Lok Sabha Question No. 960 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-21
Subject: Biennial Report on Panchayats
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: HARI NARAYAN RAJBHAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 960 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2017

## Biennial Report on Panchayats

## † 960. SHRI HARINARAYAN RAJBHAR:

Will the Minister of Panchayati Raj be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to bring improvement in the biennial report on the status of panchayats and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government proposes to prepare the said report itself;

(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the name of the institution which is likely to be assigned the said task;

(d) whether the list of transfer of powers is likely to be included in the said report or it is to be made on annual basis and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether any steps are being taken to delegate more powers to the Panchayats on the basis of list  of  transfer  of  power  and  to  encourage  the  States  to  ensure  transparency  and  accountability  in Panchayats, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a),  (b)  &  (c)  :  From  time  to  time  the  State  of  Panchayat  Report  (SoPR)  is  got  prepared  by  the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to assess the actual status and functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs),  across  the  country  except  Meghalaya,  Nagaland,  Delhi  and  Chandigarh,  covering  aspects related to functioning of PRIs, through an independent agency. Efforts have always been made to improve the qualitative contents of the SoPR. The Ministry has assigned the work of preparation of State of Panchayat Report 2016-17 to M/s. Centre for Rural Management, Kottayam, Kerala.

(d)  :  Article  243G  of  the  Constitution  allows  discretion  to  State  Legislatures    to  consider  the  29 subjects (list may be seen at Annexure)  illustratively set out in the Eleventh Schedule for devolution to the Panchayats to enable them  to function as institutions of local self-governance.  Another type of study is got conducted by MoPR to assess the extent of devolution of Powers regarding subjects exclusively listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution to various tiers of Panchayats. The study  is  conducted  by  and  large  annually.  However,  SoPR  also  contains  information  regarding devolution of power.

(e)  :  MoPR  has continuously been impressing upon the State Governments to devolve powers to Panchayats and also provided assistance to the States/Union Territories (UTs) for capacity building of  Panchayats  to  enable  them  to  perform  devolved  functions  effectively  and  efficiently.  MoPR  is implementing e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project  that seeks to transform the functioning of all the Panchayati  Raj  Institutions  (PRIs),  making  them  more  transparent,  accountable  and  effective  as organs  of  decentralized  self-governing  institutions.  To  incentivize  the  implementation  of  ePanchayat, the best performing States / UTs are conferred with the annual e-Puraskar, based on their level of preparedness for e-enablement.

## Annexure referred to in reply to part (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 960 to be answered on 21.12.2017

## ELEVENTH SCHEDULE

## (Article 243G)

1. Agriculture, including agricultural extension.
2. Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil conservation.
3. Minor irrigation, water management and watershed development.
4. Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry.
5. Fisheries.
6. Social forestry and farm forestry.
7. Minor forest produce.
8. Small scale industries, including food processing industries.
9. Khadi, village and cottage industries.
10. Rural housing.
11. Drinking water.
12. Fuel and fodder.
13. Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and other means of communication.
14. Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity.
15. Non-conventional energy sources.
16. Poverty alleviation programme.
17. Education, including primary and secondary schools.
18. Technical training and vocational education.
19. Adult and non-formal education.
20. Libraries.
21. Cultural activities.
22. Markets and fairs.
23. Health  and  sanitation,  including  hospitals,  primary  health  centers  and dispensaries.
24. Family welfare.
25. Women and child development.
26. Social  welfare,  including  welfare  of  the  handicapped  and  mentally retarded.
27. Welfare  of  the  weaker  sections,  and  in  particular,  of  the  Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
28. Public distribution system.
29. Maintenance of community assets.

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