It was Gandhiji’s dream of Self-Government in India. His dream of this ‘Ram Rajya’ has no religious connotations to the Hindu concept of Ram Rajya unless he meant governance by all, including those considered to be at the bottom of the caste -ridden ladder. It meant a governing system in which every citizen is represented from village onwards.
In other words, people’s participation from the grass roots, starting at the Panchayat level. It is called Panchayati Raj.
Panchayati Raj became Constitutionally warranted with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment of 1993. The Act became effective from April 24, 1993.
The then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh declared on 24 April 2010 the first National Panchayati Raj Day
Addressing the Elected Representatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 April 2015 called for an end to the practice of “husbands of women sarpanches” or “sarpanch pati” exercising undue influence on the work of their wives elected to power. But, even today, in our male-dominated society, most often, elected women Panchayat representatives are given a backseat by their politically and economically ambitious husbands who function as ‘elected reps.’ Therein lies corruption.
In states or Union Territories with more than two million inhabitants there are three levels of PRIs:
- Gram Panchayt at village level.
- Panchayat Samiti at Block level,
- District Council at the District
level.
In States or Union Territories with less than two million inhabitants there are only two levels of PRIs
The Gram Sabha consists of all registered voters living in the area of a Gram Panchayat. It is the organization through which village inhabitants participate directly in local government.
Elections for the members of the Panchayats at all levels take place every five years. The Panchayats must include members of Scheduled castes(SCs) and Scheduled Tribes(STs) in the same proportion as in the general population.
At least one-third of all seats and chairperson posts must be reserved for women. Some states have increased the required minimum proportion for women to one-half.
Under the self-government system, gram panchayats are the basic units of local administration. If administered well and if not dominated by power hungry politicians, the Panchayati Raj governance system will bring progress and development for all, Antodaya the rise of the last and the least.
In Gandhiji’s words, “I have not pictured a poverty-stricken India containing ignorant millions. I have pictured to myself an India continually progressing along the lines best suited to her genius… If my dream is fulfilled, and every one of the seven lakhs of villages becomes a well-living republic in which there are no illiterates, in which no one is idle for want of work, in which everyone is usefully occupied and has nourishing food, well-ventilated dwellings, and sufficient Khadi for covering the body, and in which all the villagers know and observe the laws of hygiene and sanitation such a State must have varied and increasing needs, which it must supply unless it would stagnate…
“My idea of village Swaraj is that it is a complete republic, independent of its neighbours for its own vita wants and yet interdependent for many others in which dependence is necessary.
“My purpose is to present an outline of village government. Here there is perfect democracy based upon individual freedom. The individual is the architect of his own government.”