CESSA WP 2015-03

A Note on New Statistical Domain in India (2):An Enquiry into Gram Panchayat-Level Databases
Junichi Okabe
Yokohama National University
April 2015

Center for Economic and Social Studies in Asia (CESSA) Working Paper
Downloadable from:http://www.econ.ynu.ac.jp/cessa/publication/workingpaper.html

Center for Economic and Social Studies in Asia, Department of Economics
Yokohama National University

A Note on New Statistical Domain in India (2):An Enquiry into Gram Panchayat-Level Databases

Junichi Okabe

April 2015

Table of Contents

Chapter 3. Two Gram Panchayats and Villages:
Background of the New Statistical Domain§1. Profile of the Two Gram Panchayats/villages§2. Status and Background of PRIs
in Maharashtra and West Bengal

1Chapter 3. Two Gram Panchayats and villages§1. Profile of the Two Gram Panchayats and villages
In order to study the new statistical domain considered above, we conducted casestudies at two villages studied by the Foundation for Agrarian Studies. The first case is
Warwat Khanderao GP in Maharashtra. The second case is Raina GP in West Bengal andBidyanidhi village in the jurisdiction of this GP.
Warwat Khanderao GP, Sangrampur tehsil, Buldhana District, Maharashtra, islocated in a traditionally raiyatwari area. This village was studied by the Foundation forAgrarian Studies in 2007 as part of the Project on Agrarian Relations in India (PARI).
Raina GP, in Raina I Block, Barddhaman District, West Bengal, is located in aformer zamindari and post-land reform area. Bidyanidhi village, one of 13 villages (mouzas)
in the jurisdiction of Raina GP was studied in 2005 as part of the land and credit survey(“Landlessness and debt in rural West Bengal”) conducted by V. K. Ramachandran, Vikas
Rawal and others.
§2. Status and Background of PRIs in Maharashtra and West Bengal
The legislative frameworks for PRIs in Maharashtra and West Bengal are similar, since theymust meet the constitutional requirements of 73rd and 74th amendments. However, the actual
functioning of the PRIs in the two States is considerably different in several respects:
1) Scale of GPs: The geographical area, number of villages and population under thejurisdiction of each GP are very different in the two states. A GP in Maharashtra usually
covers only one or two villages, a population of roughly 1000. The geographical boundaryof Warwat Khanderao GP is identical to the census and revenue village Warwat
Khanderao. In contrast, a GP in West Bengal covers a cluster of villages. Therefore, a GP
in West Bengal consists of many census/revenue villages, or “mouzas”. The population
covered by a GP is much larger in West Bengal, roughly 10,000. The GPs are subdivided
into electoral wards or “Gram Sansads.” The electoral wards may coincide with the village
boundaries, but larger villages may be divided into several electoral wards.
2) The land revenue systems are traditionally different. Much of the bureaucratic
administrative structures in India originate from the colonial revenue collection system,and there are significant differences among regions which have historically belonged todifferent systems. On the one hand, Maharashtra is part of the erstwhile temporarily
settled or ryotwari areas that were cadastrally surveyed, and where a land revenue officer(patwari) collects and revises village-level land records annually. On the other hand, West
Bengal is part of the erstwhile permanently settled or zamindari areas that were cadastrally
surveyed, but where no village-level agency exists for assessment and collection of land2

revenue. The revenue administrative officials— a line of hierarchy from District Collector
to Tehsildar and patwari under the Revenue Department— has greater administrative
powers and responsibilities in Maharashtra than their counterparts in the Land and Land
Reforms Department in West Bengal. The revenue administrative officials in Maharashtra
have extensive powers and responsibilities in domains other than land revenue assessment
and collection.
3) The Maharashtra State government has traditionally placed emphasis on districts as basic
units of planning and development. In fact generous amounts of resources are allocatedto the district panchayats (Zilla Parishads, ZPs) in Maharashtra. More resources wereallocated to the GP level in West Bengal than in Maharashtra.
4) Coordination mechanism between the panchayat and functionaries under different line
departments is weak in rural Maharashtra. There is, however, some coordination in West
Bengal between the Panchayat and line departments for the implementation of certain
schemes and programmes, such as an interlinked health and child care system among theGP, ICDS centre, and Block Primary Health Centre.
5) Functional domains for each level of the panchayat: Activity Mappings are substantiallydifferent between the two States.
6) The District Planning Committees (DPCs) in both States are not sufficiently functional. In
particular, the DPCs in Maharashtra are not functional as they should be under theConstitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992. A cabinet minister of the Maharashtra State
government is appointed as the “guardian minister” (Palak Mantri) for each district and is
the chairman of the DPCs. Line departments and District Rural Development Agencies(DRDAs) continue to have major control over DPCs in Maharashtra.
7) The authority of GP to carry out planning exercises was limited in Maharashtra, comparedwith West Bengal whose autonomous space in the functional domain was larger than
Maharashtra’s.
8) Poverty alleviation has traditionally been a core activity of the panchayats of West Bengal.
In Maharashtra, however, poverty alleviation has not necessarily been the focal point of
the panchayat’s expenditure.
3-2-1 Evolution of PRIs in Maharashtra and West Bengal(Maharashtra)
Maharashtra had a strong legislative tradition of Panchayats before enactment of theConstitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992. The Bombay Village Panchayat Act 1958 has
stipulated the duties, responsibilities and powers of the GP.
After the State of Maharashtra was established in May 1960, its Chief Minister Y. B.
Chavan advocated the creation of a democratic socialist State with the help of PRIs. In
pursuance of the recommendations of Balawantray Mehta Committee, the State
Government appointed the V. P. Naik Committee in 1960. The Naik Committee opted for athree-tier structure like that of the Balawantray Mehta Committee. But unlike the3Balawantray Mehta Committee, it suggested that the Zilla Parishads (ZPs) be all-powerful inthe hierarchical structure of Panchayats. It recommended the devolution of power oftaxation and disbursement of development funds to the ZPs. Thereafter, the Maharashtra
Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1961 was enacted. As GPs had already been in
existence under the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958, the three-tier panchayati raj
system in the state was introduced, with the GP at the bottom, Panchayat Samiti (PS) at the
middle, and ZP at the top.1 Maharashtra is one of the few States which has actually legislated
for the panchayati raj system in the wake of Balwantrai Mehta Committee report of 1957
(Mathew, 1994).
In 1974, the State Government, placing emphasis on the district as a basic unit ofplanning and development established District Planning and Development Councils(DPDCs). Under the 74th Amendment, the DPDCs were dissolved in 1999. However, theMaharashtra State Development Report stated that the District Planning Committees(DPCs) as per the provision prescribed under Article 243 ZD (1) of the Constitution has not
yet been constituted like that of West Bengal and many other states.2
The first elections for the ZPs and PSs were held in 1962, and then in 1967, 1972
and 1979. After a lapse of thirteen years, elections were then held in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007,
and 2010.
(West Bengal)
West Bengal has a long tradition of rural local self-government. During the British era,
Chowkidari Panchayats were set up in 1870 in groups of villages, mainly for maintenance oflaw and order. In 1885, with Bengal Local Self-government Act, a system of District Boards,
sub-divisional Local Boards and Union Committees of village clusters was set up. The Royal
Commission on Decentralization (1907-1909) recommended a little more autonomy for the
local self-government institutions and the Bengal Village Self-government Act, 1919 waspassed, merging Chowkidari Union and Union Committee in the newly created Union Board
at the village level. This set-up lasted until the 1950s.
On the basis of the recommendations of the Balwantray Mehta Committee, theWest Bengal Panchayat Act, 1957 was passed, setting up a two-tier Panchayat system at thevillage and union levels. The West Bengal Zilla Parishads Act, 1963 added two tiers at theblock and district levels, thus creating a four-tier structure of Zilla Parishad, Anchalik
Parishad, Anchal Panchayat and Gram Panchayat in the State.
A further initiative was taken to frame a consolidated piece of legislation, whichbecame the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973, paving the way for a three-tier system with
Zilla Parishad at the district level, Panchayati Samiti at the block level and Gram Panchayat at
1

Planning Commission of the Government of India, Maharashtra State Development Report, Academic Foundation, 2007, p.
246.
2Planning Commission of the Government of India, Maharashtra State Development Report, Academic Foundation, 2007, p.
247.

4

the anchal (cluster of villages) level.
The first panchayat election under the Act was held in June 1978 and since thenpanchayat general elections have been held every five years since 1983.
3-2-2 PRIs in Maharashtra and West Bengal under the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992
3-2-2-1 State governments and PRIs in Maharashtra and West Bengal
In accordance with the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, the Legislature of bothStates, by law, endow the PRIs with such powers and authority to function as institutions ofself-government.
In Maharashtra, the Bombay Village Panchayat Act, 1958, and the Maharashtra
Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 were amended. At the State level the
Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department (RDD) is headed by the Secretary.
The West Bengal Panchayati Raj Act, 1973 was amended. At the State level the
Panchayat and Rural Development Department (P&RDD) was headed by a Principal
Secretary who exercises administrative control over the PRIs.
Even the devolution of functions listed in the Bombay Village Panchayats Act,
1958 and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 is still controversial in
the Government of Maharashtra. In a meeting of all departmental Secretaries in June 5, 2005,“it was considered that it would not be feasible to devolve subjects/functions, such as land
improvement, land consolidation, dairy development, small industries, rural electrification,
including distribution of electricity and public distribution system, listed in the Schedule
XI.”3 The Government of Maharashtra argued so notwithstanding the fact that some ofthem were already covered by the Schedules in the Acts of 1958 and 1961.
The P&RDD in West Bengal has reformed4 the panchayat system and supported
its rural development with a special focus on poverty alleviation. A roadmap for the
panchayats in West Bengal was provided by the P&RDD5 and its annual administrative
3

Avinash Chander Report on District Planning: Status and Way Forward, Socio-Economic Research Division of Planning
Commission, 2008, pp. 9-10 <http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/sereport/ser/ser_distplan.pdf > Retrieved on 30
November 2014.
4

The P&RDD listed need-based reforms as follows; (a) Gram Sansad at village level, Block Sansad at Panchayat Samiti
level and Zilla Sansad at Zilla Parishad level, (b) District Council at each Zilla Parishad headed by the leader of the
opposition, (c) Gram Unnayan Samiti at the Gram Sansad level, (d) Institutional involvement of opposition members in theStanding Committees of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti and in the Finance and Planning Sub-Committee of Gram
Panchayat, (e) Determination of principles of subsidiarity for each tier of Panchayats, (f) Mapping of activities to be
performed by three tier Panchayats falling under 28 subjects (out of 29) listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitutionof India, (g) Empowering the Standing Committees and Sub-Committees to prepare and implement their own work planand budget, (h) Opening Panchayat Window in the State Budget by the departments who have substantial flow of fund to
Panchayats, (i) Annual selfevaluation of all the three tier Panchayat bodies through score-based schedules for assessment of
their performances and providing incentive grant to the best performing Gram Panchayat in each Block, to the best
performing Panchayat Samiti in each District and to the best performing Zilla Parishad in the state separately under twoheads – (1) institutional functioning and good governance and (2) mobilization of revenue and utilization of resources on
the basis of validated scores of self-evaluation and (j) Double entry system of accounting for all the three tier Panchayats.
[Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Roadmap for the Panchayats in West Bengal: A
Vision Document, 2009]5

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009).

5

reports are available in the public domain. 6 Even a critical review by the State FinanceCommission of West Bengal on the panchayat system is available.7 However, similar efforts
are not found in public domain in Maharashtra.
3-2-2-2 Geographical Coverage of PRIs at each level
As shown in Table 4, two States are similar in their rural population, 61,556,074 in
Maharashtra and 62,183,113 in West Bengal, on the Census of India 2011. The numbers of
inhabited villages in two States are also similar: 40,959 in Maharashtra and 37,469 in West
Bengal in 2011. However, geographical coverage of their panchayats for population andvillages at each level is quite different. Especially, GPs in Maharashtra cover around 2,000
inhabitants, whereas those in West Bengal cover more than 17,000 on average. This occurs
because GP in Maharashtra usually covers only one or two villages, whereas GP in West
Bengal is usually based on a cluster of villages. This indicates a fundamental difference in thecharacteristics of GPs in the two States. The function of GP will vary according to its scale.
For that reason, in our analysis, we sometimes compared Warwat Khanderao GP in
Maharashtra with Raina GP in West Bengal and sometimes with Bidyanidhi village in thejurisdiction of Raina GP. Some aspects of GP in Maharashtra are comparable withcorresponding aspects of a village in the jurisdiction of GP in West Bengal. We also
consulted with the block-level information of GPs to compare the two GPs.
Table 4 Number of Panchayats at each level
District Panchayats
Intermediate Panchayats
Village Panchayats
Number of inhabited villages
Number of inhabited villages per Village Panchayat
Rural population (Census of India 2011)
Rural population per Village Panchayat

MAHARASHTRA
33
352
27,906
40,9591.47
61,556,047
2,206

WEST BENGAL
18
333
3,239
37,46911.57
62,183,113
19,198All INDIA
589
6,321
238,955
593,7312.48
742,490,639
3,107

Source: Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Maharashtra, Statistical Abstract of Maharashtra State 2007-08, 2010
Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Reports 2007-2008
Note: * Excluding DGHC area

The jurisdiction of Warwat Khanderao GP in Maharashtran is identical to thecensus village, “Warwat Khanderao.” Since Warwat Khanderao GP covers only one village,
the total population of the village is only 1,308 (PARI survey data 2007). Although thisvillage has three wards as constituencies to elect GP representatives (or members), thesewards neither have any independent function in the panchayati raj governance nor do they6

Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Report 2007-08, pp. 48-49 andAnnual Administrative Report 2006-07, p. 49.
7

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal, Report of the Third State Finance Commission West Bengal, 2008.

6

have an independent representative body.
However, the total population of West Bengal GP, Raina GP, is as high as 14,967(Census of India 2001). The territory of Raina GP consists of 13 census villages or mouzas.
Raina GP consists of 12 “Gram Sansads,” established in 1992 as constituencies in the GP. The
Gram Sansad is not merely a constituency for election, but also has independent roles andfunctions. A Gram Unnayan Samity (GUS: village development committee) is formed at theGram Sansad level. The GUS has several powers, including identification andimplementation of scheme and selection of beneficiaries. GP cannot ignore or refuse to act
upon any recommendation of a Gram Sansad relating to prioritization of any list of
beneficiaries or schemes or programmes if it relates to the area of the Gram Sansad. The Gram
Sansad can also record its objection to any action of the Pradhan or any other member of the
GP for failure to implement any development scheme or without popular participation. Thus,
each Gram Sansad in Raina GP is an independent political unit. Bidyanidhi village is one ofthese Gram Sansads in the Raina GP.
The three-tier system — the panchayat system at the village, intermediate anddistrict levels — is common to the PRIs in two States. On the one hand, the provision that
“There shall be constituted in every State, Panchayats at the village, intermediate and districtlevels” (Article 243B(1) of the Constitution) is a mandatory provision of the Constitution(73rd Amendment) Act, 1992.8 It cannot be different in the two States. On the other hand,the provisions in the Constitution for the devolution of powers and responsibilities to PRIs
are recommendatory and not mandatory. It is at the discretion of the Legislature of a State
which powers and responsibilities “may be” given to PRIs.9
3-2-2-3 Elected Panchayat Representatives at each level
All the seats in a panchayat “shall be” filled by persons chosen by direct election fromterritorial constituencies in the panchayat area (Article 243C(2) of the Constitution). It is amandatory provision for the State governments, so it cannot be different in the two States.10
It is also a mandatory provision for the State governments that “all elections to thePanchayts shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election
Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor (Article 243K(2) of the Constitution).”As shown in Table 5, there are more elected GP representatives in Maharashtra
than in West Bengal. The ratio of population to GP’s representative is 249:1 in Maharashtra
but 1,166:1 in West Bengal.
Table 5 also shows that relatively generous amounts of human resources are
8

However, “Notwithstanding anything in clause (1), Panchayats at the intermediate level may not be constituted in a State
having a population not exceeding twenty lakhs.” (Article 243B(2) of the Constitution)
9

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), pp. 19-20.

10

It is also a mandatory provision of the Constitution that “Every Panchayat, unless sooner dissolved under any law for
the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer.” (Article
243E(1) of the Constitution)7

allocated to the district panchayats: Zilla Parishads (ZPs) in Maharashtra. Compared to the
district panchayat (ZP), intermediate panchayat: Panchayat Samiti (PS) is given a smaller role in
Maharashtra. “In the overall structure of panchayati raj in the state, PS is given a negligiblerole. It acts almost like an agency of the ZP for all practical purposes.”11
Table 5 Number of Elected Panchayat Representatives at each level
MAHARASHTRA
WEST BENGAL
District Panchayats (Zilla Parishad [ZP])
1,951
721
Intermediate Panchayats (Panchayat Samiti [PS])
3,902
8,483
Village Panchayats (Gram Panchayat [GP])223,857
49,545The number per GP
8.0
15.3
The Population-GP’s Representative ratio
249
1,166
Source: Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Maharashtra, Statistical Abstract of Maharashtra State 2007-08, 2010
Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Reports 2007-2008(Maharashtra)
The State Election Commission in Maharashtra was established in 1994. The GP in
Maharashtra consists of not fewer than 7 and not more than 17 members (depending upon
the population) elected from wards. The intermediate panchayat (PS) consists of all directly
elected members from electoral colleges in the Block for which each electoral division isdivided into two electoral colleges. The district panchayat (ZP) is constituted of Councillors
directly elected on the basis of adult franchise from electoral divisions in the District.
(West Bengal)
The State Election Commission was constituted in 1995. The GP in West Bengal consists of
not fewer than 5 and not more than 25 members elected from wards (Gram Sansads). The PS
consists of directly elected members not exceeding three from each GP. The ZP consists ofdirectly elected members representing two from each PS.
Reservation of seats in a panchayat is a mandatory provision of the Constitution(73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 (Article 243D of the Constitution).
In both States, one-third of the seats of village panchayat (GP), intermediatepanchayat (PS) and district panchayat (ZP) are reserved for women (including reserved seats
for SC and ST women). Reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)have been provided in the State Acts in proportion to their population within the total
population. Maharashtra has also provided for 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward
Classes (OBCs).
Table 6: Number of Elected Representatives at the GP level

11

Planning Commission of the Government of India (2007), p. 247.

8

Maharashtra
West Bengal

Total No.
Percentage
Total No.
Percentage

General172,370
77.00
31,42563.42

SC24,62410.99
14,49229.25

ST26,863
12.00
3628
7.32

Total
223,857
100.0049,545100.00

Women
75,148
33.56
18150
36.63

Source:In both States, the chairman and deputy chairman of each level of the PRI areelected from the directly elected members. The administrative staff in charge of each level ofthe PRI support them.
At the GP level, the sarpanch and the upa-sarpanch are elected from amongst theelected members for a five-year term in Maharashtra. In West Bengal, the Pradhan and the
upa-Pradhan are elected from amongst the elected members for a five-year term.
As a result, many local leaders are appearing on the political stage in both States.
3-2-2-4 Administrative staff of the Panchayat
Each level of PRI in two States has its own administrative staff. However, as far as the
GP-level administration is concerned, we found an obvious manpower shortage in Warwat
Khanderao GP.
(Maharashtra)
At the GP level, the Gram Sevak serves on the administrative staff in Maharashtra. Bombay
Village Panchayat Act 1958 provides for appointment of Panchayat Secretary (Gram Sevak)
for a group of panchayats based on size and population of the villages. The expenditure onsalaries of employees in GP is to be borne equally by the State Government and theconcerned GP.
Warwat Khanderao GP faced a shortage of administrators. Warwat Khanderao
GP does not have any permanent staff apart from the Gram Sevak. A parent of a childunregistered in the Civil Registration System told us that the Gram Sevak (the official
Registrar) of Warwat Khanderao is not at the panchayat office every day. The Gram Sevak
stays at Warwat Khanderao only two days a week. He exercises jurisdiction over three villages.
The Warwat Khanderao GP hires a peon to help the administrative work of the Gram Sevak.
(West Bengal)
In West Bengal, permanent staff such as Executive Assistant, Job Assistant (Nirman Sahayak),Secretary, Sahayaks and GP Karmees serve as administrative staff for the GP. Funds areprovided by the State government for establishment costs including salaries and pensions of
the employees of Panchayat bodies.
9The Gram Sansad, a sub-GP body in West Bengal, does not have its own
administrative staff.
3-2-2-5 Coordination Mechanism between the panchayat and line departments
Apart from administrative staff in GPs, there are some village-level functionaries under theline departments, which include ICDS (Anganwadi) workers, Auxiliary Nursing Midwives(ANMs), health supervisors and school teachers. There is also a patwari office in Warwat
Khanderao, as Maharashtra is a part of the erstwhile temporarily settled or ryotwari areas
where a land revenue officer (patwari) collects and revises village-level land records annually.
Instead of patwari, there is a Revenue Inspector (R.I.) in Raina, who maintains land records.
(Maharashtra)
According to the amendment made in the Bombay Village Panchayat Act (No. 3 and No. 27
of 2003), all officials working at the village level and non-government organisations fallunder the control of GP. Unless exempted by the Gram Sabha, all Government,semi-Government and Panchayat employees are required to attend the meetings of the Gram
Sabha. The Gram Sabha has disciplinary control over the Government, semi-Government andPanchayat employees working in the village. The Gram Sabha shall report to the concerned
Block Development Officer any irregularities committed by those employees. Therefore, thevillage level functionaries in Warwat Khanderao— land revenue officer (patwari), ANM,ICDS (Anganwadi) workers, school teachers etc.— are statutorily under the control of the GP.
However, there is presently no institutional mechanism to coordinate them except
for personal effort by sarpanch or panchayat members. The only village-level functionaries forwhich the GP has a coordination mechanism are ICDS (Anganwadi) workers. The Warwat
Khanderao GP has sub-committees (Mahila Baal Samiti and Bal Vikas Samiti) to coordinate
activities of the ICDS but they are, at present, not functional. Before 2008, the Gram Siksha
Committee was formed at Warwat Khandrao as a GP’s sub-committee keeping Sarpanch as
the president. However, under the Right to Education Act, 2009, the concept and formationof the Gram Shiksha Committee has been scrapped.
The Expert Committee on BSLLD points out in its pilot survey in Maharashtrathat these outside agencies “send periodical reports to their respective controlling officers
and there is no formal arrangement for sharing the information with the Panchayat and it has
no role in monitoring the activities of these functionaries.” The Committee states:
There is no formal data sharing mechanisms between different agencies working at Gram
Panchayat, Tehsil or District levels. In fact there are multiple lines of control and reporting
mechanisms. In the case of revenue officials, the line of reporting is from village officer (Talati)
to the Circle Officer, Tehsildar and District Collector. The channels of reporting in the case ofdifferent functionaries at Gram Panchayat, Block Development Office and District Panchayat
Office are through the respective line of control of the respective departments. The reports

10being received by different departments are generally not being integrated at any stage.12

Although the coordination mechanism between the GP and line departments is
not strong in Warwat Khanderao, the Block Development Officer (BDO) is expected tocoordinate the activities of these line departments. According to our interview with the BDO
of Sangrampur, Buldana District, Maharashtra,13 several extension officers (“sector planning
officers”) at the block are to report to the BDO on the planning and implementation ofschemes of other departments (such as health, education, agriculture, animal husbandry)
done by the department officials. However, according to the BDO, while the BDO is theexecutive officer for all matters related to the panchayat, the Tehsildar is the Programme
Officer for all programmes under the Ministry of Rural Development. Thus, the power ofthe BDO is limited.
Among these multiple lines of control, a line of hierarchy of revenue officials—
patwari, Tehsildar and District Collector under the Revenue Department — has the mostsweeping administrative powers in Maharashtra. At the sub-district level in Maharashtra there
are two overlapping administrative units: the block and the tehsil. The block is thedevelopment administrative unit while tehsil is the revenue administrative unit. The BDO
represents the block level administration and the Tehsildar represents the tehsil level
administration. Unlike West Bengal, where the administrative duties of the Block Land andLand Reform Officer (BLLRO) is restricted to the areas of land reforms and land revenues
only, the Tehsildars in Maharashtra wield greater administrative powers. In addition to therevenue administrative duties, the Tahsildar is responsible “to the Collector and the
Sub-Divisional Officer whom he has to keep constantly informed of all political happenings,
outbreak of epidemics and other matters in the area within his jurisdiction. He generally
helps or guides the officers of other departments in the execution of their respective duties
in so far as his tahsil is concerned. ….The Tahsildar is also expected to propagate co-operative
principles in his tahsil. The Tahsildar's position in relation to the tahsil officers of otherdepartments, e. g., the station officers of the Police Department, the Sub-Registrar, theRange Forest Officer, Medical Officer, Postmaster, etc., is not definable.” 14Thus, coordination between the panchayat and functionaries under different line
12

Central Statistical Organisation (2006), p. 25. For example, “Though the jurisdiction of the Block Development Officeis the same as Tehsil, both the Block Development Officer and the Tehsildar have two different Offices.”

13Interview at the BDO of Sangrampur on April 25, 2014.

14<http://akola.nic.in/gazetteers/maharashtra/gen_admin_tahsildar.html> Retrieved on 30 November 2014. “In
addition to the duties mentioned above, the Tahsildar is responsible to the Collector and the Sub-Divisional Officer whom
he has to keep constantly informed of all political happenings, out break of epidemics and other matters in the area within
his jurisdiction. He generally helps or guides the officers of other departments in the execution of their respective duties inso far as his tahsil is concerned. He is responsible for holding the cattle census. The Tahsildar is also expected to propagate
co-operative principles in his tahsil. The Tahsildar's position in relation to the tahsil officers of other departments, e. g., thestation officers of the Police Department, the Sub-Registrar, the Range Forest Officer, Medical Officer, Postmaster, etc., isnot definable. Though they are not subordinate to him they are grouped round him and are expected to help and co-operatewith him in their spheres. …Though the Tahsildar is not expected to work directly for local bodies he is usually the principal
source of the Collector's information about them.”

11departments is weak in rural Maharashtra. As a strong coordination mechanism is notinstitutionalized in Warwat Khanderao GP, the personal efforts of the sarpanch, who had anability to coordinate them and knew the situation well, were indispensable.
(West Bengal)
There is a coordination mechanism in West Bengal among village-level activities under
different line departments. The regular meeting of GP level functionaries, known as the“Fourth Saturday Meeting” has been institutionalized. 15 The members of the GP’s
subcommittee (Upa-Samiti) on Education and Public Heath, functionaries of Health andFamily Welfare Department, field level functionaries of the ICDS programme under Womenand Child Development & Social Welfare Department and representatives of SHGs meet on
the fourth Saturday of every month to review issues pertaining to public health. The meeting
ensures close coordination among the ICDS supervisor, the ANM and Health Supervisorand GP officials.16
Convergence of the Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) with the
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is alsodone in West Bengal, with the assistance of the SHGs for improving the implementation of
the MGNREGS.17
3-2-2-6 Gram Sabhas“Gram Sabha” is a body of persons registered in the electoral roll relating to a village
comprised within the area of panchayat at the village level.18 “A Gram Sabha may exercise
such powers and perform such functions at the village level as the Legislature of a State may,by law, provide (Article 243A of the Constitution).” This provision of the Constitution isrecommendatory and not mandatory for the State governments.19 It is at the discretion of
the Legislature of each State. Powers and functions of Gram Sabhas may be different between

15

Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Report 2007-08, pp. 48-49 andAnnual Administrative Report 2006-07, p. 49.
16

Bhaskar Chakrabarti, Raghabendra Chattopadhyay and Suman Nath (2011) give warning against weakening of
coordination between the Panchayats and line departments. “In West Bengal, a state in eastern India, where the Panchayats
were revitalised before the constitutional amendment, the initial years were marked by strong coordination between the
Panchayats and other departments, especially land and agriculture, making West Bengal a ‘model’ case for the Panchayats.
However, where service delivery through the Panchayats has been criticised in recent years, the disjuncture between
Panchayats and the line departments is a cause for alarm.” [Bhaskar Chakrabarti, Raghabendra Chattopadhyay and Suman
Nath, Local Governments in Rural West Bengal, India and their Coordination with Line Departments, Commonwealth Journalof Local Governance, Issue 8/9: May-November 2011. <http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/cjlg>]

17

Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Report 2008-09, pp. 95-97

18

Article 243 of the Constitution.

19

However, it is a directive principle of India that “The State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow
them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government.” (Article
40 of the Constitution)

12the two States. The State governments can limit the role of Gram Sabhas.20 However, Gram
Sabhas are statutorily given extensive powers in Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Each Gram Sabhas in the two States has several standing committees. In addition,
Gram Sabhas in West Bengal have Gram Sansads under them. Each Gram Sansad has a Gram
Unnayan Samiti as its executive committee.
(Maharashtra)Gram Sabhas in Maharashtra enjoy extensive powers under Section 7 of the Bombay Village
Panchayat Act 1958 as amended in 2003. Six meetings of the Gram Sabha must be held every
year. At least 15 per cent of the members of the Gram Sabha or 100 persons -- whichever isless -- shall constitute a quorum for the meeting of Gram Sabha.
Unlike in West Bengal, in Maharashtra it is mandatory to convene the women
members of the Gram Sabha (the Village Mahila Sabha meeting) before every regular meetingof the Gram Sabha.
A panchayat is required to obtain permission of the Gram Sabha for any
expenditure on development. The Gram Sabha is also authorised to approve the social or
economic development plan or any projects to be implemented by the panchayat. The Gram
Sabha has the power to select beneficiaries for individual beneficiary schemes of the State or
the Central government.
In Maharashtra, all officials working at the village level and in non-governmentorganisations have been statutorily brought under the control of GP. Unless exempted by theGram Sabha, all the Government, semi-Government and Panchayat employees are required toattend the meetings of the Gram Sabha.
The Gram Sabha in Maharashtra may constitute sub-committees for issues under
Article 49 of the Bombay Village Panchayat Act, 1958. For example, the following
committees have been formed in the Warwat Khanderao GP. Two panchayat members are
members of each committee.
a) Tantamukti Committee (to resolve civil disputes among villagers)b) Dakshyta Committee (to take care of ration shops in the village)c) Shiksha Committee (to take care of educational issues in the village)d) Bal Vikas Samiti (to look after children’s welfare in the village)e) Swachchhta Samiti (to look after sanitation and hygiene).
These sub-committees are not always functional. For example, the sarpanch, Aganwadi Worker
and some parents of students belong to the Bal Vikas Samiti, and they are supposed to meet
every three months, but this committee is, according to sarpanch, not held in Warwat

20“The State Governments have taken full advantage of this ‘non-mandatory’ nature of the constitutional provision.
Devolution varying widely across States has generally remained weak in most of the States, as a result.” [Third State FinanceCommission of West Bengal (2008), pp. 19-20.]

13

Khanderao.21(West Bengal)
In West Bengal the quorum for meetings of the Gram Sabha (GP General Meeting) is 1/20thof the total electorate. In the absence of quorum, the meeting will be adjourned and the
adjourned meeting shall be reconvened after seven days, but no quorum is required for an
adjourned meeting of the Gram Sabha.
West Bengal has a legislated system of standing committees within each level ofpanchayat, which ensures that all decisions are taken collectively. As for GP, the following
sub-committees (Upa-Samitis) are constituted:(i) Finance and Planning (Artha O Parikalpana)(ii) Agriculture and Animal Resources Development (Krishi O Pranisampad Bikas)(iii) Education and Public Health (Siksha O Janasasthya)(iv) Women & Child Development and Social Welfare (Nari, Sishu Unnayan O Saniaj
Kalyan)(v) Industries and Infrastructure (Shilpa O Parikathama)
Each committee has a convener selected from the panchayat members. The panchayat
Pradhan and the Upa-pradhan can convene the Finance and Planning Committee.
Sub-committees have wide-ranging powers, which include preparing proposals for executionof a scheme within the budgetary provisions of the GP. The Pradhan shall not sanction any
fund for a scheme, programme or project without considering the views of the members of
the sub-committees to whom powers have been delegated by the GP with respect to such
scheme, programme or project. The Upa-Samitis are authorised to call for information andinspect immovable property of the GP or any work in progress.
The sub-GP level body in West Bengal -- the Gram Sansad -- was established in
1992, and has several powers as an independent political unit. Two meetings of the Gram
Sansad in a year are mandatory – the annual meeting in May and the half-yearly meeting inNovember. For annual and half-yearly meeting of Gram Sansads, the attendance of 10 per
cent of the electors pertaining to the constituency shall form a quorum. In the absence ofquorum the meeting will be adjourned and reconvened seven days later. Attendance of 5 percent of electors is necessary for quorum.
The recommendations of the Gram Sansad are placed before the Gram Sabha for
21“However, it was evident during the study that the committee system is quite weak and unable to take decisions, hence
the decision making processes in the village, is dominated by Sarpanch and Gram Sevak in combination.” [Ravi Deshpandeand Marcella D’Souza, Panchayat Raj on the Ground Issues in Village-Level Panchayat Raj Operation, Watershed Organization Trust,
2009, p. 47.] “The representation in committees is more symbolic than substantial, as most of the members of thecommittees were not able to describe their duties, role and responsibilities.” [Ibid., p. 48] WOTR conducted a study of thefunctioning of the PRIs in 12 villages, three each in the regions of North Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Western
Maharashtra during the year 2007.

14

consideration and approval. The decisions of Gram Sansad on the priority lists ofbeneficiaries and development schemes within the Gram Sansad area are final and cannot bequestioned even by the GP, unless they violate the law or specific government orders.
Provision was made for constitution of the Gram Unnayan Samiti (GUS, or village
development committee) through the 2003 amendment of the Panchayat Act forstrengthening decentralisation. A Gram Sansad constitutes a GUS as an executive committeewith jurisdiction over its area. The GUS is responsible for ensuring public participation in
implementation and equitable distribution of benefits of rural development programmes
within its jurisdiction. The GUS have been entrusted with preparing village-level plans of theGram Sansad, which shall be the basis of the GP’s plan and also be implemented by the Gram
Sansad. The GP cannot ignore or refuse to act upon any recommendation of a Gram Sansad
relating to prioritization of any list of beneficiaries or schemes or programmes. The GUS iscomprised of an elected member or members to the GP from the Gram Sansad, theopposition candidate obtaining the second-highest number of votes in the previous GP
election, three representatives of NGOs/CBOs, three representatives of active SHGs withat least two members from women-led SHGs, one serving or retired Government employee,
one serving or retired teacher (all being voters of the area, so members of the Gram Sansad),and another 10 members or one per cent of the total number of members of Gram Sansad
whichever is higher.
3-2-2-7 Devolution of Functions to PRIs and GPs: Activity Mapping
As mentioned previously, devolution of functions to PRIs is at the discretion of theLegislature of each State. The constitutional provisions regarding the functional devolution
are recommendatory and not mandatory. As far as the two States are concerned, most of thesubjects included in the Schedule XI of the Constitution have been legislatively devolved tothe three levels of panchayats through their Acts.22 Some administrative staff of the BDO
and the GP in two States had a notion of Activity Mapping—unbundling these subjects into
smaller units of work and thereafter assigning these units to different levels of government
to delineate their functional domains.23 However, the actual status of Activity Mapping on
the ground is substantially different in the two States.
(Maharashtra)
According to the second Administrative Reforms Commission, there has not been muchprogress on activity mapping in Maharashtra.24 However, functional devolution from the22

However, “15. Non-conventional Energy Sources” has been omitteed from the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958
and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961.
23

Government of India, Second Administrative Reforms Commission, Sixth Report on Local Governance – An Inspiring Journey
into the Future, 2007, p. 146.
24

Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2007), p. 142.

15

State Government to its PRIs was once done in Maharashtra under the Bombay Village
Panchayat Act, 1958 and the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961.
Almost all the subjects (except Non-conventional Energy Sources) under Schedule XI of theConstitution have already been covered within the Schedules of the Acts of 1958 and 196125.
Delineation of functions assigned to each level of the panchayats is provided in the following
Schedules:i) Those assigned to Gram Panchayat (GP) are provided in the Schedule I (Village
List) of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958 (Section 45)ii) Those assigned to Panchayat Samiti (PS) are provided in the Schedules II of theMaharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 (Section 100)iii) Those assigned to Zilla Parishad (ZP) are provided in the Schedules I of theMaharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 (Section 101)
Since they pre-date the Schedule XI of the Constitution, the categorisation of assigned
subjects in the Schedules the Acts of 1958 and 1961 is different from that in Schedule XI of
the Constitution. However, Activity Mapping is considered almost legislated in Maharashtrawith such different categorisation through the Acts of 1958 and 1961. In fact the Gram Sevak
of Warwat Khanderao showed us the statute book of the Act of 1958, when we asked him
about the Activity Mapping. Schedule I (Village List) of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act,
1958 (Section 45) is as follows:
Subjects of Activities including Development Activities
Agriculture
1. Making arrangement for co-operative management of lands and other resources invillage, organisation of collective co-operative farming.
2. Improvement of agriculture (including provision of implements and stores) andestablishment of model agricultural farms.
3. Bringing under cultivation waste and fallow lands vested by Government in thepanchayats.
4. Reclamation of waste land and bringing waste land under cultivation with the previous
permission of the State Government.
5. Establishment and maintenance of nurseries for production of improved seeds andencouraging their use.
6. Crop experiments.
7. Crop protection
25

Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) states that “However, as of March 2009, the State Government had
transferred only 214 schemes pertaining to 15 functions to the PRIs and 3.53 lakh functionaries had been transferred toperform the functions of ZPs. Out of 214 schemes, 78 schemes with 15171 functionaries and 16 schemes without
functionaries had been transferred (November 2000 to September 2002) after 73rd constitutional amendment.”[Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG), Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, pp. 4-5.

16

8. Ensuring conservation of manurial resources, preparing compost and sale of manure.
9. Securing minimum standards of cultivation in the village with a view to increasing
agricultural production.
10. Assistance in the implementation of land reform schemes.
11. Establishment of granaries.
Animal Husbandry
12. Improvement of cattle and cattle breed ding and general care of livestock.
Forests
13. Raising, preservation, improvement and regulation of the use of village forests andgrazing lands including lands assigned under section 28 of the Indian Forests Act, 1927.
Social Welfare
14. Relief of the crippled, destitute and the sick.
15. Promotion of social and moral welfare of the village including promotion ofprohibition, the removal of untouchability, amelioration of the condition of backward
classes, eradication of corruption and the discouragement of gambling and uselesslitigation.
16. Women's and Children's organisation and welfare.
Education
17. Spread of education.
18. Other educational and cultural objects.
26[18-A. Maintenance and Repairs of Primary School Buildings
27[vesting for the time being in the Zilla Parishad.]
19. Provision of equipment and playgrounds for schools.
20. Adult literacy centres, libraries and reading rooms.
21. Rural Insurance.
Medical and Public Health
22. Providing medical relief.
23. Maternity and child welfare.
24. Preservation and improvement of public health.
25. Taking of measures to prevent outbreak, spread or recurrence of any infectious
disease.
26. Encouragement of human and animal vaccination.
26

Entry 18-A was inserted in 1971.

27

These words were substituted for the words “which may be vesting in the Zilla Parishad or Panchayat Samiti” in 1977.

17

27. Regulation by licensing or otherwise of tea, coffee and milk shops.
28. Construction and maintenance or control of slaughter houses.
29. Cleansing of public roads, drains, bunds, tanks and wells (other than tanks and wells
used for irrigation) and other public places or works.
30. Reclaiming of unhealthy localities.
31. Removal of rubbish heaps, jungle, growth, prickly pear, filling in of disused wells,
insanitary ponds, pools, ditches, pits or hollows, prevention of water-logging in
irrigated areas and other improvements sanitary conditions.
32. Construction and maintenance of public latrines.
33. Sanitation, conservancy, prevention and abatement of nuisance and disposal of
unclaimed corpses and carcasses of dead animals.
34. 28* * * * *]35. excavation, cleansing and maintenance of ponds for the supply of water to animals.
36. Management and control of bathing or washing ghats which are not managed by any
authority.
37. Provision, maintenance and regulation of burning and burial grounds.
Building and Communications
38. Maintenance and regulation of the use of public buildings, tanks and wells (other thantanks and wells used for irrigation) vesting in or under the control of the panchayats.
39. Removal of obstruction and projections in public streets or places and in sites, notbeing private property, which are open to the public whether such sites are vested in thepanchayat or belong to Government 29[removal of unauthorised cultivation of any cropon any grazing land or any other land not being private property].
40. Construction, maintenance and repair of public roads, drains, bunds and bridges:
Provided that, if the roads, drains, bunds and bridges vest in any other publicauthority such works shall not be undertaken without the consent of the authority.
41. Planting of tress along roads, in market places and other public places and theirmaintenance and preservation.
42. Provision and maintenance of playgrounds, public parks and camping grounds.
43. Construction and maintenance of dharmashalas.
44. Extension of village sites and regulation of buildings in accordance with suchprinciples as may be prescribed.
45. Lighting of the village.
Irrigation

46. Minor irrigation.
28

Entry 34 was deleted in 1997.

29

These words were added in 1970.

18

Industries and Cottage Industries
47. Promotion, improvement and encouragement of cottage and village industries.
Co-operation
48. Organisation of credit societies and Multi-purpose co-operative societies.
49. Promotion of co-operative farming.
Self-Defence and Village Defence
50. Watch and ward of the village:
Provided that the cost of watch and ward shall be levied and recovered by the panchayat
from such person in the village, and in such manner, as may be prescribed.
51. Village Volunteer Force and Defence Labour Bank.
52. Rendering assistance in extinguishing fires and protecting life and property when fireoccurs.
53. Regulating, checking and abating of offensive or dangerous trades or practices.
General Administration
54. Preparation, maintenance and up-keep of panchayat records.
55. Numbering of premises.
56. Registration of births, deaths and marriages in such manner and in such form as may
be laid down by Government by general or special order in this behalf.
57. Collection of land revenue 30[when entrusted by the State Government under] section
169.
58. Maintenance of village records relating to land revenue in such manner and in suchform as may be prescribed from time to time by or under any law relating to land
revenue.
59. Preparation of plans for the development of the village.
60. Drawing up of programmes for increasing the output of agriculture andnon-agricultural produce in the village.
61. Preparation of the statement showing requirement of supplies and finances needed forcarrying out rural development schemes.
62. Establishment, control and management of cattle pounds.
63. Destruction of stray and ownerless dogs and pigs.
64. Disposal of unclaimed cattle.
65. Construction and maintenance of houses for the conservancy staff of the panchayat.
66. Reporting to proper authorities village complaints which are not removable by thepanchayat.
30

These words were substituted for the words “to the extent provided under” in 1965.

19

67. Making Surveys.
68. Acting as a channel through which assistance given by the Central or State
Government for any purpose reaches the village.
69. Establishment, maintenance and regulation of fairs, pilgrimages and festivals.
70. Establishment and maintenance of markets, provided no market shall be establishedwithout prior permission of the Zilla Parishad.
71. Control of fairs, bazars, tonga stands and car stands.
72. Establishment and maintenance of warehouses.
73. Establishment and maintenance of works or the provision of employment in time of
scarcity.
31[73-A. Provision of employment to needy local persons seeking manual work under'any scheme for employment guarantee undertaken or adopted by, or transferred to,the panchayat.]
74. Preparation of statistics of unemployment.
75. Assistance to the residents when any natural calamity occurs.
76. Organising voluntary labour for community works and works for the uplift of thevillage.
77. Opening fair price shops.
78. Control of cattle stands, threshing floors, grazing grounds and community lands. .
32[79. Securing 33[or continuing] postal facilities of experimental post offices In thevillage by providing for payment of non-refundable contribution to the Posts andTelegraphs Department, wherever necessary.]
In addition to the subjects of activities in the Schedule I (Village List), a water supply scheme
was added to the duties of the panchayat in 1981 (Section 45 of the Bombay Village
Panchayats Act, 1958).
Nevertheless, the devolution of functions listed in the Bombay Village Panchayats
Act, 1958 and Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961 is still
controversial even in the Government of Maharashtra. As mentioned previously, it wasreviewed by the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, in a meeting of all
departmental Secretaries on June 5, 2005, and as a result of the meeting, “it was consideredthat it would not be feasible to devolve subjects/functions, such as land improvement, landconsolidation, dairy development, small industries, rural electrification, including distributionof electricity and public distribution system, listed in the Schedule XI.”34 The Government
31

Entry 73-A was added in 1970.

32

Entry 79 was added in 1969.

33

These words were inserted in 1970.

34

Avinash Chander Report on District Planning: Status and Way Forward, Socio-Economic Research Division of Planning
Commission, 2008, pp. 9-10 < http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/sereport/ser/ser_distplan.pdf >2014.5.3

20

of Maharashtra argued so notwithstanding the fact that some of them have already been
covered by the Schedules in the Acts of 1958 and 1961. For example, items such as“assistance in implementation of land reforms schemes” have been listed under the head of“Agriculture” in the above Schedule (Village List) of the Act of 1958.
In addition, according to the Maharashtra State Development Report, many
schemes are only partially transferred to the PRIs. “The Line Departments and District Rural
Development Agencies continue to have major control over the planning andimplementation of the schemes. The PRIs mostly act as the delivery units.” 35 Besides,
revenue officials — patwari, Tehsildar and District Collector under the Revenue Department— has extensive administrative powers in Maharashtra.
Therefore, the problem is the situation on the ground. The situation on the
ground in the Warwat Khanderao village was sometimes different from what was envisaged
in the Village List. We conducted an interview at Warwat Khanderao about each GP
function.36 We asked about the actual status of activities assigned to the Warwat Khanderao
GP. We used the GP-level activities in the Activity Mapping of West Bengal (Table 7-1) as apoint of reference, because the Activity Mapping of West Bengal follows almost the same
categorisation of subjects listed in the Schedule XI of the Constitution. The result of theinterviews was as follows:37
With regard to subject 1: “Agriculture, including agricultural extension” in the
Schedule XI of the Constitution, a) distribution of subsidised inputs is done mainly by
Agricultural Department, though beneficiary selection for this task is activity assigned to GP
in West Bengal. In Warwat Khanderao subsidised pesticides and machines are furnished byPanchayat Samiti (PS). They are distributed on the basis of recommendation of Panchayat
Samiti members or Zila Parishad (ZP) members. After preparing the list, PS informs it of GP,
and then PS distributes them to the people in the list. b) Crop estimation for PS is done by
the Patwari, Gram Sevak, Sarpanch and “Police Patel.” Krishi Sahayak from State Agriculture
Department signs the documents, and the GP forwards the document to the Tehsildar.
With regard to subject 2: “Land improvement, soil conservation and land reform”,
vested land or other land is distributed by Tehsildar. The GP sometimes suggests it.
With regard to subject 3: “Minor irrigation, water management and watersheddevelopment”, a) for all matters of minor irrigation, the GP is responsible for the basic
formalities such as filling forms and attaching documents. These documents are then sent to
the PS, which forwards them to the District Collector. The rest of the work is done by theoffice of the District Collector. b) For watershed development, Panlot Kshetra Committee
35

Planning Commission of the Government of India (2007), p. 251.

36

Interview at Warwat Khanderao on August 2011.

37

Where no information comparable to a subject in the Activity Mapping of West Bengal, we do not include the subject inour discussion. Hence some subject numbers are missing in our discussion in this section.

21

(Watershed Area Committee) works under the GP and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK or
agriculture science centre). KVK selects the village. Work such as bunding for controlling
water, making and maintaining bunds, watershed management are done under this schemeand payment is made by the Panlot Samiti (Village Watershed Committee). The Panlot Samiti is
elected by the GP and then approved by the Gram Sabha. The Lekha Samiti (committee foraccounts) prepares the budget for maintaining bunds, watersheds and the like. The work issupervised by the KVK.
With regard to subject 4: “Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry”, beneficiaries
of schemes are identified by Tehsildar (though the activity is assigned to GP in West Bengal).
People apply for funds under the scheme to Tehsildar. The Tehsildar chooses a beneficiary andgives responsibility for distribution to a separate agency such as veterinarian, which
distributes benefits on the basis of the number of animals owned by each beneficiary. PS
sometimes prepares the notice. A drum-beater makes the announcement.
With regard to subject 10: “Rural housing”, the GP sends PS the list of people
who do not have houses. The PS selects the beneficiaries of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) fromthis list. There are 171 IAY buildings in the village. IAY houses are allotted to those people
who reported not having a house in the BPL census survey.
With regard to subject 11: “Drinking water”, all responsibilities rest with the GP.
GP decides the beneficiaries of the paani parota yojana. There is an accountant for the scheme.
Engineer gives the estimate of expenses and gives it to one another committee Lekha Samiti,
and then Lekha Samiti decides budget.
With regard to subject 13: “Roads, culverts, etc.”, connectivity within the GP is
assigned to the GP. The GP has to mobilise the money and then list the work to be done.
With regard to subject 14: “Rural electrification, including distribution ofelectricity”, all responsibilities rest with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB).
With regard to subject 16: “Poverty alleviation programme”, according to thesarpanch, the GP only fills the forms. All rights rest with PS.
With regard to subject 17: “Education, including primary and secondary schools”,a) monitoring schools is performed by the School Management Committee. b) Improvementof infrastructure of schools was a responsibility of the GP until 2010. It has now been given
to the School Management Committee.
With regard to subject 20: “Libraries” in the Schedule XI of the Constitution, acharitable trust own village library. The trust has a committee to deal with this matter.
With regard to subject 22: “Markets and fairs”, the GP has the authority to control
fairs and weekly markets. In fact fair (mela) tax and licence fee from weekly haat bazaars arecharged. The GP is to collect fee from shop owners as professional tax.
With regard to subject 23: “Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary
health centres and dispensaries”, the State Sanitation Scheme is implemented by the GP. The
GP prepares the priority list. The Warwat Khanderao GP was also an implementing agency
for the Grameen Sawchchhta Vibhag of the Central Government. Households which reported
22not having a toilet in the BPL census, were given Rs. 2200 under this scheme.
With regard to subject 24: “Family welfare” and subject 26: “Social welfare,including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded”, the GP is again responsible
only for the basic formalities such as filling forms and attaching documents, and the rest isdone by PS. The National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) is implemented by the Primary
Health Center under the Public Health Department. The Indira Gandhi National Old Age
Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) is implemented by patwari under Tehsildar. The Sanjay Gandhi
Niradhar Yojna and the National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) is implemented by theTehsildar.
With regard to subject 25: “Women and child development”, a) there is acommittee of the GP (Mahila Baal Samiti) for mobilising social support against
discrimination against women. The committee discusses and resolves matters related to
women and child welfare. b) Organisation of SHGs is done by NGOs. c) Construction of
ICDS (Anganwadi) centres and coordination of ICDS activities are done by the GP.
With regard to subject 27: “Welfare of the weaker sections, and in particular, of
the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes”, the GP has no specific role in theimplementation of schemes for SCs and STs. There are subsidies for buying small tractors
for SC and ST, but these are implemented by the Zilla Parishad (ZP).
With regard to subject 28: “Public distribution system” in the Schedule XI of theConstitution, a) the GP is responsible for identification of beneficiaries of Antyodaya andAnnapurna schemes. b) The GP’s sub-committee, Dakshata Committee, distributes theration cards. Along with the Food Supply Officer, it attends to complaints regarding supply
through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
With regard to subject 29: “Maintenance of community assets”, the GP has
responsibilities for them as long as they are the GP’s assets.
In this way, the Activity Mapping provided in the Schedule I (Village List) of theBombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958 is, namely, “de jure Activity Mapping”, and its situationon the ground revealed in our interview was somewhat different from what was envisaged inthe Village List. As argued by sarpanch, some responsibilities of Warwat Khanderao GP arejust the basic formalities such as filling forms. Central and State schemes have only a cursory
and token linkage with Warwat Khanderao GP. The actual status of activities assigned to the
Warwat Khanderao GP is an example of “de facto Activity Mapping” in Maharashtra.
As seen from the de facto Activity Mapping, the authority of Warwat Khanderao
GP to carry out the village-level schemes is not as great as the authority provided in the
Village List. Moreover, the Sarpanch complained that the State Government is slowly taking
rights away from GPs and giving them to PSs. It cannot always be explained by advantage ofscale, even though the scale of Warwat Khanderao GP is certainly much smaller than GPs inWest Bengal. Some functions not devolved to the Warwat Khanderao GP in Maharashtra arefunctions assigned to the sub-GP bodies, Gram Sansads in West Bengal. For example,
23

beneficiary selection for IAY is made through Gram Sansads in West Bengal, while the final
decisions are made by PS for Warwat Khanderao GP in Maharashtra. The scale of Gram
Sansads (rural wards) under Raina GP in West Bengal is often smaller than Warwat
Khanderao GP in Maharashtra.
Actual status of Activity Mapping for Warwat Khanderao GP is, therefore,
considerably different from what was envisaged in the Village List of the Bombay Village
Panchayats Act, 1958. To take an example, functions actually assigned to GP to discharge
responsibilities of “1. Agriculture” in the Schedule XI is considerably limited, compared withfunctions statutorily assigned to GP for “Agriculture” in the Village List of the Bombay
Village Panchayats Act, 1958, which includes activities such as “1. Making arrangement for
co-operative management of lands and other resources in village, organisation of collective
co-operative farming” and “2. Improvement of agriculture (including provision of
implements and stores) and establishment of model agricultural farms”. Functions indicatedin the Village List of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958 are the duty “so far as thevillage fund at its disposal will allow” (Section 45 of the Act), so that most of them are
mentioned only in the statute book.
(West Bengal)
Based on the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973 and its Amendment Act, 1994, the West
Bengal State Government has devolved all 29 functions listed in the Schedule XI of theConstitution, to the three levels of panchayats. The functional transfer to the different levelsof the panchayat bodies has been clarified through an Activity Mapping exercise (executive
order No. 6102 / PN / O / dated 7. 11. 2005, and No. 3969 / PN / O / dated 25. 07. 2006,
and No. 4769/PN/O/ dated 29. 10. 2007).38
In West Bengal, the focus of development activities has shifted towards the
GP-level in the decentralization process.39 Activities assigned to GP in West Bengal are more
plentiful than those in Maharashtra. According to the Activity Mapping40 in West Bengal as
shown in Table 7-1, functions assigned to the GPs in the State are as follows:
With regard to subject 1: “Agriculture, including agricultural extension” in the
Schedule XI of the Constitution, (i) beneficiary selection for distribution of minikits/seeds/
equipment at subsidized prices, (ii) awareness campaign and wide publicity among farmers,

38

However, the Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal criticized that all the 16 Departments have not issued
formal notifications published in the official gazette as required for functional transfers under section 207B of West Bengal
Panchayat (Amendment) Act, 1994, arguing that “even this limited effort has not been translated into action”. See Third
State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), pp. 21-22.

39

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 134.

40

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), Annexure XII: “Activity Mapping worked out by P & RD
Department”.

24and (iii) estimation of need based requirement of seeds for the management of agrifarm arefunctions assigned to GPs. In Raina, whenever the Agricultural Department distributes
minikits, fertilizers, seeds and other benefit, it informs the GP specifying the number ofbeneficiaries to select from each GP or Gram Sansad. The GP informs the Gram Sansads of it.
The beneficiaries are selected by the GUSs.
With regard to subject 2: “Land improvement, soil conservation and land reform”,
identification of beneficiary to distribute vested land to the landless people is a function
assigned to GPs. In Raina, GUSs identify projects in the Action Plans for land improvement.
Based on these Action Plans, the GP prepares estimates and sends project proposal to theBlock that approves the budget and sends funds to the GP. The GP implements the project.
For the land reform, the Block Land and Land Reform Office declares vested land. The GUS
selects beneficiary for granting title deed.
With regard to subject 3: “Minor irrigation, water management and watersheddevelopment”, (i) identification of locations for projects and beneficiaries for thedevelopment of Minor Irrigation system, (ii) construction of percolation tanks, fieldchannels within the GP, and (iii) maintaining Minor Irrigation schemes concerning deep
tubewells and cluster of shallow tubewells, and collecting water charges through User
Committee for new projects handed over to the PRI are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subjects 4: “Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry”, (i)beneficiary selection for different animal husbandry, dairy and poultry schemes, (ii) breed
up-gradation through distribution of improved variety birds/small animals to farmers, (iii)
providing facility of hatching to rear birds and small animals, (iv) vaccination of animals
against epidemic, and (v) execution of artificial insemination with the help of Prani Bandhu atfixed price are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subjects 5: “Fisheries”, (i) identification of beneficiaries and theirponds/open cast pit, (ii) identification & selection of derelict/semi-derelict tanks, holding
awareness camp, (iii) supply of lime and minikits, and (iv) improvement of tanks forpisciculture are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 6: “Social forestry and farm forestry”, (i) to establish
nursery for supply of samplings and seedlings and (ii) selection of sites for plantation andexecution of the work through SHGs/GUSs are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 7: “Minor forest produce”, (i) maintenance of social
forestry through SHGs/GUSs, and (ii) distribution of sale proceeds to SHG/GUSs arefunctions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 8: “Small scale industries, including food processing
industries”, identification of micro-enterprise/entrepreneurs is a function assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 9: “Khadi, village and cottage industries”, (i) groupformation & selection of activities for development of micro-enterprise, (ii) identification oftraining need for skill development training and of its beneficiaries, (iii) motivation of ruralartisans, and (iv) organization of awareness camp at GP level to assist in accessing credit
25

from financial institutions by artisans are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 10: “Rural housing”, (i) beneficiary selection in the meetingof Gram Sansad for housing scheme, and (ii) distribution of fund to individuals are functions
assigned to GPs. In Raina, IAY beneficiaries are selected from BPL survey list.
With regard to subject 11: “Drinking water”, (i) identification of schemes andlocations, (ii) construction of wells, tanks, tube wells (ordinary hand pump), and (iii) repair oftube wells and periodical chlorination of open wells and disinfection of tube wells arefunctions assigned to GPs. In Raina, the GUSs mobilize people to participate in the
Sajaldhara scheme. The households to benefit from the scheme have to pay 10 per cent of thetotal cost of installation of the drinking water tank and pipelines. Once a location is selected,
the construction agency undertakes project planning and construction work. Panchayat
monitors the project, but has no direct responsibilities.
With regard to subject 12: “Fuel and fodder”, (i) awareness generation and wide
publicity for promotion of biogas plant, (ii) augmentation of fodder production throughdistribution of minikits/seeds/manure to farmers, and (3) field demonstration to farmers,
are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 13: “Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and othermeans of communication”, construction and upgradation of roads/culverts (not exceedingRs. 2.00 lakhs) for connectivity between villages within the GP are functions assigned to theGP.
With regard to subject 14: “Rural electrification, including distribution ofelectricity”, (i) issuance of certificate by Pradhan for electrification of mouzas, (ii)mobilization of consumers through authorized franchisees of WBSEB (SHGs) for
connectivity to households, (iii) awareness generation regarding efficient management ofenergy, and (iv) demonstration of energy saving devices in GP office are functions assigned
to GPs.
With regard to subject 15: “Non-conventional energy sources”, (i) identificationof potential consumers of alternative sources of energy, and (ii) organizing awareness campfor harnessing alternative sources of energy including biofuel are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 16: “Poverty alleviation programme”, (i) planning &implementation of works/schemes under SGRY not exceeding Rs.2.00 lakh, (ii) preparing
list of prospective workers, distribution of job cards, planning and implementation of works
under Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, (iii) identification & selection of beneficiaries
for IAY through Gram Sansad, handing over fund to beneficiaries, (iv) identification of
beneficiaries for NOAPS through Gram Sansad and handing over pension to each beneficiary,(v) identification of beneficiaries under NFBS through Gram Sansad, recommending names
to PS, releasing fund to beneficiaries through A/C payee cheque, (vi) awareness camp &motivation of people for sanitary toilets; listing of names for construction of toilets andhanding over it to Sanitary Mart, meeting with teachers & members of Village Education
Committee for school sanitation are functions assigned to GPs.
26

With regard to subject 17: “Education, including primary and secondary schools”,(i) identification of mouzas/hamlets without schools for opening Sishu Siksha Karmasuchi(SSK)/Madhyamik Siksha Karmasuchi (MSK) and sending proposal to the PS, (ii) constructionof SSK/MSK through own fund/SGRY/Untied fund/local contribution and fund received
from the PS, and (iii) to supervise attendance of teachers and students, quality of
mid-day-meal, distribution of books are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 19: “Adult and non-formal education”, (i) publicity andsupervision of Adult High Schools to impart education up to Madhyamik level to interested
adult learners who are not enrolled in any formal school, (ii) regular contact withliterates/neo-literates for attendance in Continuing Education Centre are functions assigned
to GPs.
With regard to subject 20: “Libraries”, (i) establishment and maintenance oflibraries and reading rooms and supervision of the activities of Rural Libraries/Community
Library cum Information Centre (CLIC), (ii) sending copies of guidelines/booklets for all
development programs, Annual Report/Budget/Annual Plan of GP and information onsocial issues to Rural Library/CLIC for general information of public are functions assigned
to GPs.
With regard to subject 21: “Cultural activities”, (i) wide publicity/campaign andselection of venue, (ii) selection of venue for folk festival and identification of participants,and (iii) distribution of entry tickets/cards for film show are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 22: “Markets and fairs”, (i) management of hat/bazaar
transferred to GP, and (ii) construction and regulation of markets, holding and regulation offairs, melas and hats and exhibition of local produce & products of local handicrafts/homeindustries by State Government are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 23: “Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary
health centres and dispensaries”, (i) maintenance of sub-centres, (ii) local purchase ofnon-medical items required by the sub-centers as may be authorized by the Health andFamily Welfare Department, (iii) involving Self-Help Groups in monitoring community
health, and (iv) disease surveillance to pre-empt outbreak, preventive measures against spreadof communicable diseases are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 24: “Family welfare”, (i) mobilization of people foruniversal immunization including pulse polio program, (ii) promoting planned family norms
and practices to assist people in adopting family planning measures through efficient
functioning of sub centres, and (iii) awareness camp for family planning and sterilization arefunctions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 25: “Women and child development”, and partly withregard to subject 27:41 “Welfare of the weaker sections, and in particular, of the Scheduled
41

These activities are mapped separately to subject: “Women and Child Development” and subject: “Welfare of thewomen & children” in the Activity Mapping in West Bengal. [see Third State Finance Commission West Bengal, Report of the27

Castes and the Scheduled Tribes”, (i) awareness generation in villages to motivate parents forpre-school education & immunization of their children, (ii) formation of SHGs, (iii)
recommendation of sites for Anganwadi centres and construction of Anganwadi centres, and(iv) convergence of ICDS activities and reporting of functioning of Anganwadi centres in theconvergence meeting at GP level are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 26: “Social welfare, including welfare of the handicapped
and mentally retarded”, (i) identification of beneficiaries for Kishori Shakti Yojana & Pension
Schemes, (ii) issue of BPL certificate for beneficiaries of Balika Sambriddhi Yojana, and (iii)
identification of PROFLAL beneficiaries & collection of its subscriptions are functions
assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 28: “Public distribution system”, (i) identification &selection of beneficiaries for distribution of BPL Cards, Antodaya Annya Yojana Cards &Annapurna Cards, (ii) monitoring distribution of food grains from MR Shop to thebeneficiaries, (iii) providing certificate confirming procurement of paddy from the farmers at
Minimum Support Price (MSP) are functions assigned to GPs.
With regard to subject 29: “Maintenance of community assets”, (i) maintenanceof community assets such as public tanks, ghats, public channels, reservoirs, wells, streets,
drains, culverts, lamp posts etc., (ii) construction and maintenance of sarai, dharmasala, resthouses, cattle sheds, cart stands, and protection and repair of buildings or other property
vested in it, (iii) power to acquire, hold and dispose of immovable property with the approvalof State Government, and (iv) fixing and collection of toll, fee, rate as user charges arefunctions assigned to GPs.
Similarly, activities are assigned to the PS and ZP according to this Activity
Mapping as shown in Table 7-1:
Table 7-1 Activity Mapping in West Bengal
Activity Mapping (Since redrafted) worked out by P & RD Department Status of Devolution of Functions toDifferent Tiers of Panchayats [Executive Order No. 6102/PN/O/ dated 07.11.2005 and No. 3969/ PN/O/ dated
25.07.2006 and No. 4769/PN/O/ dated 29.10.2007]
Item
Subject (as per Activities
Activities of ZP
Activities of PS
Activities of GP
No.

Schedule XI)

1Agriculture,including
Agricultural
Extension.

1. Fix target for1. Sub-allotment of
1. Distribution of
1. Beneficiary selection
distribution ofminikits/seeds/bio-f minikits/seeds/for distribution ofminikits/seeds/bioertilizer at subsidized bio-fertilizer (atminikits/seeds/equipm
fertilizer (at subsidized ent at subsidized prices
subsidized price) to
price
Panchayat Samitis for price) to Gram
Panchayats
distribution among
farmers
2. Fix target for each 2. Monitor proper and
2. Distribution oftimely distribution ofPanchayat Samiti for
Agricultural
Agricultural equipment
distribution ofequipment
Agricultural equipment on the basis oftechnical
possibilities and field

Third State Finance Commission West Bengal, 2008, Annexure XII]

28

situation

2

3

3. Awareness campaign
and wide publicity
among farmers

3. Awarenesscampaign and wide
publicity among
farmers
4.Management ofAgrifarm
1. Watershed
Land
Development
improvement,
implementation Programme/Hariyaliof land reforms, scheme covering soil
conservation,
land
irrigation,
consolidation
afforestation etc.
and soil
2. Distribution ofconservation
vested lands to thelandless people.

4. Estimation of needbased requirement ofseeds

2. (i) Pre-distribution 2. Identification ofsurvey of undistributed beneficiary foragri-land & preparation distribution of vested
landof a priority list of
beneficiaries(iii) Distribution of
patta to landless people
1. Identification of
1. Seeking technicalvetting of Executive locations for projects
Engineers through ZP and beneficiaries
for MI schemes beyond
the competence ofPanchayat Samitis &joint supervision/monitoring of
progress of theschemes

Minor irrigation, 1. Development ofwater
Minor Irrigation
management and systemwatersheddevelopment.

2. Construction oftanks and fieldchannels
3. Management of
deep TWs and clusterof shallow tubewells
4. Watershed Dev.
Program
4

Animalhusbandry,
dairying andpoultry

4. Watershed Dev.
Program / Hariyali
Scheme1. To identify
beneficiaries ofdifferent A.H, dairy
and poultry schemes.
2. Breed up-gradation 2. Distribution ofthrough distribution improved variety ofof improved variety livestock to Blocks
livestock
3. Rearing of birds
and small animals –Family scheme andindividual scheme
4. Vaccination
Program
5. Artificial
Insemination
Program

2. Construction of
percolation tanks, fieldchannels within the GP
3. Maintaining MI
schemes, collecting
water charges throughUser Committee for
new projects handed
over to PRI
1. Beneficiary selection
for different schemes

2. Collection of
2. Distribution of
improved variety of
improved variety
livestock from Dist.
birds/small animals to
Farm and determining farmers andscale of distribution toGPs
3. Providing facility ofhatching

4. Drawing up action 4. Monitoring of the 4. Vaccination ofplan for Vaccination
situation to prevent
animals against
program for the district outbreak of epidemic epidemic
5. Action plan for
5. Monitoring of
5. Execution of
Artificial Insemination Artificial Insemination Artificial Insemination
program for the district program; identifying with the help of Prani

29

5

6

Fisheries

1. Identification of
beneficiaries/ponds/
derelict/semi derelicttanks

2. Action plan for all
2. Organizing
training & awareness sorts of training andawareness camp in
camp
consultation with theAsst. Director of
Fisheries
3. Allocation of fund,
3. Distribution ofkind components forminikits
3. Helping the fish Blocks
farmers to accesscredit from financial
institutions
4. Improvement oftanks for fish
cultivation
Social forestry
1. To establish
and farm forestry nurseries for the
supply of saplings
and seedlings
2. Execution of social
forestry projects in
waste lands and roadsides

Minor forest
produce

1. Maintenance ofsocial forestry
through SHG/GUS
for livelihood

Small scaleindustries,
including foodprocessing
industries.

9

Khadi, village
and cottage
industries

4. Excavation of tank 4. Improvement oftanks for pisciculture
1. To establish Nurseryfor supply of saplings
and seedlings
2. Selection of sites forplantation andexecution of the workthrough SHGs/Gram
Unnayan Samitis

2. From sale proceeds
the GP will get a shareto recoup actual
expenditure. Thebalance amount will go
to SHG/GUS for
livelihood
1. Identification of
microenterprise/
entrepreneurs

2. Distribution ofsale proceeds to
SHG/GUS8

3. Credit access to fish
farmers from financial
institutions

3. Supply of lime andminikits

3. Establishing
Progeny Nursery for
fruit bearing trees
Distribution of inputs 1. Maintenance offor microenterprise like Social Forestry throughSal-leaf plate making, SHGs/Gram Unnayan
saplings of fruit trees Samitis.
and providing
assistance for income
generating activities

3. Establishingprogeny nursery
7

problem areas andBandhu at fixed pricecovering gap
1. (i)Identification of
1. Approval of
beneficiaries/ponds/ beneficiaries and theiropen cast pit / derelict ponds/open cast pit/semi-derelict tanks for (ii)Identification &selection of derelict/pisciculturesemi-derelict tanks
2. Holding awareness
2. Organization oftraining and selection campof training venue

1. Development of 1. Organization of
1. Selection ofsmall enterprises and Entrepreneur dev.
trainees/venue forprogramentrepreneurs
training program
2. Skill dev. Training 2. Organizing skill
2. Selection ofdevelopment training entrepreneurs for
programprogramtraining
3. Organizing credit 3. Co-ordination
3. Developing micro
between entrepreneurs enterprise / self
facility
and financial
enterprise with bankinstitutions for credit credit
linkage
1. Identification of 1. Action plan for
1. Selection of
1. Group formation &beneficiaries, Group development oftrainees/venue for skill selection of activities
formation
microenterprisedev. training program
2. To arrange training
2. Identification of

30

10

11

12

13

Rural housing

Drinking watertraining need for skill
dev. training andbeneficiaries

for skilldevelopment/
upgradation ofartisans
3. Motivation ofartisans
4. To assist inaccessing credit fromfin. Institutions byartisans
1. Beneficiary
selection for Housing
scheme2. Financial assistanceto beneficiaries
3. Monitoring andsupervision

4. Accessing credit
from financial
institutions

3. Motivation of ruralartisans
4. Organization ofawareness camp at GP
level
1. Beneficiary selectionin the meeting of Gram
Sansad
2. Distribution of fundto individuals

3. Monitoring andsupervision

1. Identification ofschemes, locations
2. Formulating major
2. Formulation ofprojects and schemes water supply schemes(Pipe water supply)

1. Identification ofschemes and locations

2. Selection of location& beneficiaries for pipewater scheme inconsultation with GPs
3. Technical approval 3. Technical approval 3. Seeking technicalof schemes beyond the approval from Zillaof schemes
Parishad for projects
competence of
beyond thePanchayat Samitis
competence ofPanchayat Samitis
4. Construction of
4. Execution of
4. Execution of
4. Execution ofwells, tanks, Tube Wells
schemesschemes beyond theschemes(DTW/Mark-II / Tara (Ordinary Hand Pump)
competence ofHand Pump) beyond
Panchayat Samitis
the competence ofGram Panchayats
5. Repair of TWs and
5. Handing over
5. Maintenance andscheme to GP / User periodical chlorination
periodical
Committee for day to of open wells anddisinfection
disinfection of Tube
day maintenancewells
1. To provide assistance 1. Awareness
Fuel and fodder 1. Promotion ofgeneration and wideand supervision inbiogas plant Training
construction of biogas publicity
in the construction
plantof smokeless chullas.
2. (i) Supply of minikits
to different GPs and 2. (i) Distribution of
2. Augmentation of 2. (i) Fixing scale ofminikits/seeds/manure
fixing scale of
Fodder Production distribution ofthrough distribution minikits/seeds/manure distribution of minikits to farmers;(ii) Field demonstration
per GP;of minikits, sale of per block;to farmers
seeds, Kishan Bon, (ii) Policy decision on (ii) Monitoring &purchase of seeds and supervising
Fodderdemonstration etc. sub-allotment of fund distribution of minikits
and sale of seeds toto different Blocks
farmers
Roads, culverts, Planning,bridges, ferries, construction,waterways and upgradation of roads,
other means of culverts:
communication 1. For connectivity 1. Construction &between Blocks and upgradation of
district roads.
roads/culverts
exceeding Rs.10.00
lakhs
2. Construction &2. For connectivity

31

upgradation ofroads/culverts
amounting to Rs. 2.00–
10.00 lakhwithin Block andbetween GPs.
3.Connectivity
between villages
within the GP (WBM
& earthen roads).
4.Bridges
14

15

3. Construction &upgradation ofroads/culverts notexceeding Rs. 2.00 lakhs

4. Construction ofbridge1. Issuance of
1. Issuance ofcertificate by Pradhan
certificate regardingfor electrification ofelectrification ofmouzasmouzas
2. To ensure
2. Preparation of a 2. Preparation of amaster plan for linking coordinated effort
master plan fordifferent mouzas with between Panchayat
linking different
mouzas with network WBSEDCL network vis-à-vis other Depts.
in respect ofdevelopment ofelectricity
infrastructure
3. Mobilization of
3. Organizing
3. mobilization ofworkshop / seminar at consumers throughconsumers
authorized franchisees
Block level forawareness generation of WBSEB (SHGs) for
connectivity tohouseholds
4. Identification of 4. Identification ofsuitable graded SHGs
graded SHGs
through DRDC andNari O Sishu Unnayan
Sthayee Samiti andcapacity building of
SHGs for working as
franchisees of
WBSEDCL
5. Demonstration of 5. Awareness
5. Energy
energy saving devices generation regarding
management
efficient managementin Panchayat Samiti
of energy
Office6.Demonstration of
6. Energy saving
devices &energy saving devices indemonstration of
GP officemodels7. Monitoring
7. Monitoring
constitution of
constitution ofLicensing Board in Licensing Board in thethe dist. for issuance dist. for issuance of
licenseof license
Non-convention 1. Identification of
1. Identification ofal energy sources potential consumers
potential consumers ofalternative sources ofenergy2. extending technical
2. Technical &and financial assistancefinancial assistancefor installation offor installation of
Biogas in potential
Bio-gas in potential
households
households
3. Dev. of
3. Dev. of
demonstration model
demonstration modelof biogas, alternativeof Biogas
sources of energy,
biofuel for publicity
Ruralelectrification,
including
distribution ofelectricity

32

4. Dev. of energy
park

16

Poverty
alleviation
programme

17

Education,
includingprimary andsecondaryschools

4. Dev. of energy parkfor demonstration ofvarious alternative
sources of energy &biofuel5. Awareness
5. Organizing
5. Organizing
generation forworkshop/seminar toawareness camp forharnessing alternative emphasize the need ofharnessing alternative
harnessing alternative
sources of energy
sources of energy
sources of energy
including biofuel
including biofuel
1. Planning &1. Planning and
Planning , beneficiary 1. Planning andimplementation of
implementation of
implementation of
selection andimplementation of works/schemes under works/schemes under works/schemes under
SGRY between Rs.
SGRY not exceeding(a) SGRY, (b) REGS, SGRY exceeding
2.00 lakh–10.00 lakh Rs.2.00 lakh(c) SGSY, (d) IAY, (e) Rs.10.00 lakh
2. Approval of action 2. Preparing list of
NOAPS, (f) NFBS, 2. To inform Stateplan and schemes
Govt. for giving
prospective workers,(g) TSC etc..
under REGS
unemployment
distribution of job
assistance under REGS,
cards, Planning andreceipt of fund from
implementation ofState Govt. & allotment
works under REGS
of fund to BDOs,
sending U.Cs to State
Govt.
3. To allot fund under 3. Monitoring and3. Identification &IAY to GPs, to ensure supervision of IAY
selection ofprogram, collection of beneficiaries for IAY
expenditure of 3%
fund for handicapped report and U.C from all through Gram Sansad,
GPs and sending to ZP handing over fund to
persons and sending
compiled report ofbeneficiaries
fund utilization to State
4. Approval of names
Govt.
of pensioners under 4. Identification of
NOAPS received from beneficiaries forGP
NOAPS through Gram
Sansad and handing
over pension to each
5. Sending names ofbeneficiary
beneficiaries under
5. Identification of
NFBS to SDO for
beneficiaries underapproval
NFBS through Gram
Sansad, recommending
names to Panchayat
Samiti, releasing fund tobeneficiaries through6. Selection of NGO A/C payee cheque
6. Release of fund to for running Sanitary
6. Awareness camp &Panchayat Samitis for Mart and organizing motivation of people
awareness camp
capacity building,for sanitary toilets;
through NGO / Club listing of names fororganizing Sanitary/Voluntary
Marts & awarenessconstruction of toilets
Organization for total and handing over it tocampaign
sanitation
Sanitary Mart. Meetingwith teachers &members of VEC forschool sanitation
1. Identification of
1. Collection of
1. Identification of 1. Identification ofschoolless mouzas/
proposals for new
schoolless mouzas/ schoolless mouzas/
hamlets in district for SSK/MSK from GPs hamlets for opening
hamlets
preparation of status and sending the plan to SSK/MSK and sending
proposal to PS
reportZP for approval
2. Construction of
2. Preparation of action 2. Construction of
2. Organising
SSK/MSK throughplan for organizing
SSK/MSK fromalternative school
SSK/MSK in district. SGRY/RIDF/Untied own fund/SGRY/
education: Sishu
Untied fund/local
fund/OSR etc.
Siksha Karmasuchi

33

18

19

20

contribution and fundand Madhyamik
received from PS
Siksha Karmasuchi–
Improvement of theinfrastructure ofschool building,
toilet, kitchen etc..
3. To supervise
3. Collection of
3. Supervision/
3. Information
monitoring and report information through attendance of teachers
collection/and students, quality of
EMIS & DISE andcollection throughsupervision/
analysis of information mid-day-meal,
monitoring through DISE
distribution of books
EMIS & DISE
4. Fund release for 4. Release of fund forsalary of teachers ofsalary of teachers
SSK/MSK
1. Publicity and1. Publicity and1. Consideration of
1. To impart
Adult andproposal for opening Supervision of Adult Supervision of Adult
education up to
non-formalHigh Schools.
High Schools.
Madhyamik level to of new Adult High
education
School. (To beinterested Adult
learners who are not forwarded to the MEE
Dept. /Dte. withenrolled in any
recommendation orformal school
otherwise)
2. Regular contact with
2. Planning, Monitoring 2. Monitoring &2. Monitoring &Literates/ Neo-literates& Supervision by the supervision ofsupervision ofZilla Saksharata Samiti Continuing Education for attendance inContinuing
Continuing Education
CentreEducation Centres
CentreLibraries
1. Establishment and 1. Supervision of the 1. Supervision of the 1. Establishment andactivities of District
activities of Sponsored maintenance of
maintenance oflibraries and reading
Libraries
libraries and reading Libraries
rooms and supervision
rooms andof the activities ofsupervision of the
Rural Libraries / CLIC
activities of Rural
Libraries
2. Sending copies of
2. Sending to
2. Dissemination of 2. Sending to Dist.
Sponsored Library for guidelines/booklets for
information on Rural Library for general
information of public general information of all development
Development
programs, Annual(i) copies ofpublicPrograms/social
Report/Budget/
guidelines/booklets for (i) copies ofissues / locallyall development
guidelines/booklets for Annual Plan of GP andavailable resources/functioning of PRIs programs (ii) Annual all development
information on social
Report/Budget/
programs
issues to Rural
Annual Plan of ZP
Library/CLIC for(ii) copy of Annual
general information of(iii) information on
Report/Budget/
publicsocial issues
Annual Plan of PS(iii) information onsocial issues
3. Disbursement of
3. Disbursement ofsalary to organizer ofsalary to organizer of
CLIC
*CLIC
4. Audit of CLIC by
4. Audit of CLIC by
PAAO
#PAAO
*CLIC -Community
Library cum
Information Centre#PAAO – Panchayat
Audit & Accounts
Officer
Cultural activities 1. Celebration of red 1. Selection of Block 1. Liaison with GPs for 1. Wideorganization ofand release of fundpublicity/campaign andletter days
program / Campaign selection of venue
2. Selection of theme 2. Selection of GP for 2. Selection of venue
2. Organization oforganization of folk
for folk festival
for festival andfolk festival
festival and providing identification of
infrastructural support participants34

3. Workshop on
Tagoresongs,
Nazrul-songs,
folksongs
4. Selection of film
for each block

21

22

23

24

3. Supply of Musicalinstruments andselection of teacher

4. Contact with Cinema 4. Contact with schools 4. Distribution of entry
tickets / cards
Hall owners and fixing for publicity among
up time for film show students
1. Management of
1. Management of
1. Management ofMarkets and fairs 1. Management of
Hat/Bazar transferred Hat/Bazar/transferred Hat/Bazar/transferred
Hat/Bazar up to 5
to ZP by State Govt. to PS by State Govt. to GP by State Govt.
acre area.
2. To provide licence 2. Issuance of licenceto hold a fair or mela to hold a fair or mela
3. To issue licence for3. To issue licence forestablishing hat or
hat or market
market
4. Construction and4. To hold hats and 4. Acquire and maintainregulation of markets,village markets, fairs village hats and markets
holding and regulationof fairs, melas and hatsand exhibition of local
produce & products oflocal handicrafts/ homeindustries
1. Maintenance of Sub1. Maintenance of
1. Maintenance of
Health andCentres
BPHC & PHC
subcentres/BPHC/P
sanitation,
HC/Dist. Hospital
including
2. Procuring materials 2. Lifting of materials 2. Local Purchase of 2. Local Purchase of
hospitals,
nonmedical items
from State Hqtrs and non-medical items
primary health and distribution
required by the PHCs required by the
supply to different
centres andand BPHCs as may be sub-centers as may beblocksdispensaries
authorized by H&FW authorized by H&FW
Department
Department
3. Monitoring and3. Involving Self-Help
3. Compilation of
3. Compilation ofsupervision ofmonthly reports from Groups in monitoring
reports and returns
service delivery
from Block-level and Sub-centers and GPs, community healthsystemanalysis for monitoring and analysis formonitoring crucial
crucial public healthpublic health indicators
indicators
4. Involving
4. Disease surveillance
4. Planning and4. Developing IEC
community inorganization for IEC to pre-empt outbreak,materials
promotive andpreventive measures
activities
preventive health careagainst spread ofmanagement
communicable diseases
1. Implementation of 1. Mobilization of
1. Fund allotment,
Family welfare 1. Universal
immunization
monitoring andimmunization
people forprogramme
including Pulse polio supervision of
immunization
immunization program
Programincluding pulse polio
2. Promotion of
2. To assist people in 2. Development of
2. Promoting planned
Institutional delivery family norms andinfrastructure for
adopting familyplanning measures Institutional delivery
practices
through efficient
functioning of sub
centres andsupervision of healthworkers work.
3. Organizing
3. Organization of
3. Awareness camp forsterilization camp forsterilization campfamily planning andeligible couple
sterilization
4. Organizing training
4. Training of Dai
of Traditional Birth
Attendants (Dai)
1. Mobilizing social 1. Selection of
1. Recommendation of 1. Awareness
Women andgeneration in villages tosupport against social beneficiaries forbeneficiaries forChildevils discriminating Non-institutional care Noninstitutional care motivate parents forDevelopment

35

pre-school education &immunization of theirchildren
2. Formation of SHGs 2. Formation of SHGs
2. Formation of
2. Monitoring& providing training
SHGs
formation of SHGs,
for key activities andproviding financial
assistance and creating group management
marketing support for
SHGs
1. Recommendation of 1. Identification of
1. Identification ofnames of beneficiaries beneficiaries forbeneficiaries forfor Pension Schemes to Kishori Shakti Yojana
Social Welfare
the DM for approval & Pension Schemes
Schemes.
2. Issue of BPL
2. Issue of BPL
certificate forcertificate for Balika
beneficiaries of Balika
Sambriddhi Yojana
Sambriddhi Yojana
3. Maintenance of
PROFLAL accounts 3. Identification of
3. Identification of 3. Sanction andbeneficiaries forallotment of fund for and payment of money PROFLAL
PROFLAL (PF for payment to beneficiary on maturity of scheme beneficiaries &or death of beneficiary collection oflandless agri
subscription
labourers) scheme
1. Construction of
1. Supervision of
1. Recommendation ofAnganwadi Centres
construction ofsites for Anganwadi
Anganwadi Centers
Centers andconstruction ofAnganwadi Centers
2. Monitoring &2. Monitoring &2. Convergence ofSupervision ofSupervision of
ICDS activities andProgrammes andreporting ofAnganwadi centres andconvergence offunctioning of
convergence of
ICDS activities
Anganwadi Centers inactivities
the convergencemeeting at GP level
1. Preparation of list of 1. Identification &1. Identification of 1. Approval of
beneficiaries for BPL selection of
beneficiary list
beneficiaries ofbeneficiaries for
cards
Antyoday anddistribution of BPL
Annapurna schemes
Cards, Antodaya Annya
Yojana Cards &Annapurna Cards
2. Monitoring
2. Monitoring lifting of 2. Monitoring
2. Lifting of food
distribution of food
food grains from FCI distribution of foodgrains from FCI
grains to MR Dealers grains from MR Shopto the beneficiaries
3. Monitoring
3. Distribution of
preparation andration cards
distribution of Ration
Cards
4. Providing certificate
4. Selection of
4. Selection of
Farmers’ Co-operative confirming
Farmers’ Cooperative
Societies for purchase procurement of paddy
Societies
from the farmers atof paddy
Minimum Support
Price (MSP)
5. Fixing up target for 5. Fixing up target foreach Rice Mill
each Rice Mill6. Milling of paddy 6. Monitoring millingand storing of rice of paddy and storing ofrice in Godowns
1. Maintenance of
1. Development and 1. Manage or maintain 1. Management andcommunity assets such
maintenance of any
any institution formaintenance ofas public tanks, ghats,
institution for
public assets, such as, promotion of
public channels,buildings, shopping livelihood, education, promotion ofhealth, communication, livelihood, education, reservoirs, wells, streets,
centres, passenger
women

25

Social Welfare

26

Welfare of thewomen &
children

27

Publicdistribution
system28

Maintenance ofcommunity
assetsof children up to 18
years

36

of children up to 18
yearssheds, bathing ghats, tourism or work ofhealth, communication, drains, culverts, lamp
posts etc.
ferry ghats, tanks,
public utility including tourism or work ofcommunity centres, auditorium, dispensary, public utility including
auditoria, playground diagnostic clinic,
hat, market,
etc.
bus-stand, guest house, auditorium, bus-stand,eco-park, constructed eco-park, guest house,by it or vested in it for constructed by it orcontrol andvested in it for control
management
and management:
2. Construction andmaintenance of sarais,
dharmasalas, resthouses, cattle sheds,
cart stands, andprotection and repair ofbuildings or other
3. Fixing and collection property vested in it
3. Fixing and collection of toll, fee, rate as user 3. Fixing and collectionof toll, fee, rate as userof toll, fee, rate as user charges
chargescharges

2. Construction and 2. Management of roadmaintenance ofside land
public assets

3. Fixation andcollection ofrents/user charges

Source: Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal, Report of the Third State Finance Commission West Bengal,
2008, Annexure XII

The executive assistant of Raina GP recognised the Activity Mapping of West
Bengal. The Block Development Officer of Raina I block was aware of the Activity Mapping
and the demarcation of duties between the block office and PRIs on the subsidiarity rule.
However, he said that there is some overlap in the actual execution of duties between the twobodies. Such encroachments into each other’s responsibilities sometimes happen from actual
administrative needs and mutual cooperation, and there may sometimes be conscious
violations by officers of both bodies.42
As the State Finance Commission of West Bengal argued, executive orders withrespect to Activity Mapping were not published in the official gazette,43 even though thedevolution of funds to panchayats needs to be patterned on the Activity Mapping that
officially applies to them.
In addition, the scope of existing Activity Mapping is still limited even in West
Bengal. The Panchayat and Rural Development Department of West Bengal argued that thedevolution by most of the line departments has not yet been sufficiently carried out.
The Panchayats in the meantime gained deeper root in the rural society and started influencing
decisions of the line departments in respect of their activities, which was supervised by the various
Sthayee Samitis (Standing Committees) of the upper and the middle tier of the Panchayats.
However, there has been little formal devolution by most of the departments. 44

42Interview at Raina on February 2011.

43

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), pp. 21-22.

44

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Roadmap for the Panchayats in West Bengal: A
Vision Document, 2009, p. 10.

37

As shown in Table 7-1 and Table 7-2, the scope of the Activity Mapping of West Bengal isconsiderably limited, compared with the Activity Mapping suggested by the Task Force of
MRD of the Central Government on Devolution of Powers and Functions upon Panchayati
Raj Institutions.45 Although assigned activities shown in Table 7-2 are solely for subject 1:“Agriculture, including agricultural extension” as per the Schedule XI of the Constitution,functions assigned to different tiers of panchayats in West Bengal is far from being sufficientcompared with functions on the Activity Mapping suggested by the Task Force of MRD. The
same holds true for subjects other than “Agriculture”.46
Table 7-2 Activity Mapping for “Agriculture” suggested by the Task Forceon Devolution of Powers and Functions upon PRIs
Item-1

Activity

Agriculture,
Including
Agricultural
Extension.

1. Increasing
Agricultural
Production/
Horticulture
production/
Vegetable
Production

Zila Panchayat (ZP)i) To develop necessary
agricultural
infrastructureii) To preparecomprehensive cropplaniii) To develop andmaintain data base forcropping pattern, land
use and inputs use forplanningiv) To maintaininventory oftechnological optionsv) To propagate
adoption of newtechnologiesvi) To organise Kisan
Melas, Fairs andExhibitionsvii) To arrange awards
to best progressive
farmersviii) To protect
bio-diversity andpromote profitable
crop technologies

Distribution of Functions
Intermediate Panchayat(IP)
Gram Panchayat (GP)i) To help in crop yieldi) Estimation of crop yield
estimation throughand maintain data basemaintaining link withii) To assist in preparation
various agencies andof crop plan
GPs/farmersiii) To assist in advisingii) To advise suitable
farmers about
cropping system based
remunerative crop
on location specificactivities and crop
characteristics.
diversificationiii) To assist DP iniv) To assist in identifying
organizing Farmers fairs, progressive farmers for
Kisan Mela, etc.
adoption and diffusion ofiv) To organise on farm new technologies
verification trials andv) To help in providing
demonstration of new
custom hiring services fortechnologies
plant protection equipmentv) Reporting andand farm implements
initiating action plan for vi) To generate awarenessdifferent items
in use of organicvi) To coordinate
vermiculture, etc.
activities of field level
extension workers andofficialsvii) To act as a link
between DP and GPs
for To transfer ofknowledge andtechnologies

45

Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Report of the Task Force on Devolution of Powers and Functions upon
Panchayati Raj Institutions, 2001, pp. 47-49.

46

In this circumstance the Panchayat and Rural Development Department of West Bengal had to suggest a concept of“concurrent jurisdictions” in certain areas for panchayats and the State Government. “One can argue that those are notexclusive functions but concurrent jurisdiction of the Panchayats in taking up those activities. The considered views of theState Government is that in the present context it is more logical, pragmatic and productive to provide concurrent
jurisdictions in certain areas, which will help the Panchayats to acquire adequate capacities in voluntarily taking up those
activities or utilizing the infrastructure and expertise of the government machinery on suitable occasions; the State
Government shall in due course provide exclusive responsibilities as and when the same will be necessary and appropriate.”[Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), pp. 13-14.]38

2. Assessment
andDistribution of
Inputsi) To prepare
consolidated plan for
input requirementii) To acquire andarrange distribution of
inputs in timeiii) To improveadequate storage
facilities for inputsiv) To monitor
distribution of quality
inputsi) Assessing inputs needs
for GPs and forwarding
consolidated request toDPsii) Ensuring timely
availability of required
inputs to GPsiii) Arranging storage
and transport facilities
for inputsiv) Close monitoring of
inputs delivery systemi) To assist in assessing
needs of various inputs
such as seeds, fertilizers,
pesticides.
ii) To assist in timely
distribution of adequate
inputs to farmers

3. Credit
Supporti) Preparing credit planii) Ensure timely credit
availability and linkage
between agriculture
development and credit
institutions, andmonitor credit
mobilization.
iii) Help instrengthening ofcooperative credit
institutioni) To assist in preparing
credit planii) Ensuring timely credit
from formal institutions.
iii) Monitoring credit
delivery system.

i) To assist in assessing
credit needs of various
groups of farmers andcrops.
ii) Exercising social control
and regulating interest
areas and recovery of loans
from formal and informal
credit institutions.
iii) Help in formation of
Self-Help Groups.

4. Extension
supporti) To maintain linkage
with research andtraining organizations
and agriculture
departmentii) to ensure regular
visits of extension staff
and To help indissemination of newtechnologies.
iii) To ensure regulartraining of extension
officials for updating
their knowledge ofadvancements intechnologies.

i) to monitor the visit ofextension workers to thevillage farms.
ii) To prepare plan for
visit of extension
workers and monitor
their work.
iii) To advice andidentify extension
officials for training.
iv) To assist scientists in
identifying in local
problems for designing
their research work
relevant to local needs.
iv) Ensuring better
linkages between
farmers and extension
staff.

i) Identifying suitable plots
for conducting soil anddemonstration.
ii) Selecting farmers forparticipating in Kisan
melas and training.

5. Soil Testingi) To establish soil
testing laboratories andown itii) To monitor Soil
testing worki) To monitor soil testingworkii) To help in identifying
locations for soil testingworkiii) To help farmers for
improvement of soil
fertility as per the soil
testing resultsi) To assist technicalexperts in conducting soil
tests.
ii) To help in ensuring
feedback from sotesting tofarmers.
iii) Selection of
beneficiaries for relief of
Natural calamities anundertaking distribute ofassistance.

396. Postharvest
managementi) To establish andimprove storage
facilitiesii) To develop
marketinginfrastructure atsuitable locations.
iii) Monitoring
regulated marketingiv) To control private
traders from exploiting
farmersv) To ensure correct
weights and measures.
vi) Supervision of crop
Insurance facility.

i) Maintenance ofgodownsii) To organize Market
Committees andmaintain market yardsiii) Regular market
charges and ensure
correct weights andmeasuresiv) Ensuring quick saleof products and payment
to the farmersi) To help in organizing
farmers for group sale inbulkii) To assist in increaseawareness about better
storage facilities for seeds
and foodgrains.

7. RiskManagementi) To assess losses due
to natural calamities
and formulate
rehabilitation planii) To monitor andsupervise relief
operations.
iii) To arrange crop
insurance schemes andcoordination among
insurance agencies.
iv) Preparation ofcontingency
Agricultural Plani) To estimate crop
losses and report ofaction.
Ii) To monitor relief
operations.
iii) To help in identifying
farmers for crop
insurance schemes.
iv) To assist in providing
benefits from crop
insurance schemes.

i) Reporting of losses due
to natural calamities andrehabilitation
requirements.
ii) To supervise relief
operations and distributionof materialiii) To motivate farmers fortaking crop Insurance
schemes.
iv) To assist in theimplementation ofcontingency plan.

Source: Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, Report of the Task Force on Devolution of Powers andFunctions upon Panchayati Raj Institutions, 2001.

Unlike the Second Administrative Reforms Commission of India, the Panchayat
and Rural Development Department of West Bengal considers the Activity Mapping as an
assignment of functions “to perform tasks on behalf of the State primarily as an agent of theGovernment.”47 In fact, as observed above, major functions assigned to the GP are related to
implementation of schemes, such as identification of beneficiary, location selection, or
mobilization of people for the schemes of the Central or State government. Therefore, thePanchayat and Rural Development Department provided a “roadmap for developing various
capacities within the Panchayats so as to respond to the need-based demands of the people
and acquire more responsibilities of their own for realization of such demands, stemmingfrom the local needs and aspirations.”48
3-2-2-8 Functional Domain of GPs
The Second Administrative Reforms Commission states: 49

47

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), p. 14.

48

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), p. 13.

49

Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2007), p. 137.

40

The spirit behind the proposed scheme for decentralization of rural governance as envisaged inthe 73rd Amendment is reflected in Article 243 G and the Eleventh Schedule of theConstitution which seek to establish Panchayats as self-governing institutions entrusted with the
preparation and implementation of plans for economic development and social justice.
However, as observed earlier, in most parts of the country the intent of Article 243 G has been
ignored by denying autonomous space to local bodies. Panchayats continue to function within
the framework of what may be called a “permissive functional domain”, since very limited
functional areas have been withdrawn from the line departments of State Governments andtransferred to local bodies. Only minor civic functions have been exclusively assigned to the
local self-government bodies. All the other so-called development functions assigned to thedifferent tiers of Panchayats are actually dealt with by the line departments of State
Governments or parastatals. Resources as well as staff also remain under the control of the State
Government. Therefore, effective devolution of functions as envisaged in the Constitution has
not taken place.

(Maharashtra)
The scope of autonomous space in the functional domain of GP in Maharashtra is narrower
than that in West Bengal. GPs in Maharashtra continue to function within a “permissivefunctional domain”, for several reasons. First, the PRIs in Maharashtra act as agents of theState or the Central government for implementation of schemes. Even the chairman of eachDistrict Planning Committee (DPC) is a “guardian minister” (Palak Mantri) appointed by the
Maharashtra State Government. The District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs)—
district-level development execution and monitoring agencies through which Central
Government funds were transferred and routed under Centrally Sponsored Schemes—
continue to control those schemes. Second, a hierarchy of revenue officials— patwari,
Tehsildar and District Collector under the Revenue Department — has extensive
administrative powers in Maharashtra. Unlike West Bengal, where the administrative dutiesof the Block level Land and Land Reform officer (BLLRO) are restricted to land reforms andland revenues, the Tehsildars in Maharashtra wield greater administrative powers. Third,
within the PRIs, GPs—village-level panchayats— have limited authority over development
schemes. Moreover, as witnessed by the sarpanch of Warwat Khanderao, the State
Government is slowly taking away rights from the GPs and giving more rights to Panchayat
Samiti (PS).50
In fact, except for schemes for drinking water, roads and culverts, sanitation, ICDS,
public distribution, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme(MGNREGS) etc., most of schemes in Warwat Khanderao are implemented by otheragencies such as line departments, Tehsildar, PS and Zilla Parishad (ZP).
50

Interview with sarpanch at Warwat Khanderao in August 2011.

41

The sarpanch of Warwat Khanderao complained that the GP only fills forms forpoverty alleviation schemes and social welfare schemes. PS has responsibility for the
implementation of such schemes. According to sarpanch, the GP has no specific role in theimplementation of schemes for SCs and STs.51 As far as Warwat Khanderao is concerned,
Self-help groups (SHGs) under Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) are organised byNGO. PS implements the SGSY for Warwat Khanderao. The GP does not have a deep
commitment to activities of the SHGs.
Subsidised pesticides and machines for agriculture are distributed by the
Agricultural Department and PS. For schemes concerning minor irrigation, the GP is
responsible just for the basic formalities such as filling forms, but the rest of the work is doneby the office of the District Collector.
The Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) is implemented by the PS. The Indira Gandhi
National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) is implemented by Patwari under thesupervision of Tehsildar. The Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojna and the National Family Benefit
Scheme (NFBS) are also primarily implemented by the Tehsildar. In this way Tehsildar generally
helps or guides the officers of other departments in the execution of their respective duties
in so far as his tahsil is concerned. The GP suggests only wish lists of beneficiaries for
schemes such as the IAY and the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojna.
The Warwat Khanderao GP assists and oversees the functioning of ICDS centres,
Shishu Siksha Kendras, primary and upper primary schools. There is a committee of the GP(Mahila Baal Samiti) to hear issues related to women and child welfare.52 However, the GP assuch is not directly involved in the funding and administration of these schemes.
Improvement of infrastructure of schools was a responsibility of the GP until 2010, but it
has now been given to the School Management Committee.
At present, autonomous space in the functional domain of Warwat Khanderao
GP is limited to schemes for drinking water, roads and culverts, sanitation, ICDS, publicdistribution, MGNREGS etc. The scheme for drinking water (“paani parota yojana”) is directly
implemented by Warwat Khanderao GP. The GP determines the beneficiaries. According to
the sarpanch, under the scheme called Maharashtra Gramin Paani Parota Yojana (MGP), two
big water tanks of 18,000 litre capacity were constructed in the village. The GP also owns atubewell and 110 households were given connection from that. One tank of 5,000 litre is also
filled with this tubewell. 8 general taps were constructed. The schemes for connectivity
between villages within the GP are also carried out under the responsibility of GP. The GP
mobilises the funds and then lists the work to be done. The State Sanitation Scheme is also
implemented by GP, which prepares the priority list. Construction of ICDS (Anganwadi)
centre is a function assigned to the GP. The GP is responsible for identification of
51

Interview with sarpanch at Warwat Khanderao on August 2011.

52

According to the sarpanch, Mahila Baal Samiti does not function properly. [Interview with sarpanch at Warwat Khanderao
on October 2013.]42

beneficiaries of Antyodaya and Annapurna schemes. The Dekshata Committee under the GP
distributes ration cards to each beneficiary. Warwat Khanderao GP certainly acts as animplementing agency for the MGNREGS, but, as will be seen later, the MGNREGA Scheme
is not functional in Warwat Khanderao, partly because the wages under MGNREGA are
lower than those of agricultural work in this area.
The scope of functional domain of GP in Maharashtra is limited in comparison tothat of GP in West Bengal. It is restricted to implementation of schemes for drinking water,roads and culverts, sanitation, ICDS, MGNREGS, public distribution. For schemes such the
IAY, the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojna, minor irrigation schemes, the GP can suggest wish lists
of beneficiaries. However, the sarpanch believes that it is restricted to the basic formalities
such as completing paperwork. It is mostly restricted to such schemes as have assurance ofsome resources from the Central or the State government.
(West Bengal)
GPs in West Bengal act as implementing agencies of the State or the Centre as is the casewith GPs in Maharashtra. However, the scope of functional domain of GP in West Bengal is
not as limited as in Maharashtra. (1) Among the PRIs in West Bengal, the focus ofdevelopment activities is placed on the GP level. Numerous schemes are directly
implemented by GPs in West Bengal. GP can select such schemes for their own priorities. (2)In addition, GP in West Bengal and its Gram Sansads have some important handles tomobilise their communities using government schemes such as MGNREGA and SGSY.
Although such schemes are tied to pre-determined objectives provided by the Central
Government, they leave considerable scope for the priorities of each GP.
According to the Panchayat and Rural Development Department of West53
Bengal:In implementation of these programmes, the role of Panchayats to all intents and purposes
actually transcends mere agency function. Because of nearness to the people, they can select theright nature of schemes that will not only generate employment but create durable assets of thesociety for sustained development and for improvement of quality of life of the people. Besides,
the Panchayats are best placed to select the proper group of beneficiaries for the related
schemes and programmes with special emphasis on the disadvantaged groups of thecommunity.

The schemes implemented by GPs in West Bengal are Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar
Yojana (SGRY), MGNREGS,54 IAY, IGNOAPS, Provident Fund for Landless Agricultural
53

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), p. 14.

54

Panchayat receives grant of Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayat (ISGP) to construct community
infrastructure and buildings that cannot be otherwise constructed under NREGS. The Scheme has become functional from2010-11.

43

Labourers (PROFLAL), National Maternal Benefit Scheme (NMBS) and the State Sanitation
Programme. In each of these schemes the GP receive funds for implementation of thescheme from the government agencies. The GP is also responsible for maintaining financial
accounts for such schemes.
The GP also oversees the implementation of certain other schemes, though they
are not directly involved in their funding and administration. The GP assists in the formationand functioning of self-help groups under the SGSY, works with the Health and Family
Welfare Department to implement programmes under National Rural Health Mission, andoversees the functioning of ICDS centres, Shishu Siksha Kendras, primary and upper primaryschools.
The GP takes initiative for convergence of public health activities. GPs in West
Bengal tried to arrange monthly meetings of GP health related functionaries to discuss
activities and problems. In other words, the Fourth Saturday Meeting is held at the GP officewith the ICDS supervisor, the ANM and health supervisor, representatives of self-helpgroups (SHGs), and panchayat officials.
The GUS is responsible for implementation and monitoring of schemes at theGram Sansad level. As mentioned before, whenever the Agricultural Department distributes
minikits, fertilizers, seeds and other benefits, the Department informs the GP, specifying thenumber of beneficiaries to select from each Panchayat or Gram Sansad. When the GP
informs the Gram Sansads of it, the GUS of each Gram Sansad selects beneficiaries.
The GUS also mobilises people to participate in the Sajaldhara scheme. The
households that benefit from the Sajaldhara scheme have to pay 10 per cent of the cost of
installation of the drinking water tank and pipelines. Once a location has been selected by the
GUS, the construction agency undertakes project planning and construction work.
Unlike Warwat Khanderao GP, poverty alleviation was a core activity of Raina GP.
Poverty alleviation has been traditionally a core activity of panchayats in West Bengal.55 As
shown in Table 13, 40.2 per cent of the total schematic fund of PRIs in West Bengal was
spent on poverty alleviation in 2007-08. Panchayats in West Bengal stand in sharp contrast
with Maharashtran panchayats, where expenditure incurred on poverty alleviation isrelatively low.56
Besides, GPs in West Bengal and its Gram Sansads can utilise certain schemes suchas the MGNREGS and the SGSY schemes as a measures to mobilise their communities.
The GP is the most important unit of local government in respect of the
MGNREGS, since GP has a responsibility to prepare a development plan and maintain ashelf of possible works to be taken up under the scheme as and when demand for work
arises. According to section 16 of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

55

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), p. 9.

56

Interview with sarpanch at Warwat Khanderao on August 2011.

44

(1) The Gram Panchayat shall be responsible for identification of the projects in theGram Panchayat area to be taken up under a Scheme as per the recommendations of
the Gram Sabha and the Ward Sabhas and for executing and supervising such works.
(2) A Gram Panchayat may take up any project under a Scheme within the area of theGram Panchayat as may be sanctioned by the Programme Officer.
(3) Every Gram Panchayat shall, after considering the recommendations of the Gram
Sabha and the Ward Sabhas, prepare a development plan and maintain a shelf ofpossible works to be taken up under the Scheme as and when demand for work arises.
(4) The Gram Panchayat shall forward its proposals for the development projects
including the order of priority between different works to the Programme Officer for
scrutiny and preliminary approval prior to the commencement of the year in which itis proposed to be executed.
Under this scheme, GP can identify the projects in the GP area to be taken up under ascheme and can prepare a development plan, considering the recommendations of the Gram
Sabha and the Ward Sabhas. In this way the MGNREGS leaves scope for the priorities ofeach GP. Raina GP can mobilize its communities on the basis of this development plan. On
the other hand, in Warwat Khanderao, the MGNREGS scheme is not functional.
Raina GP and its Gram Sansads assist in the formation and functioning of SHGs
under SGSY. Raina GP and its Gram Sansads can mobilize communities utilising SHGs.
Convergence of SGSY with MGNREGS is also pursued in West Bengal, getting assistanceof the SHGs for MGNREGS.57 In contrast, Warwat Khanderao GP does not have a strong
commitment to the activities of the SHGs, since SHGs are organised by NGOs.
Although GPs in West Bengal are implementing agencies of the State or theCentre like the GP in Maharashtra, the scope of their functional domain is broader than thatin Maharashtra. The schemes such as SGRY, MGNREGS, IAY, IGNOAPS, PROFLAL,NMBS and the State Sanitation Programme were implemented by the GP in West Bengal. In
each of these schemes the GPs receive funds from the government agencies for
implementation of the scheme. The GP also takes initiative for the convergence of publichealth related activities. As far as Raina GP is concerned, we found some autonomous spacein such activity areas.
Nevertheless, the devolution of functions by most of the line departments has not
yet been carried out sufficiently even in West Bengal. It is considered a major issue in West
Bengal.58
3-2-2-9 Financial position of PRIs and GPs(Maharashtra)
57

Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Report 2008-09, pp. 95-97

58

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Roadmap for the Panchayats in West Bengal: A
Vision Document, 2009, p. 10; Panchayats and Rural Development, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Report
2007-08, pp. 13-14; Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), pp. 19-26.

45

The PRIs receive grants from the State and Central Governments. The State Government
releases grants to the ZPs, which then finance the PSs and GPs. The finances of the ZP
comprise self-raised resources like taxes, fees, cess on land revenue, assigned revenues andgrants from the State and Central Governments.
Although different sources indicate different figures for the income andexpenditure of the PRIs, 59 the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) uses data
furnished by the Rural Development Department, Government of Maharashtra (Table 8).
According to this data source, the scale of funds for PRIs is considerably larger in
Maharashtra than West Bengal. Total funds received by ZPs in Maharashtra alone are manytimes higher than total funds received in West Bengal by PRIs as a whole (see Table 11).
The government grant-in-aid constitutes about 96 per cent of total revenue of ZPs
in Maharashtra. It is reported that the share of government grants in relation to the total
revenue of the ZPs has noticeably increased. The share of the own source of revenue (OSR)at the ZP level is less than 2 per cent of total revenue in 2007-08. Large capital receipt of ZP
is also the salient feature in Maharashtra.

Table 8 Receipts and Expenditure of ZPs in Mharashtra
Year
Receipts
Total
Capital Total
Own
Government Other
revenue* Grants
revenue revenue receipts receipts
2006-07
144
7784
188
8116
2691
10807
2007-08
161
8246
183
8590
2521
11111

(Rupees in crore)
Expenditure
Revenue Capital Total
8161
8494

2314
1923

10475
10417

Source: C&AG of India, Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, p. 5.
Note: Information furnished by Rural Development Department (RDD).
* excludes opening balance

A PS does not have independent sources of revenue, as it is not considered a
corporate body. It receives block grants from the State Government through the ZP. The
PSs accounts are incorporated in their ZP’s account.
According to the data from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics ofMaharashtra,60 the average income of each GP in Buldhana district is about Rs. 5 lakhs (lessthan Rs. 4 lakhs on average of the State) 61, which includes government grants as well as
grants from the ZP and the PS. As shown in Table 9, the share of own source of revenue(OSR) in total receipt of GPs is quite large in Maharashtra, as much as 46 per cent of total

59

As mentioned before, the State Finance Commissions have in their reports repeatedly indicated low quality ofaccounting data in most States. [Twelfth Finance Commission (2004), p. 154] This is the matter of concern in §3 of Chapter
5.
60

Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Statistical Abstract of Maharashtra State 2007-08, 2010, pp. 636-637.

61

As shown in Table 4, number of GPs is 27,906 in Maharashtra.

46

receipt in 2007-08. Tax receipt of Rs. 482 crore for GPs in Maharashtra is much larger thanreceipt of Rs. 70.7 crore from “own source” for GPs in West Bengal (see Table 12). On the
one hand, the per capita OSR from GPs is much larger in Maharashtra than West Bengal,
considering that the two States have almost the same rural population (see Table 4). On theother hand about 40 per cent of the total receipts of the GPs in Maharashtra come from
grants from the State and Central Governments.
The grants allocated for Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Central Governmentand special purpose programmes of the State Governments usually have pre-determined
objectives, leaving little scope for the priorities of a GP. The large OSR enable the GP toautonomously develop and implement programmes focused on specific local problems
not often addressed by programmes from above (Centre and State). The large OSR
enables GPs to prioritize activities that meet local needs and preferences.
The OSR meets a half of the expenditure on salary of the employee in a GP in
Maharashtra. The expenditure on salary of the employee in GP is to be borne equally by theState Government and the concerned GP. In Warwat Khanderao GP, besides salaries ofworkers and officials, expenses for sewage cleaning and electricity bills are paid by this OSR.
Large OSR of GPs reflects an aspect of their self-governance. GPs in
Maharashtra have high potential for their self-governance in terms of their own source ofrevenue, although the devolution of functions to them is substantially limited as mentionedin §3-2-2-9.
Table 9 Receipts and Expenditure of GPs in Maharashtra
Year
Government
grants

Taxes

Receipts
Contributions

2006-07376

430

2007-08

377

482(Rupees in crore)
Expenditure

Other
receipts

Total
receipts

113

71

990

938

131

69

1059

1075

Source: C&AG of India, Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, p. 7.
Note: Figures furnished by RDD (August 2009). These figures are excluding opening balance.

As shown in Table 10, most of the expenditure of the ZPs in Maharashtra is on
education. Most expenditures of the GPs in the State are for public works, health andsanitation, and administration. 62 The expenditures of the GPs incurred for poverty
alleviation and social security are lower than those in West Bengal. In fact, the sarpanch of
Warwat Kanderao has found that the GP’s responsibilities for poverty alleviation are
considerably limited.63
62

Planning Commission of the Government of India (2007), p. 250.

63

Interview at Warat Khanderao on August 2011.

47

Table 10 Receipts and Expenditure of GPs in Mharashtra(Rupees in crore)
Components

Gram Panchayats
expenditure

Zilla Parishad
expenditure

2006-07154

2007-08179

2006-07576

2007-08
610

Health and Sanitation

241

250

947

965

Public Works

352

423

591

692

Education

20

25

3638

3917

Irrigation

-

-

239

211

Agriculture

-

-

92

128

Social Welfare

44

42

735

700

Public lighting

47

50

-

-

Animal Husbandry

-

-

115

123

Forests

-

-

7

6

Other expenditure

80

106

1221

1142

Capital expenditure

-

-

2314

1923

TOTAL

938

1075

10475

10417

Administration

Source: C&AG of India, Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, p. 8-9.
Note: These figures are as furnished by RDD of the Maharashtra Government

Total expenditure of ZPs in Maharashtra (2007-2008) is Rs. 10,417 crore, whereas
total expenditure of GPs is only Rs. 1,075 crore. This reveals that greater resources areallocated in Maharashtra to the ZP-level than at the GP-level.
(West Bengal)
The revenue receipts of PRIs in West Bengal comprise the receipts from their own sources,
assigned revenue (little amount of State tax share [Entertainment Tax, Profession Tax etc.]),and grants-in-aid from State Government and Central Government (directly or throughState).64
Although different sources cite different figures for the income and expenditureof the PRIs, 65 the Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal provides data on receipts andexpenditure of entire PRIs during 2008-09 as shown66 in Table 11. According to this data
64

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 31.

65

As mentioned before, the Central Finance Commissions have in their reports repeatedly indicated low quality ofaccounting data in most States. [Twelfth Finance Commission (2004), p. 154]

66

Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions for the year48

source, only about 3.7 per cent of total revenues of the entire PRIs is derived from own
source of revenue (OSR) and 96.3 per cent comes from grants, of which 64.6 per cent fromCentral Government and 31.7 per cent from State Government.
Therefore, PRIs in West Bengal are overwhelmingly dependent on grants from theCentral and State Governments. The share of OSR in total receipt of PRIs is quite small inWest Bengal.
Table 11 Receipts and expenditure of PRIs in West Bengal during 2008-09(Rupees in crore)
Receipts

Expenditure

Central fund2303.85

Salary & allowance

293.03

State fund1131.87

Scheme2527.43

Own fund

130.97

SFC & TFC

360.93

Other

150.85

Total

3332.24

Total

3566.69

Source: Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj
Institutions for the year ending 31 March 2009, p. 7.

From 2002-03 to 2008-09, State government grants to PRIs have increased by 191
per cent, and Central grants have increased by 418 per cent in comparison to the funds
received by PRIs in 2002-03. Although OSR collection has also increased by 218 per centduring this period, it constitutes a very small portion of the total revenues.67
Own revenue for GPs is from tax and non-tax sources, and own revenue for PSs
and ZPs is only from non-tax in West Bengal. PSs and ZPs do not have taxation powers inWest Bengal. GPs can collect taxes on land and building.
ZPs have been taking Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) loans forsome medium-sized rural programmes. The loan liabilities including interest payments are,however, borne by the State Government.68
Financial position of the ZPs, PSs and GPs are depicted in Table 12. Table 12
reveals that relatively greater resources are allocated in West Bengal to PRIs at the GP-level
than to PRIs at the ZP level. It contrasts sharply with Maharashtra where greater resources
are allocated to the PRIs at the ZP level. Greater resources are allocated to the PRIs at the GP
level in West Bengal in comparison to those in Maharashtra: a total of Rs. 2,099 crore for theending 31 March 2009, p. 7.
67

Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions for the year
ending 31 March 2009, p. 8.

68

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 31.

49

former and a total of Rs. 1,059 crore for the latter. Further, the average income of each GP in
West Bengal was about Rs. 80 lakhs69 for 2008-09, which is much larger than Maharashtra.
The scale of each GP in West Bengal is financially much larger than Maharashtra.
Table 12 also reveals that the share of OSR in total receipt of GPs is quite small inWest Bengal. 70 It is only 2.6 per cent of total receipt, unlike Maharashtran GPs, where theshare of OSR is as much as 46 per cent of total receipt.71 In Maharashtra the share of OSR in
total receipt of ZPs is also small, but it is quite large particularly at the GP-level.
Small share of OSR and overdependence on grants restrict autonomous space of
GPs to utilise their funds. The grants allocated for Centrally Sponsored Schemes of theCentral Government and special purpose programmes of the State Governments arecustomarily utilised strictly following the rules or guidelines framed by the Central or State
government. However, “Other Grants”72 in Table 12 include “untied funds”— funds that do
not impose any specific rules regarding their utilization on the spending agency73— such as
the 12th Finance Commission Fund and the 2nd State Finance Commission Fund etc.74
These untied funds could enable GPs to prioritize activities that reflect local needs andpreferences, not covered by programmes initiated from above (Centre and State). The
share of total “Other Grants” in total receipt of GPs is 8.6 per cent in 2007-08.
In West Bengal, “Salary and Allowance Grants” are provided by the State
Government for meeting establishment costs, including salary and pension of the employeesof GPs, while in Maharashtra half of that cost is incurred by the OSR of the GPs.

69

As shown in Table 4, number of GPs is 3,239 in West Bengal.

70

According to Annual Reports of Panchayat and Rural Development Department of West Bengal, the per capita OSRfrom three-tier Panchayats is Rs. 18.65 and that from GPs is Rs. 10.13 for the years 2007-08. [Panchayat and Rural
Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Reports 2007-2008, pp. 106-107] However,
the Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal suggests that the per capita collection of own revenue may be muchless than what has been shown in the Annual Reports of the Department, although the collection has increased, indeed, inall the districts. [Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 30.]

71

M. Govinda Rao and U. A. Vasanth Rao of National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), New Delhi has
shown large scale variations in inter-state performances in this regard. The OSR-primary sector GSDP ratio in 2002-03
varied from 1.48 per cent in Kerala and 1.10 per cent in Maharashtra to 0.07 per cent in West Bengal. [M. Govinda Rao and
U. A. Vasanth Rao, “Expanding the Resource Base of Panchayats: Augmenting Own Revenues”, Economic and Political Weekly,
Vol.43, Issue No.4, January 26, 2008.]
72“Other Grants” for GPs (Rs. 231.07 crore) in Table 12 include the 12th Finance Commission Fund (Rs. 152.52 crore)
and the 2nd State Finance Commission Fund (Rs. 72.30 crore) etc.. [Panchayats and Rural Development Department,
Government of West Bengal, Annual Administrative Report 2006-2007, 2007, p. 125.]73

Ambrish Dongre et al., Do Gram Panchayats Get their Money? : A Case Study of Gram Panchayat Fund Flows in Birbhum District,
West Bengal, PAISA Report, Acountability Initiative, 2011, p. 1. The Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008)
stated that “The Commission feels that the idea behind the concept of “untied” fund allocation to LSGs still remains
somewhat unclear to its beneficiaries.”[Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 5.]74

In addition, selected GPs received untied funds under the “Strengthening Rural Decentralisation” (SRD) programme
supported by the Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom (UK). GPs in turn, devolved the
SRD untied funds to the GUS.

50

Table 12 Financial position of ZPs, PSs and GPs in West Bengal (2008-09) (Rs. in crore)

Receipt

Heads

ZPs

(A) Grants:(i) Salary andAllowances Grant

PSs

GPs

Total

Total Expenditure

31.93

21.66

214.73268.32293.04(ii) Schematic fund404.02

162.552183.492750.06

2527.43(iii) Other Grants

108.9477.33

231.07417.34390.56544.89261.542629.293435.72

3211.03(B) Own Source

39.51

20.72

70.74

130.97121.21

Total (A+B)

584.40282.262700.03

3566.693332.24(A) Total Grants

Source: Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj
Institutions for the year ending 31 March 2009, p. 9.

It is difficult to obtain data on expenditure by the three tiers of panchayats. The
state of data availability and reliability is more precarious in this field.75 According to ourinterview with a Panchayat Accounts and Audit Officer at the BDO office in Raina, there
was no standardised format to give a detailed breakdown of expenditure in their accounting
system. The Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal presented in its report data on
expenditure of the schematic fund (Table 13). Table 13 shows that PRIs spent most of theschematic funds on poverty alleviation and rural housing. Expenditures incurred under these
two sectors ranged from 68 to 82 per cent of all schematic expenditures from 2006-07 to
2008-09. The Panchayat and Rural Development Department of West Bengal states that“alleviating poverty has been a core activity of the Panchayats of the State right from the
beginning.”76 This is in contrast to Maharashtran GPs, where there was limited expenditure
for poverty alleviation.
Table 13 Sector-wise Receipts and Expenditure of Schematic Fund as per Records ofPanchayat & Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal(Rs. in crore)
2006-07

Name of sector
Poverty alleviation
Social Security
Health & Family
welfareBackward area
development

2007-08

2008-09

Receipts

Expenditure

Receipts

Expenditure

Receipts

Expenditure706.88841.8

1,190.48

1,177.58

1,104.94

1,016.71

265.52129.42 3351.71

323.09503.78481.03--266.35127.04

183

125.2

75

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 32.

76

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, (2009), p. 9.

51

Development of
natural resources

10.95

6.34

1.51

7.68

15.75

1.97

Rural Development

44.44

44.44

73.57

73.31

91.17

90.05

Rural roads

3.96

3.96

5.94

5.94

5.99

5.67

Rural Housing

274.14280.51

344.24269.83702.92701.97

Education

31.87

31.87

106.59106.59

90.76

90.76

-

-

0.17

-

0.16

0.91

1,341.73

1,369.38

2,460.81

2,137.64

2,750.06

2,527.44

Other sectors
Total expenditure

Source: Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj
Institutions for the year ending 31 March 2009, p. 10.

Thus, we can observe financial position of PRIs and GPs in the two States asfollows:(1) The scale of funds received by PRIs as a whole is considerably larger in Maharashtra
than in West Bengal. Even receipts of panchayats solely at the ZP-level in
Maharashtra are as much as Rs. 11, 111 crore in 2007-08, whereas total receipts of all
three tiers panchayats in West Bengal in the same period are only Rs. 3,343 crore. The
financial scale of PRIs as a whole is much larger in Maharashtra than West Bengal.
(2) Greater resources are allocated to PRIs at the ZP level in Maharashtra. In contrast,
more resources are allocated to PRIs at the GP level in West Bengal than to
Maharashtra: a total of Rs. 2,099 crore for the former and a total of Rs. 1,059 crore
for the latter. In fact, for the untied fund allocation, the State Finance Commissionsof West Bengal has provided a principle to calculate inter-PRI shares of 12:18:70 for
ZPs, PSs and GPs within a PRI body. The Commission states that “there is a growing
shift in the focus of development activities towards the GP level under the evolving
decentralized planning environment.”77 This is a striking contrast to the situation in
Maharashtra.
(3) The scale of each GP is financially much larger in West Bengal than in Maharashtra.
The average income of each GP in West Bengal is about Rs. 80 lakhs, whereas theaverage income of each GP in Maharashtra is less than Rs. 4 lakhs.
(4)The share of OSR in total receipt of GPs is considerable in Maharashtra— the shareof OSR in total receipt of GPs is as much as 46 per cent in Maharashtra, but in West
Bengal it is only 2.6 per cent. The large OSR of GPs in Maharashtra reveals theirhigh potential of self-governance, although the devolution of functions to them issubstantially limited as mentioned in §3-2-2-9.
(5) GPs and PRIs in West Bengal are overwhelmingly dependent on grants from theCentral and State Governments. However, these grants include “untied funds” suchas the 12th Finance Commission Fund and the 2nd State Finance Commission Fund.
77

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 134.

52

(6) Alleviating poverty is a core activity of the panchayats in West Bengal.78 This is quite
a contrast to Maharashtran GPs, where less is spent on poverty alleviation.
3-2-2-10 Financial Management in PRIs and GPs“The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions with respect to the maintenance ofaccounts by the Panchayata and the auditing of such accounts (Article 243J of theConstitution).” Internal and statutory audits are carried out for PRIs in the two States.
However, some weaknesses in financial management have been pointed out by auditors inboth States.
(Maharashtra)
The Chief Auditor, Local Fund Accounts (CALFA), Maharashtra has acted as thestatutory auditor in accordance with provisions of the Bombay Local Fund Act, 1930, theMaharashtra Village Panchayat (Audit of Accounts) Rules, 1961 and the Bombay Village
Panchayats Act, 1958. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG of India) also
conduct audits of ZPs and PSs under Section 14 of the Comptroller & Auditor General ofIndia’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Services) Act, 1971 and under Section 142A of theMaharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961. During the audit of PSs,
selected GPs under the PSs are also audited.79
Each ZP in Maharashtra has a financial management system not only for the ZP
itself but also for PSs and GPs under the ZP. Under the provisions of Section 136 (2) of theMaharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, the BDOs forward theaccounts approved by the PSs to the ZPs and these form part of the ZPs’ accounts. Under
provisions of Section 62 (4) of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958, the Secretaries of
the GPs (Gram Sevaks) are required to prepare annual accounts of the GPs. The approved
accounts of the GPs are to be forwarded to the ZPs. Annual account of Warwat Khanderao
GP is consolidated at the block level and audited by Local Fund Audit Department annuallyand by the C&AG once every three years.80 The BDO has annual account in the Maharashtra
State Gram Panchayat Annual Report. The abstracts of the approved accounts of the
ZPs/PSs and GPs are prepared by Chief Accounts and Finance Officer (CAFO) at the ZP
78

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), p. 9.

79

The C&AG conducted a performance audit in Maharashtra between December 2008 and May 2009. The C&AG
selected some Panchayats by random sampling method. That is, there are 33 ZPs, 351 PSs and 27909 GPs in the State. Outof 33 ZPs, eight (Akola, Chandrapur, Jalna, Nasik, Ratnagiri, Satara, Thane and Yavatmal) ZPs representing at least one ZP fromeach of the six regions (Amravati, Aurangabad, Nasik, Mumbai/Thane, Nagpur and Pune) in the State alongwith sixteen
PSs (Balapur, Chiplun, Chimur, Deola, Jalna, Karad, Mahabaleshwar, Murbad, Murtizapur, Nasik, Partur, Pusad, Ratnagiri,
Vasai, Wani and Warora) and eighty GPs were selected by random sampling method for the performance audit covering theperiod from 2003-04 to 2007-08. Performance Audit conducted between December 2008 and May 2009, involved scrutinyof records maintained in the department, selected ZPs, PSs and GPs. [Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG),
Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, p. 20]
80

Interview at the BDO of Sangrampur on April 25, 2014.

53

level and forwarded to the Chief Auditor, Local Fund Accounts (CALFA) for audit,
certification and publication in the Maharashtra Government Gazette.81
However, the C&AG observes some weakness in financial management of PRIs
in Maharashtra. The findings of the C&AG reveal problems with internal control of financial
management not only at the GP-level but also at the ZP and PS-levels in PRIs:
The C&AG found arrears in finalisation of accounts by the ZPs and certification
thereof by the CALFA. According to the C&AG, 82 “it was observed from the informationcollected (August 2009) from CALFA that out of the 33 ZPs except Akola, Bhandara,
Kolhapur, Pune, Sangli, Satara and Solapur, all others had not finalized their accounts for
2007-08. Arrears in finalisation of accounts by the ZPs and certification thereof by the
CALFA ranged from one to four years.” The C&AG states that “arrears in finalisation andpublication of accounts is indicative of inefficient internal controls” and “absence of a proper
management information system and the increasing arrears in finalisation and publication of
accounts are fraught with the risk of misappropriations and other irregularities.”83
The C&AG observes not all ZPs and PSs reconcile their cash book balances withbank balances.84 Non-reconciliation of cash book balances with bank balances in some ZPs
and PSs reveals poor quality of some accounts even at the ZP and PS levels.
The C&AG claims that “accumulation of huge fund with ZPs needs to be
examined.” 85 According to the C&AG, scrutiny of records of eight test-checked ZPs
revealed that unspent grants under agency scheme amounting to Rs 97.29 crore as on 31
March 2008 were not refunded to the Government. “Audit has noticed many cases of failure
to refund unspent balances leading to huge blocking of public money for no purpose.” 8681Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG), Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, pp. 9-10.

82

Ibid., p. 10. “However, information regarding the status of publication of the ZPs' accounts made available by theGovernment indicated arrears of one to three years in publication of annual accounts of ZPs, although procedure for
ensuring timely finalisation and publication of the accounts had been prescribed.”

83

Ibid., pp. 10-11. The C&AG observed “from records of two ZPs [Chandrapur ZP and Yavatmal ZP] that there were delay
ranging between six and 22 months in compilation of accounts whereas there were delays ranging from seven months to 23
months in publishing of annual accounts by three ZPs [Akola ZP, Chandrapur ZP and Yavatmal ZP] during 2003-04 to
2007-08.” [Ibid., p. 23]
84

Ibid., pp. 33-34. “Scrutiny of records revealed that reconciliation of cash book balances with bank balances as on 31
March 2008 was not carried out by ZP Thane and four selected PSs for the period 2003-08. As a result, the difference of Rs
12.20 crore between Cash Book and Bank Pass Books remained unreconciled as of March 2008.” [Ibid., p. 34] ; “Fraud andembezzlement cannot be ruled out due to non-reconciliation of balances between cash book and bank accounts. The facts
were accepted (September 2009) by the Government and they stated that instructions were issued in August 2009.” [Ibid., p.
34]
Maharashtra State Development Report mentioned that “The major challenge that the PRIs in the state face is thecorruption at various levels, which is the common practice in many states. Instances of misappropriation of funds bysarpanchs, gram sevaks often appear in the local newspapers. However, the recent initiatives of the government to empower
the gram sabha by recalling panchayat representatives under certain circumstances, in response to social crusader Anna
Hazare's demand, may check such incidents. Moreover, the wider anti-corruption movement initiated by Anna Hazare andhis campaign for the people's right to information could generate effective and vigilant public opinion against the individuals
and groups involved in such practices.” [Planning Commission of the Government of India (2007), pp. 250-251.]

85

Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG), Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, p. 42.

86

Ibid., p. 32.

54

Upon further scrutiny of the records the C&AG found that a surplus fund of Rs 592.33 crore
was accumulated in the eight ZPs only.87
Unlike the funds received by ZPs through State budget, it is difficult toincorporate Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) funds in the accounts of ZPs, because the
CSS funds are received by the PSs directly from DRDA. The C&AG points out weaknessesof Maharashtran PRIs in financial management for the flow of funds through DRDA for the
CSS, such as Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and Rajiv Gandhi Niwara Yojana (RGNY).88
As a result, different sources indicate different figures on expenditure of ZPs. The
expenditure of Rs 10417 crore during 2007-08 (Table 8) is based on the figures adopted fromthe Rural Development Department (RDD) of Maharashtra. However, on the basis of theinformation received from all ZPs for 2007-08, the C&AG noticed that these ZPs may haveincurred an expenditure of Rs 12329 crore (Rs 483.44 crore on their own schemes, Rs
10289.43 crore on transferred schemes by the State Government and Rs 1556.06 crore on
schemes funded by other agencies).89
The C&AG of India also observes problems at the GP level concerning internal
control over financial management.
According to the C&AG, 17 out of 80 selected GPs had not submitted 65 annual
accounts for 2003-08 to Gram Sabha for approval, and none of the selected 80 GPs had
submitted their annual accounts to ZPs for 2003-08.90 The C&AG indicates that accounts
and related records are often not properly maintained by GPs in Maharashtra. The C&AG’s
scrutiny of records revealed that 70 GPs out of test checked 80 GPs did not maintain Forms
3 to 27 required in the Bombay Village Panchayats (Budget and Accounts) Rule, 1959. The
C&AG states that “this also shows lack of proper control and supervision of GPs by higher
officials like BDO of PS and CEO [Chief Executive Officer] of ZP.”91
GPs prepare budgets only for work that can be done with their own resources.
However, as mentioned in §3-2-2-8, the Central and State schemes implemented directly by
GPs are substantially limited in Maharashtra. A GP is not responsible for maintaining annual
accounts for the schemes not directly implemented by the GP. Therefore, as far as Warwat
Khanderao GP is concerned, annual account in the “Annual Budget Report on Gram
Panchayat in Maharashtra” provides little information on grants from State and Central
Government. Accounting data for the Central and State schemes implemented within the
GP’s jurisdiction constitutes an information vacuum for the financial management in the GP.
87

Thirteenth Finance Commission (2009), p. 423. The Thirteenth (Central) Finance Commission summarises the major
recommendations of the State Finance Commissions. It states that there is no information (“no data available”) on the State
Finance Commission Report in Maharashtra. According to the people in the major libraries in Mumbai, i.e. Mantralaya, thereport “is not in public domain”.
88Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG), Audit Report (Local Bodies) for the year ended March 2008, p. 23.

89

Ibid., p. 9. Expenditure figures furnished by RDD of State Government and varies from figures given in Economic
survey of Maharashtra. [Ibid., p. 5]

90Ibid., p. 37.

91

Ibid., pp. 38-40.

55

Test check of cash books of six GPs from three ZPs revealed that the cash books
were not always maintained during the 2003-08 period. The C&AG observed that GPs weremaking huge cash payments in violation of all codal instructions.92(West Bengal)
The Examiner of Local Accounts (ELA), West Bengal has been the statutory
auditor for examining cent per cent accounts of all the ZPs and PSs since 1980. In 2003 the
ELA of West Bengal was appointed as statutory auditor for examining cent per cent accountsof all the GPs and since then ELA has audited the accounts of GPs every year.
The Panchayat Accounts and Audit Officer posted at each block examine
accounts and undertake an internal audit of all GPs within the Block in every quarter. The
Samiti Audit and Accounts Officer posted at each subdivision examine the accounts andaudit all PSs within the subdivision every quarter. Similarly, the Parishad Accounts and Audit
Officer posted at each district are responsible for supervision of works of the Panchayat
Accounts and Audit Officer and the Samiti Audit and Accounts Officer, and inspection ofbooks of accounts of all PSs within the district every quarter. The Regional Accounts andAudit Officer posted at each Division examine the accounts and conduct an internal audit of
all ZPs within the Division every quarter.
Unlike Warwat Khanderao GP, Raina GP even provides accounting data for many
grants from State and Central Government. Raina GP is responsible for maintaining
financial accounts for numerous schemes for which the GP receives funds from thegovernment agencies. The schemes directly implemented by GPs in West Bengal are
Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY), MGNREGS, IAY, IGNOAPS, Provident Fundfor Landless Agricultural Labourers (PROFLAL), National Maternal Benefit Scheme(NMBS) and the State Sanitation Programme. Unlike Warwat Khanderao GP, Raina GP also
provides information on “untied funds” such as the Central and State Finance Commission
Funds.
However, both the State Finance Commission and the ELA, West Bengal areconcerned about weakness of financial management of PRIs in West Bengal.
In the audit of 18 ZPs, 151 PSs and 3,214 GPs during 2008-09, the ELA foundthat internal audit of Bankura and Bardhaman ZPs, 67 PSs and 1,252 GPs was not conducted
for the periods ranging from one to five years. 93 The ELA found that 29 PSs and 28 GPs did
not prepare the account in the prescribed format. The ELA found, among other things, that
735 PRIs did not maintain the Demand and Collection Register, 1,039 PRIs did not maintainthe Appropriation Register, 1,589 PRIs did not maintain the Advance Register and 2,059
92

Ibid., p. 37. “According to Rule 5(A) of the BVP [Bombay Village Panchayats], (Budget & Accounts) Rules, 1959
payment of any sum in excess of Rs 500 out of the village fund shall be made by cheque signed by the Sarpanch andSecretary of the GP”
93

Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions for the year
ending 31 March 2009, p. 17, p. 19 and p. 20.

56

PRIs did not maintain the Works Register.94 That is indicative of inefficient internal controls
in some of the PRIs in West Bengal.
The ELA found in its audit scrutiny that Jalpaiguri ZP, 17 PSs and 85 GPs did notreconcile difference between the Cash Book and the Pass Book balances of Banks andTreasuries as on 31 March 2008.95
Therefore, the Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal suggests that “theaccounts keeping by all the three tiers are not in order.” 96 Both the State FinanceCommission and the ELA of the State point out differences between the allocation of funds
in the State Budget and their actual release, and between the actual release and theirutilization (Table 14). According to the ELA, the Panchayat and Rural Development
Department of West Bengal was requested to explain the shortfall in allocation andutilization but no reply has been received.97 The Third State Finance Commission of West
Bengal claims that “Large amount of specific purpose funds remain unutilized for years
together.”98
Table 14 State Budget Allocation, Actual Released and Utilization in West Bengal(Rs. in crore)

State Budget Allocation

Actual Released

Utilization

94

Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions for the year
ending 31 March 2009, p. 19 and pp. 85-86.

95

The Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008) indicates that “Considerable amounts are found to haveremained un-reconciled between Cash Book and Pass Book every month leaving the risk of misappropriation of funds
going undetected” (The third State Finance Commission of West Bengal, 2008, p. 109)

96

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 33. The Commission states “The analysis vindicates theevidence adduced by the Auditors and Examiner of Local Accounts before the Commission.”
97

Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions for the year
ending 31 March 2009, p. 19 and pp. 7-8. The third State Finance Commission of West Bengal argues that “Apparently, thedifference is on account of the facts that P & RD Department has shown less releases in respect of some schemes and has
not included funds released on account of pensionary benefits.” [Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008),
p. 32.]

98

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal (2008), p. 109. The Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal,
in course of interaction with the ELA of the State, found the following issues with regard to financial accountability of local
bodies in West Bengal;(i) GPs prepare receipts and payments accounts under single accounting system, while PSs and ZPs under double entry
system. Supporting Vouchers, Ledgers, etc. are however not maintained properly;(ii) Basic registers like Asset Registers, Works Register are not maintained and as such, it is not possible to knowwhether the same works are being done again;(iii) Diversion of funds is very common—often out of compulsion, and late receipt of guidelines;(iv) Most of the GPs cannot collect revenue because there is no employee for tax collection. Demand and Collection
registers are not maintained properly;(v) Substantial funds are spent by the PRIs without budget preparation/provision;(vi) Considerable amounts are found to have remained un-reconciled between Cash Book and Pass Book every monthleaving the risk of misappropriation of funds going undetected;(vii) Irregularities in selection of beneficiaries, irregular engagement of contractors, irregular payments etc. are someof the problems;(viii) Large amount of specific purpose funds remain unutilized for years together;(ix) Capacity building of the employees should be given importance.
Most points listed above are also pointed out in the audit of selected PRIs in Maharashtra conducted by the C&AG of India.

57

2006-07

1,272.65

1,233.95

787.602007-08

2,168.93

1,880.77

980.72

2008-09

2,048.07

1,830.89

1,687.89

Source: Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examiner of Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions forthe year ending 31 March 2009, p. 7.

3-2-2-11 State Finance Commission (SFC)
The governor of a State “shall” constitute a Finance Commission to review the financial
position of the panchayats (Article 243I(1) of the Constitution). It is a mandatory provisionof the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992. It may not be different in the two States.
(Maharashtra)
The first State Finance Commission (SFC) was established in April 1994 and its
report was submitted in November 1996. The Second SFC was established in May 1999 andits report was submitted in October 2002. The Third SFC was set up but its
recommendations have not been received. However, details of recommendations andreports of the Third SFC are not available in the public domain.99(West Bengal)
The first State Finance Commission (SFC) was appointed in May 1994 and its
report was submitted in November 1995. All the recommendations of the SFC were
accepted by the State Government. The second SFC was set up in July 2000 and its report
was submitted in February 2002. The State Government accepted most of therecommendations. The third SFC was set up in February 2006 and its report was submittedin October 2008. All of these reports are available in the public domain.
3-2-2-12 Planning in PRIs and GPs
As mentioned before, devolution of powers and responsibilities upon panchayats at eachlevel with respect to the planning and implementation of schemes for economic
development and social justice, is at the discretion of the Legislature of a State (Article 243Gof the Constitution). Therefore, it may be different for each State.
The District Planning Committees (DPCs) in both States are not considered
functional. In particular, the DPCs in Maharashtra are not as functional as they should beunder the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992.
99

The Thirteenth (Central) Finance Commission summarises the major recommendations of the State FinanceCommissions. It states that there is no information ("data not available") on recommendations of the State FinanceCommission of Maharashtra. [Thirteenth Finance Commission, 2010, p. 423] According to the people in major libraries in
Mumbai, i.e Mantralaya, the report “is not in public domain”.

58

As for the GP-level planning, the authority of GP to carry out planning exercises
is considerably more limited in Maharashtra than in West Bengal. Although GPs in bothStates act as implementing agencies of the State or the Centre, autonomous space for the GP
to function is not so limited in West Bengal as in Maharashtra.
(Maharashtra)
As mentioned before, Article 243ZD of the Constitution envisages that District Planning
Committees (DPCs) are constituted in every State at the district level to consolidate the plans
prepared by the panchayats and the Municipalities in the district and to prepare a draft
development plan for the entire district. Each DPC prepares a draft Development Plan ofthe district having regard to the matters of common interest between the Panchayats and theMunicipalities, such as spatial planning, sharing of water and other physical and natural
resources, integrated development of infrastructure and environmental conservation.
However, according to the Maharashtra State Development Report, “the District
Planning Committees (DPCs) as per the provision prescribed under Article 243 ZD (1) of
the Constitution have not yet been constituted like that of Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh and many other states.” 100 In Maharashtra the Department of Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj is under the Maharashtra Ministry of Rural Developmentof the State. A cabinet minister of the State Government is appointed “guardian minister”(Palak Mantri) for each district, who has to oversee the implementation of all schemes andprogrammes in the district. He/she is the chairman of the DPC. The DPC comprises of theGuardian Minister, the Projector Director and selected member of the Zilla Parishad. The
District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has not been abolished and prepares plans for
schemes and programmes under its jurisdiction. Therefore, the Maharashtra State
Development Report stated that “the Line Departments and District Rural Development
Agencies (DRDAs) continue to have major control over the planning and implementation of
the schemes. The PRIs mostly act as the delivery units.”101
At the Block level there are several extension officers for different programmes
and departments (e.g. extension officer for agriculture, industry, and statistics). These
extension officers are given additional charges as “sector planning officer.” A sector, in thiscase, refers to a geographical area comprising 10-15 villages. The sector planning officer is
responsible for all planning activities for each scheme/programme (of the Ministry of Rural
Development) in this sector, with the help of the Gram Sevak. Block level engineers/technicalofficer provide technical support to the sector planning officer. Planning and implementationof schemes of other departments (such as health, education, agriculture, and animal

100

Planning Commission of the Government of India, Maharashtra State Development Report, Academic Foundation, 2007, p.

247.
101

Planning Commission of the Government of India (2007), p. 251.

59

husbandry) are done by the relevant department officials. The sector planning officers reportthem to BDO and DPC.
However, according to the BDO of Sangrampur, the powers of the BDO arelimited. As mentioned in §3-2-2-5, at the sub-district level there are two overlapping
administrative units in Maharashtra, the block and the tehsil. The block is the development
administrative unit; the tehsil is the revenue administrative unit. The BDO represents theblock-level administration and the Tehsildar represents the tehsil- level administration. The
BDO is the executive officer for all matters related to the panchayat, while the Tehsildar is theProgramme Officer for all programmes under the Ministry of Rural Development. Unlike
West Bengal, where the administrative duties of the Block Land and Land Reform Officer(BLLRO) is restricted to the areas of land reforms and land revenues, the Tehsildars in
Maharashtra wield greater administrative powers. The Tehsildars guide the officers of otherdepartments in the execution of their duties insofar as his tahsil is concerned.102
On the basis of Activity Mapping, the GP can prepare its own plan. Indeed,“Preparation of plans for the development of the village” is included in Schedule I (Village
List) of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958. Section 8 (1) of the Bombay Village
Panchayats Act, 1958 stipulates:
The first meeting of the Gram Sabha in every financial year shall be held within two months fromthe commencement of that year, and the panchayat shall place before such meeting— (i) the
annual statement of accounts; (ii) the report of the administration of the preceding financial
year; (iii) the development and other programme of work proposed for the current financial
year; (iv) the last audit note and replies (if any) made thereto; (v) any other matter which theStanding Committee, Panchayat Samiti or Chief Executive or any officer authorised by theStanding Committee or Panchayat Samiti in this behalf, requires to be placed before such meeting.

Here “the development and other programme of work proposed for the current financialyear” is comparable, to some extent, to the “annual plan” provided in Section 19 of the West
Bengal Panchayati Raj Act, 1973.
In principle, GP can appoint sub-committees. “A panchayat may from among its
members, constitute committees for the purpose of exercising such powers, and discharging
such duties and performing such functions as may be delegated or assigned to them by thepanchayat, and may appoint any member or a committee of members to enquire into andreport on any matter referred to them.” (Article 49 of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act,
1958)
However, the authority of GP in Maharashtra to carry out planning exercises wasconsiderably limited. As far as Warwat Khanderao GP is concerned, the scope ofautonomous space in the functional domain of GP in Maharashtra is significantly less than102

See <http://akola.nic.in/gazetteers/maharashtra/gen_admin_tahsildar.html> Retrieved on 30 November 2014.

60

that in West Bengal. As described in §3-2-2-8, the Warwat Khanderao GP continues tofunction within the “permissive functional domain.” The line departments and DRDAs
control the planning exercises, and furthermore a hierarchy of revenue officials— patwari,
Tehsildar and District Collector under the Revenue Department — has extensive
administrative powers in Maharashtra. The GP does not demonstrate initiative for ruraldevelopment except for schemes for drinking water, sanitation, ICDS, MGNREGS, publicdistribution etc. The GP prepares wish lists of beneficiaries for schemes such as the IAY andthe Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojna but it acts as an agency of Panchayat Samiti (PS), or the Stateor Central government for implementation of schemes. Capabilities of the Gram Sabha forplanning exercise are quite limited in this regard. Therefore, it is presently very difficult for
the GP to have a holistic vision of development to prepare a plan.
(West Bengal)
In West Bengal, District Planning Committees (DPCs) have been constituted in conformity
with the West Bengal District Planning Committee Rules, 1994, based on Article 243 ZD of
the Constitution. The DPC’s Plan is considered independent of the State Plan and is not
integrated with the State Plan. As mentioned before, the District Rural Development
Agencies (DRDAs) have, reportedly, been merged with Zilla Parishads (ZP) in April, 2000 andtheir resources, facilities and manpower are available to PRIs.
However, the ELA of West Bengal found that Bardhaman district, to which the
Raina GP belongs, prepared draft Development Plans (DPs) for 2005-06, 2007-08 and2008-09, which were duly accepted by the DPC, but no draft DP was prepared for 2003-04,
2004-05 and 2006-07. 103 Moreover, the district did not prepare the statement showing annual
execution of plan prepared.
The Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal argued that “DPCs in West
Bengal have failed in the mandatory responsibility of preparing the District Plan
scientifically.” The Commission stated that “a disparate set of schemes stitched together
without proper integration have been put into volumes and labeled now as District Plans in
all the districts. The terms like integrated District Plan, consolidation of schemes,
comprehensive plan etc. are being loosely used in most of the instruction manuals, plan
guidelines, Government orders and training materials without conceptual clarity or
operational directions.” 104 According to the Commission, one reason for this failure is that103

However, ELA points out that functioning of (DPCs) is not necessarily effective. The ELA found, for example, that
Bardhaman District prepared draft Development Plans (DPs) for the years 2005-06, 2007-08 and 2008-09 which were duly
accepted by the DPC but no draft DP was prepared for the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2006-07 and did not prepare thestatement showing annual execution of plan prepared. [Examiner of Local Accounts West Bengal, The Report of the Examinerof Local Accounts on Panchayat Raj Institutions for the year ending 31 March 2009, pp. 11-12]
104

Third State Finance Commission of West Bengal, Report of the Third State Finance Commission West Bengal, 2008, pp.
131-132. The commission seeks causes for that as follows; “one cannot blame the DPCs for such conditions as, in addition
to the primary deficiency in respect of devolution, they do not have adequate expertise and office support for effectivefunctioning,” and states that “West Bengal may, perhaps, review the situation and draw upon the benefit of Kerala’s
experience for rejuvenation of the DPC and the District Plan.” [Ibid., p. 132]61

Activity Mapping, on which the devolution of funds to each local body is to be patterned,
does not give effect appropriately in West Bengal.105 Another reason is that the DPCs in West
Bengal do not have the expertise and office support that they need to function.106 Therefore,
the Commission urgently recommended the rejuvenation of the DPCs in West Bengal, andstated that “West Bengal may, perhaps, review the situation and draw upon the benefit ofKerala’s experience for rejuvenation of the DPC and the District Plan.”107
The West Bengal Panchayat Act authorizes all tiers of PRIs to prepare annual andfive-year plans. West Bengal Panchayati Raj Act, 1973 envisages that:“A Gram Panchayat shall function as a unit of self-government and, in order to achieve
economic development and secure social justice for all, shall, subject to such conditions as
may be prescribed or such directions as may be given by the State Government,—(a) prepare a development plan for the five-year term of the office of the members andrevise and update it as and when necessary with regard to the resources available;(b) prepare an annual plan for each year by the month of October of the preceding year
for development of human resources, infra-structure and civic amenities in the area;(c) implement schemes for economic development and social justice as may be drawn up
by, or entrusted upon it.” (Section: 19)
Further, GP in West Bengal adopted a bottom-up style planning exercise. In thedecentralization process the focus of development activities in West Bengal has shifted
towards the GP or sub GP (Gram Sansad)-level.108 The Raina GP prepared an Action Plan
each year for implementation in the succeeding financial year and the preparation of the105

Ibid., p. 130. “The Panchayat Plans should refer to the assigned Functions / Activities. Unfortunately, such assignmentof functions with appropriate division of sub-functions and subactivities (activity mapping) has not been done by the State
Government as yet, as discussed. The Panchayats at all the three tiers, therefore, do not know what their specificresponsibilities are. They do not know exactly what role they are to play in respect of Primary Education, Primary HealthCare, Water Supply and so on. Along with the functions, the finance is also not known.”
106

Ibid., pp. 127-132. “The Panchayat Plans should refer to the assigned Functions/Activities. Unfortunately, suchassignment of functions with appropriate division of sub-functions and subactivities (activity mapping) has not been doneby the State Government as yet, as discussed. The Panchayats at all the three tiers, therefore, do not know what their specificresponsibilities are. They do not know exactly what role they are to play in respect of Primary Education, Primary HealthCare, Water Supply and so on. Along with the functions, the finance is also not known.” (Ibid., p. 130), “Of course, one
cannot blame the DPCs for such conditions as, in addition to the primary deficiency in respect of devolution, they do nothave adequate expertise and office support for effective functioning and as such, they cannot facilitate the preparation of
the District Plans by ensuring the participation of official experts, elected members of local bodies, nonofficial experts
nominated by the State Government and the local bodies and also individual and voluntary groups interested in joining theplanning process.” (Ibid., p. 132) “It is worth mentioning in this connection that the same situation was prevailing in Kerala
a few years back. Kerala has, however, changed the position now. Apart from the steps taken to clarify the devolution offunctions, allocation of resources etc., the State has strengthened the DPCs by associating them with experts from various
sources - technical people from the departments, colleges, universities and various institutes including NGOs working on
development and related activities.” (Ibid., p. 132)
107

Ibid.,, p. 132.

108

Ibid.,, p. 134.

62

Action Plan began at the Gram Sansad-level general meetings (in November). The people
attending the meeting make an assessment of the work that needs to be done in the year in
the village and an Action Plan is drawn up for each Gram Sansad based on these demands. The
Panchayat receives all Action Plans from the Gram Sansads to prepare the GP Action Plan.
The GUS may assist the Gram Sansad “in the preparation and implementation of its
perspective plan for five years and annual plan” (Section: 74) for achieving economic
development and social justice. As mentioned before, GP cannot omit or refuse to act upon
any recommendation of a Gram Sansad relating to prioritization of any list of beneficiaries orschemes or programmes insofar as it relates to the Gram Sansad.
At the sub-GP level, therefore, GUS has now been entrusted with the preparationof village-level plans (“Action Plan”) of the Gram Sansad, which shall be the basis of the GP
plan. The GP receives all Action Plans from the Gram Sansads to prepare the GP Action Plan.
The GUS is also responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the schemes at theGram Sansad-level. GPs devolve a part of the funds to the GUS for implementation ofdifferent developmental programmes. The implementation of the Annual Action Plan isassessed in the Gram-Sansad-level meeting. In this way the West Bengal State Government
engaged in a bottom-up style planning exercise with a special focus on GPs and their Gram
Sansads. In fact, the Panchayats and Rural Development Department of West Bengal with thesupport of Department for International Development (DFID), Government of UK,
intended to upscale this planning process under the Programme for Strengthening Rural
Decentralisation (SRD).109 Thus, Gram Sansad plan based GP planning, GP plan based PS
planning and PS plan based ZP planning were pursued in West Bengal.
GPs in West Bengal and their Gram Sansads are also implementing agencies of theState or the Centre as in Maharashtra. The authority of GPs in West Bengal and their Gram
Sansads to carry out planning exercise is more or less limited as it is in Maharashtra. Most of
the projects that can be taken up under the different types of schemes and funds are specified
by the funding authority of the State or the Centre. Even the Panchayat and Rural
Development Department of West Bengal recognises that panchayats in West Bengal“perform tasks on behalf of the State primarily as an agent of the Government.” 110
Nevertheless, the authority of GP in West Bengal to carry out planning exercises was not aslimited as in Maharashtra. As mentioned in §3-2-2-8, Raina GP has some autonomy withregard to poverty alleviation, the MGNREGA schemes, SHG activities. The GP also hassome autonomous space of function through its initiative for the convergence of public

109

Julian Barr, Settihalli Basavraj, Alison Girdwood, Jan Willem Harnmeijer, Anuradha Mukherjee, Siddartha Prakash,
Hilary Thornton, ITAD with KIT and Verulam Consultants Private Ltd., Evaluation of DFID Country Programmes Country
Study: West Bengal Stste Programme, Final Report <http://www.oecd.org/derec/unitedkingdom/39770200.pdf> Retrieved on
30 November 2014.
110

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal, Roadmap for the Panchayats in West Bengal:
A Vision Document, 2009, p. 14.

63

health related activities.
Nevertheless, as mentioned before, the devolution of functions by most of theline departments has not yet been sufficiently carried out even in West Bengal. The Panchayat
and Rural Development Department of West Bengal has a “Roadmap for developing various
capacities within the Panchayats so as to respond to the need-based demands of the people
and acquire more responsibilities of their own for realization of such demands, stemmingfrom the local needs and aspirations.”111 In order to follow up on this roadmap and prepare aplan, GPs in West Bengal need a vision of holistic development.

111

Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Government of West Bengal (2009), p. 13.

64