Panchayats
have been the backbone of the Indian villages since the beginning of recorded
history. In 1946, Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, aptly remarked that
Indian lives in villages and unless the village life is realized, the nation as
a whole cannot make progress. In rural India, the concept of ‘panch prarmeswar’
is very old and very prominent. We also find reference of Grama Panchayat in
ancient and medieval literature.
During
independence struggle, Gandhiji said that the Indian independence must begin at
the bottom and every village ought to be a Republic or a Panchayat with powers.
His dream got translated into reality with the introduction of the three-tier
Panchayat Raj System to ensure people’s participation in rural reconstruction.
The roots of Panchayat Raj can be traced to Article 40 of the Constitution of
India which declared that the State shall take steps to organize village
Panchayats and to endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary
to enable them to function as the units of self-Government.
The
prosperity of the entire country depends on the prosperity and self-sufficient
of the villages. The Panchayat Raj System fulfils the long felt need of making
the village administration truly independent and genuinely representative of the
population will, and putting village people in direct charge of their affairs.
Panchayat Raj aimed to foster democratic participation, involving villages in
the development efforts and easing the administrative burden on the States.
This system was also and easing the administrative burden on the States. This
system was also considered necessary for the growth of democracy in India.
Panchayat
Raj could be possible only when the villages are capable of organizing
themselves to think, plan, work and pay for the necessities and amenities for
their welfare. Jawaharlal Nehru actually coined the term ‘Panchayat Raj’ as an
extension of Gandhiji’s belief, that each village should be made responsible
for its own affairs. Gandhiji’s belief, that each village should be made
responsible for its own affairs. Gandhiji’s vision of ‘village self-governance’
(Gram Swaraj) and a decentralized form of Government prompted the birth of the
new system of ‘Panchayat Raj’. The objective behind establishing such a system
is to take democracy to the village level, by delegating powers to the people
at the grassroots level.
In the present scheme of Panchayat
Raj, the villages have been held responsible for all-round improvement in the
village life, including education, sanitation, medical relief- curative and
preventive, lighting, housing, maternity and child welfare along with the
administration of civil, criminal and revenue justice. The main objective
behind the Panchayati Raj is that the people in the village should undertake
the responsibilities of governing themselves.
People
in the villages should actively participate in the development activities
regarding agriculture, irrigation, animal husbandry, public health, education
and so on. The scheme of rural development confers on the rural people the
power of decision-making regarding developmental activities. This is democracy
at the grassroots. It will ‘decentralize’ democracy. This system has got a very
important role to play in the social, economic and cultural life of the village
community in India.
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
There
is sufficient evidence to establish the fact that the village administration is
almost pre-historic, and the conception of village administration is indigenous
to the Indian soil.
Pre-Vedic Period
During
Paleolithic Age, man has no fixed abode. He wandered from place to place in
search of food in the jungles and caves. During Mesolithic Age, the communities
were essentially hunters, food gatherers but also practiced some form of
agriculture. They harvested food crops. They might have partly adopted the
settled way of life. During Neolithic Age, the Neolithic culture in India is
important for:
(1)
The first villages established for
living in settled groups;
(2)
The first crop's cultivation of rice,
barley, ragi and so on;
(3)
The predominant pastoral economy and
(4)
Crafts like pottery making, spinning and
weaving, basket making and so on.
Thus villages came into existence with settled population.
Vedic Period
The
Vedic people led a simple and village (rural life). The family (kula) comprised
father, mother, son, slaves and so on. After settling down, the Aryans changed
their occupation to agriculture. Later Kingship consolidated itself as the
normal form of Government, villages came under the rule of Kings. However,
there was autonomous power to the villages. The vital feature of the Government
of the village in Vedic period was the Panchayat literally meaning the
‘administration by five people’.
At
the beginning, Panchayat was an association of village people for doing administrative,
judicial or the other public works. The term ‘panchayat’ in ancient literature
was sometimes used to denote the general meeting of the inhabitants of the
villages namely the ‘Sabha’ and at other times to mean a select committee of
five people chosen from among the inhabitants.
The Maurya Age (324-232 BC)
In
the period of Maurya, the village was the basic unit of administration. The
Mauryan emperors introduced the Gram Sabha system for the first time in Indian
history. In Maurya period, the Gram Sabha comprised of a Headman and a few
other members. The Sabha used to take decisions about any issues related to the
village and they enjoyed several powers. The decisions of Gram Sabha were
considered to be law and the villagers were bound to obey them.
The
lowest unit of administration was the village. In village administration, the
headman of the village was called ‘Gramika’ who was assisted by ‘Gram Vriddhas’
(village elders). The villages enjoyed considerable autonomy. Most of the
disputes of the village were settled by ‘Gramika’ with the help of village
assembly ‘Panchayat’. Gramika was responsible for the accounts and he was the tax
collector.
The Gupta Period (300-600AD)
The
village Government under the Guptas was in many respects similar to that of the
Maurya period. The village both in the northern and southern India had the
traditional leaders. The headman and the accountant were still active, and, in
addition, the watchman also helped in the administration.
The
village administration was in charge of a headman designated as a ‘Grameyaka’
or as a ‘Gramadhyaksha’. He had a clerk to work under him to keep the records.
The headman was assisted in his work by a non-official council. The village
councils were known as ‘Panchamandalas’ in Central India and ‘Gram – Janapadas’
in Bihar.
Chola Dynasty (1955 -1279 AD)
The
Cholas were well known in history as efficient and enlightened administrators.
The Chola Kingdom was divided into ‘Mandalams’ and they were divided into
‘Valanadus’ or districts. These, in turn, were subdivided into groups of villages
varyingly called ‘Kuran’, ‘Nadu’, or ‘Kottam’. A very large village was called
‘Tamiyur’. The ‘Nadu’ was a large area and varied in size and population.
The
most notable feature of the Chola polity was the democratic functioning of the
village administration. Each village was administered by two bodies namely: (i)
Village Assemblies and (ii) Village Committees. There were three types of
assemblies that functioned at the local level – the Ur, the Sabha or Mahasabha or Nagaram.
VILLAGE PANCHAYATS IN ANCIENT INDIA
Root
unit of administration was a village in ancient India. The village was the symbol of
administration. Each had its own meeting or committee. Elderly people sat in
this committee and discussed the problem of the village. Administration of
village was by the headman – Mukhiya. In Vedic literature, he was called
‘gramani’. He is known by different names in different regions of India. There
was only one headman for each village. The duty of the ‘Gramani’ was to
maintain peace and defence against an external force. He had to collect taxes. He
preserved records of land under his custody. He was keen to protect the
interest of the people. The post ‘Gramani’ carried considerable prestige and is
described to be the object of the highest ambition of a vaisya.
Gram Sabha
(village assemblies) was considered the main part of the administration. Various
sanghs were there according to occupation in ancient India. ‘Gram Sabha’ may
have been made up of representatives of these ‘sanghs’ – farmer, artisan,
washer-man, pot-maker,weaver, carpenter, blacksmith, goldsmith, oil extractor
and so on. These ancient ‘Gram Sabhas’ were later known as ‘Gram Panchayats’.
Village
administration during the Maurya period was closely linked with agriculture.
The village size ranged from 100 to 105 families. Bound-arises were demarcated
by river, hill, forest, ditches, tanks, bunds, trees and so on. The villages
remained a self-governed unit under the Mauryas. The Grama Sabha could not take
any decision that would violate the laws of religion. Grama Sabha also had to
take decisions considering the cultural aspects of the village life.
Gram
Sabha did its work of rural development through their various committees. First
committee maintained gardens of village. Second committee had to maintain
reservoirs and to supply drinking water. The third committee decided on the
mutual quarrels of village. Fourth committee was known as ‘Suvarna’ (gold)
committee. Its work was to examine gold which was collected as tax impartially.
Its work was called as ‘Panchavai’committee and its main work was to do tasks
which were not under the field of above committees.
GANDHI’S IDEAS ON VILLAGE PANCHAYAT
AS UNIT OF SELF-GOVERNMENT
After
independence, Gandhiji propagated Panchayat Raj to villages. He visualized free
villages with self-rule through Panchayats. The best quickest and most
efficient way is to build up from the bottom. Every village has to become a
self-sufficient republic. It requires brave, corporate, intelligent work.
Gandhiji visualized equality so that no village will be the first and none the
last.
Gandhiji’s
dream was that the seven lakhs of villages become a well-living republic. No
one is idle for want of work and everyone is usefully occupied. Everyone should
have nourishing food, well-ventilated dwellings and sufficient Khadi for
covering the body. Gandhiji’s idea of village
Swaraj is that it is a complete republic independent of its neighbours for
its own vital wants.
Every
village’s first concern will be to grow its own food crops and cotton for its
cloth. It should have a reserve for its cattle, recreation and playground for
adults and children. It will grow useful money crops excluding tobacco, opium,
ganja and so on. The village will maintain a village theatre, school and public
hall. It will have its own waterworks ensuring clean water supply.
Education
will be compulsory up to the final basic course. As far as possible, every
activity will be conducted on the co-operative basis. There will be no castes
or untouchability. Non-cooperation will be the sanction of the village
community. There will be a compulsory service of village guards.
Every
village will be a republic or Panchayat having full powers. Every village has
to be self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs. This does not include
dependence on and willing help from neighbours of from the world. It will be
free and voluntary play of mutual forces. Everybody would observe ‘Swadeshi’ as
the rule of life and regard every woman (not being his wife) as his mother,
sister or daughter. He would be ready to lay down his life when occasion
demands it, never want to take another’s life.
The
Government of the village will be conducted by the Panchayat annually elected
by adult villagers. When Panchayat Raj is established, public opinion will do
what violence can never do. In Panchayat Raj, the man who should count most is
naturally the ‘Kisan’ (farmer). The greater the power of the Panchayat, the better
for the people. Panchayat to be effective and efficient, the level of people’s
education has to be considerably raised.
RESPONSE OF THE CONSTITUENT
ASSEMBLY TOWARDS THE GANDHIAN IDEA
There
was no question of Gandhiji joining constituent assembly which was the
Constitution making body that is, provisional parliament of India. He compared
parliament with prostitute because it is always under the control of ministers
who change over period of time. No real honesty and living, since MP’s often
indulge in bribery. Gandhiji thought
that Parliament is an unproductive institution. He saw State as embodiment of
violence and immorality. He rejected the State as he believed in ‘Satya’ and
‘Ahimsa’. His idea of ‘Swaraj’ was to establish a society which would be self-regulating
and co-operative.
The
Constituent Assembly was formulated to ensure a smooth transition of power.
However, the constitution drafting committee was only one of the many
committees set up by the Constitutnt Assembly. Mahatma Gandhi was not really
sidelined from the constitution framing. He chose not to be part of any form of
Government. In fact, he was a strong advocate of dissolution of the Congress
after independence. He was not present when Jawaharlal Nehru made his first
speech to the Constituent Assembly.
But
look at the focus on villages, agriculture, self-reliance and so on and you
will see Gandhiji there. Ambedkar in chair also sent out a strong political
message that the untouchables would not face discrimination. It also ensured
that dalit voice would be heard in the constitution. Gandhiji was busy touring
India dousing communal fire burning at that time.
Gandhiji had said:
(1) An India in which there shall no high class and low class of people;
(2) All communities shall live in perfect harmony;
(3) No room for untouchability or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs and
(4) Women will enjoy the same rights as men.
All
the above can be found to be incorporated in the Constitution of India. Our
constitution has proved to be workable and has withstood the test of time.
THE NATURE, SCOPE AND SPIRIT OF
ARTICLE 40 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
Despite
the nationalist movement’s commitment to panchayats and Gandhiji’s unequivocal
propagation of the ideal, the first draft of India’s constitution did not include
a provision for panchayats. This was in spite of the fact that ‘Gram Swaraj’
(village self-rule) was a major slogan in the national liberation movement. It
is unfortunate that the founding fathers of our constitution did not take
notice of these facts while preparing the first draft of the constitution.
When
Gandhiji came to know about it, he felt both disturbed and depressed. Rightly
so, because ‘Gram Swaraj’ was the post independence model of governance in
rural India that Gandhiji had dreamt of. Presumably noticing his distress, an
amendment was moved for inserting Article 40 –Organization of Village
Panchayats in Part-IV of the Constitution-Directive principles of State policy.
Article
40 reads:
“The State should take steps to organize
village panchayats and endow them with such power and authority as may be
necessary to enable them to function as units of self-Government.”
This
provision of the constitution was primarily advisory in nature and therefore
not taken seriously both by the Central and State Governments.
It
is a fact that the Indian State, immediately after attaining independence, was
more committed to industrialization and rural transformation through economic
growth than democratic decentralization through Panchayat Raj. As a result, what
followed was not an effort to usher in Panchayati Raj in the country, but to
bring about socio-economic transformation through the Community Development
Programme (CDP). The same has however a
bureaucratically controlled State-funded development intervention.
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Courtesy:- Deepak Miglani
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