Press Information Bureau English Releases

Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been conducting evaluation of the implementation of 73rd Constitutional Amendment in the form of State of Panchayat Report since 2006-07. The last State of Panchayat Report is available for the year 2008-09. Similarly, Ministry of Urban Development have undertaken a study on “Impact of the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act on the Working of Urban Local Bodies”. (Study undertaken by the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi & other organizations and report submitted in November 2005).

The services to the citizens being provided by the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) vary from State to State depending upon devolution of powers to the Panchayati Raj Institutions by the respective State Governments. The extent of devolution is studied by the Ministry through an independent agency every year. The study shows that there is progressive devolution of powers to Panchayats from year to year.

Under Article 243G of the Constitution, States Legislatures are to endow the Panchayats with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of self-governance. Since Article 243G allows discretion to the States in the matter of devolution of powers to Panchayats, States vary in the extent to which they have devolved powers to Panchayats and Municipalities.

States are incentivized to devolve powers to Panchayats as mandated in Part IX of the Constitution, through Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS). In order to increase the capacity of elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayats, Ministry of Panchayati Raj implements capacity building program under Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) and Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Yojana (RGSY).

This information was given by the Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri V. Kishore Chandra Deo in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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PKM/DB
(Release ID :89248)