Lok Sabha Question No. 950 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-08
Subject: Functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, Dileshwar Kamait, Jugal Kishore Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. † 950

ANSWERED ON 08.02.2022

## FUNCTIONING OF PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS

## †950. SHRI JYOTIRMAY SINGH MAHATO: SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT: SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has prepared any norms for analyzing the functioning and success of Panchayati Raj Institutions;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the outcome of such analysis in the States of Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal; and
- (c) the main problems being faced by the Panchayats in effective functioning along with the steps taken to address the said problems and to involve the Panchayats actively in the planning process to be introduced in their respective jurisdiction?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL)

(a) to (c) Panchayat, being 'Local Government', is a State Subject and part of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.  Accordingly, Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts and their performance is monitored mainly by the State Governments. However, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) reviews their performance  from  time  to  time,  through  studies,  review  meetings,  field  visits,  video conferencing, Information Technology applications, Common Review Missions (CRMs) etc.

Article  243G  of  the  Constitution  envisages  the  panchayats  as  institutions  of  self government and provides that the legislature of a State, may by law, endow the Panchayats with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of  self-government  and  for  the  preparation  of  plans  and  implementation  of  schemes  for economic development and social justice. Accordingly, devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources are essential for effective functioning and success of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).  As  per  a  study  conducted  during  2015-16,  by  the  Tata  Institute  of  Social  Sciences (TISS), out of 29 subjects listed in the 11 th Schedule of the Constitution, States of Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal have devolved 24 and 28 subjects to their Panchayats respectively. In  March, 2020, the State of Bihar has intimated that it has devolved all 29 subjects to its Panchayats.

Capacity building and training of representatives and officials of the PRIs, empowerment of the Gram Sabha to function as a vibrant institution at the Panchayat level and developing systems for transparency and accountability of PRIs are also essential for effective functioning and success of PRIs.

In order to enable the Panchayats for preparation of annual plans in evidence based and structured manner, the People's Plan Campaign has been rolled out as an annual event as 'Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas' from 2018.

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is being implemented for capacity building for Elected Representatives (ERs) of Panchayat Functionaries  and  other  stakeholders.  Towards  making  the  Gram  Sabhas  vibrant  and  for strengthening  the  rural  local  self-  governance,  a  detailed  advisory  has  been  issued  to  the States/UTs in August, 2021.

To strengthen functioning of PRIs across the country, MoPR  has  launched eGramSwaraj (https://egramswaraj.gov.in), a user friendly web-based portal, which aims to bring  in  better  transparency  in  the  decentralised  planning,  progress  reporting,  financial management, work-based accounting and details of assets created. Further, for ensuring timely audit of Panchayat accounts i.e. receipts and expenditures of Gram Panchayats (GPs), MoPR has rolled out an online application - AuditOnline (https://auditonline.gov.in). This application not only facilitates the auditing of Panchayat accounts but also provides for maintaining of audit  records.  This  application  streamlines  the  process  for  audit  inquiries,  draft  local  audit reports, draft audit paras etc. and thus ensures proper maintenance of accounts by Panchayats to improve transparency and accountability.

Under the Fourteenth Finance Commission award for the period of 2015-2020, grants to the tune of Rs. 2,00,292.20 crore were allocated to GPs in 26 States. The grant was provided to GPs for delivering basic services. Under Fifteenth Finance Commission, Grants to the tune of Rs. 60,750 crore were allocated for the interim period FY 2020-21 and Rs.2,36,805 Crore are allocated for the period FY 2021-26 to Panchayats in all the three tiers and Traditional Local Bodies in non Part IX areas in 28 States.

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