INTRODUCTION
Local Self-government is a form of administration
such that the inhabitants of a certain territory form a community that is
recognized by the Central government and has a specific legal status and was
originated by the Anglo-Saxons.
Panchayat Raj (Rule of Village Committee) system is
a three-tier system in the state with elected bodies at the village, Taluk and
District levels. It ensures greater participation of people and more effective
implementation of rural development programmes.
India has a chequered history of Panchayat Raj
starting from self sufficient and self-governing village communities that
survived the rise and fall of empires in the last to the modern institutions of
governance at the third tier provided with constitutional support.
EARLY HISTORY
During the time of Rig-veda (1700 BC)
evidence suggest that self-governing village bodies called ‘Sabhas’ existed and
with the passage of time, these bodies became panchayats (council of five
persons)
DURING BRITISH RULE
During British rule the autonomy of Panchayat declined
and replaced the Mahalwari or Village tenure system with individual Ryotwari
(Village holder-wise) system assigning least priority to Panchayat system only
for their self interest. To manage, suppress the protest and demand of Indian
people British from time to time formed different commission and reform
committee on formation of different local bodies.
Post-independence period: The first five year plans
and 2nd five year plan has failed to bring into the planning and
implementation of policies and the active participation of common people at the
grass root level.
Following committees were formed for strengthening
the PRI system:
The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957)
Ashok Mehta Committee (1978)
G.V.K Rao Committee (1985)
L.M. Singhvi Committee (1986)
THE 73RD CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ACT
All the measures taken so far could not eliminate
the rural poverty and accelerate the development process to desired extent. The
institutional initiatives failed and in response to this the idea of the
73rd Constitutional Amendment Act emerged as giant steps towards achieving
the true spirit of decentralization. It was a political drive to see PRI as a
solution to the government crisis that India was experiencing and interestingly
it was moved by both the centre and state government.
The constitutional (73rd Amendment) Act passed
in 1992 by the Narasimha Rao government came into force on April 24,1993.It was
meant to provide Constitutional Sanction to establish “democracy at the
grassroots level as it is at the state level or national level”.
THE SALIENT FEATURE
The Gram Saha or Village assembly as a deliberative
body to decentralized governance has been envisage as the foundation of the
Panchayati Raj system.
A uniform three-tier structure at village (Gram
Panchayat-GP) intermediate or block (Panchayat samity-PS) and District (Zilla
Parishad-ZP) levels.
All the seats in a panchayat at every level are to
be filled by elections from respective territorial Constituencies.
Not less than one-third of the total seats for membership
as well as of chairpersons of each tier has to be reserved for women.
Reservation for weaker castes and tribes (SC &
ST) has to be provided at all levels in proportions to their population in the
Panchayats.
To supervise, direct and control the regular and
smooth elections to panchayats a state Election Commission has to be
constituted in every state and Union Territory.
The Act has ensured constituted of a state Finance
Commission in every state /Union Territory
for every five year to suggest measures to strengthen finance of panchayat raj
institutions.
To promote bottom-up-planning the District planning
Committee (DPC) in every district has been accorded constitutional status.
An indicative list of 29 items has been given in
eleventh Schedule of the constitution panchayats are expected to play an
effective role in planning and implementation of works related to these 29
items.
THE SETUP OF LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT IN TRIPURA AND
TTAADC
Decentralization is popular word in social science
discourse. It is widely interpreted as an instrument of good Governance and
means of democratic development process.
In deed, a democracy works when all people
including the most marginalized of the society participates in the process of
governances has capability to ask questions and seek accountability. For
countries like India, it is an indispensable precondition for social, economic
and political development and necessary conditions for strengthening
institutions.
The real test of decentralization lies in its contribution
towards peoples empowerment by way of providing the significant role in
decision making and in entire process of governance bodies have been held
regularly since 1978 when Left Front was elected to govern the state. Since
1993,following the constitutional amendments in this regard Tripura has a
three-tier structure of elected local bodies or Panchayat raj institution (PRI)
at Gram Panchayat, Block Panchayat (Panchayat Samiti) and District Panchayat
(Zilla Panchayat) levels. In addition, Tripura also has the unique institution
of the Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) vested with power
intended to ensure a large degree of self-government to tribal.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENTATION
To understand various development of
decentralization governance in India with specific areas of development in
TTAADC of Tripura
To highlight the level of involvement of people of
the grassroots and the problem and difficulties faced by them in involvement of
governance and development process in TTAADC area.
To understand the nature of such problem with the
Indian experience of democratic decentralization and working of the
institutions of grass-root democracy at rural level in TTAADC areas Local Self
Government.
Focuses on the problems in effective and meaningful
decentralization arising out of various legal, social, economic and political
factors and seeks to suggest measures to make local self-governance more
realistic and fruitful in TTAADC areas.
In Tripura, there are vibrant self local bodies in
both ADC and Non-ADC areas. In addition to rural local bodies there are urban
local bodies.
An important issue in the context of the state of
Tripura is that of recognizing the distinct identity of tribal’s and the need
to provide a degree of autonomy to them with a view to ensuring the protection
of the economic, social and cultural interests of the tribal population.
Historically, with in-migration of non-tribal’s, including displaced persons
from other territories into Tripura over several decades, the tribal population
has become a minority in the state in which tribal’s were originally the
overwhelming proportion of the population. Several decades and struggles later,
a distinctive and democratic resolution of the issue was arrived at when the
Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) was created under the
seventh schedule of the Indian Constitution through the passage of a Bill
brought forward by the Left Front government of Tripura in 1979. The first
TTAADC was elected in January 1982. Subsequently, through a constitutional
amendment, the TTAADC was brought under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution
in 1985.
TTAADC: STRUCTURE AND POWERS
The TTADC has 28 elected members and 2 tribal
members nominated by the Governor of the State. 25 constituencies are reserved
for tribal’s The TTAADC is vested with both legislative and executive powers.
The Chairperson of TTAADC is responsible for the conduct of legislative functions.
An executive council of members with a chief executive member (analogous to a
cabinet of ministers and a chief minister) discharges the executive functions
of TTAADC. The administrative, legal and financial powers of the TTAADC are
listed in
TTAADC accounts for 70% of the State’s area and 30%
of its population. It is spread over all the four districts. Corresponding to
the Gram Panchayats of the non-ADC area, there are 522 village development
councils in TTAADC territory spread over 13 blocks. There are 462 revenue
villages spread over 151 Tehsils in the TTAADC territory. The TTAADC runs 1375
primary schools and 442 social education centers. It operates through 5 zonal
and 37 sub-zonal offices. Though the TTAADC has some taxation powers, its
expenditure is substantially covered by funds received from the state
government. Some data on funds annually provided to TTAADC is presented.
The TTAADC is an example of the practical relevance
of regional autonomy within a framework of formation of states based on the
principle of linguistic nationality. It is noteworthy that both tribals and
non-tribals were involved in and supported the process of formation of TTAADC.
Thus the TTAADC was a product of the joint struggle of tribal and non-tribal
democratic movements to protect the identity and rights of tribal’s. The
objectives underlying the formation of TTAADC were to provide internal autonomy
in compact areas inhabited overwhelmingly by tribal’s, protect the social,
economic and cultural interests of the tribal population and promote the
all-round socio-economic development of the territory covered by the TTADC
PROSPECTS AND OUTCOME
Participation of people through village Sabha,
Social audit at the grass root level of policy making and implementation there
by bringing greater transparency in public transaction and social checks on the
actual implementation process.
Women empowerment through participation in village
sabha meeting in all spheres of political, economic and social issues.
Effective management of natural resources and
improvement in awareness on social issues.
Improvement in Education, Health in rural areas.
The regional autonomy within a state is safeguarded
by providing through district council a distinctive elected autonomous body.
Due to overall development and greater
participation of PRI bodies at the grass root level and the interaction with
the common masses the threat of extremist violence in the interior areas of
Tripura is brought under control. The separatist who got misguided went out of
the mainstream to disturb the peace and tranquility of the region was tackled
and solved.
Restoration of peace in the interior area of state
due to active participation of PRI bodies
CHALLENGES
Capacity building
More awareness required for effective implementation
of various policies of government.
More administrative training on modern ICT etc for
effective co-ordination.
Local self-government should give priority taking
into account the regional specifics.
There are hurdles and problem due to different natural
climatic condition, vast unpopulated area, communication problem lack of good
road networks. So planning should be done taking into account all these things.
increasing efficiency and effectiveness of
authorities
improving environment for business development
Harmonizing the relationship between citizen TTAADC
authorities and business.
Establishment of civil society.
Increasing transparency and reducing corruption
Decreasing social tension
CONCLUSION
As a fruit of effective Self Government body in TTAADC
exclusively for tribal areas has been boon for upliftment of the condition of
poor tribal people in remotest habitations in the sector of Education, Health
and all spheres of economic, political and social issue.To encourage the
economical development it is necessary that state government ensures
the democratization of government management, de-monopolization of state
economy as well as instulation of sustainable an efficient authority. At last
the road map to successful local self-government can be achieved by the
following root map.
Democratization of government
managementàDevelopment of local self-governmentàStrengthening of rural
economyàintensification of rural citizens creative effortàestablishment of
Civil societyàrural development
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