered far and wide, making it virtually impossible to provide meaningful public service infrastructure or urban amenities, given the absence of economies of scale. Lack of adequate resources and infrastructure has resulted in these small villages getting even more depopulated and increasing urban migration issue. Several major states of India have been addressing this problem in recent years by clustering several villages and constituting bigger village panchayats.
Our Inputs
Lok Satta sponsored, Federation for Empowerment of Local Governments (FELG) is convinced that there is a need to reconstitute village panchayats in Andhra Pradesh so that administrative, physical and social infrastructure maybe provided in adequate measure, in larger panchayats.
Therefore FELG is now engaged in creating a win-win formula for restructuring of panchayats by retaining the current powers and functions they exercised at that level while adding new powers and functions that they will exercise when a larger unit maybe created. Such restructuring should be accompanied by significant financial delegation and functional domain and adequate instruments of accountability. Lok Satta and FDR are entering into a debate with political parties in this topic and will appreciate suggestions to make panchayats more suitable and effective.
posted by JP at 2:48 AM
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