Karnataka > Panchayat Raj
During the course of these four decades (1952-1993) radical changes have been brought into practice in the concept, structure, constitution and modus operandi of Panchayat Raj institutions in practice in Karnataka by enacting progressive legislations by the successive Governments in power in order to translate the concept of decentralisation and 'Grama Swarajya' and 'Surajya' in to a reality.
After the Reorganisation of the State, in 1960, a unified a comprehensive Panchayat Raj Act known as Karnataka Local Boards and Village Panchayats Act 1959, came into being since 1960. Under this Act, Village Panchayats at the village level, Taluk Development Boards at the Taluk level and District Development Councils for each district were constituted. Under the above three-tier system of administration, only the Village Panchayats and Taluk Development Boards had elected representatives. The District Development Councils were mere advisory bodies comprising of Government officials of the development departments works and schemes were non-official members. In the above system most of the rural development works and schemes were channalised through Taluk Development Boards. Village Panchayats worked under the control of the Taluk Development Boards. This system of Panchayat Raj institutions continued till 1983. In order to have decentralisation in administration, at the Mandal levels, increased people's participation in the process of development etc., the earlier Act of 1959 was replaced by a new Act known as Karnataka Zilla Parishads, Taluk Panchayat Samithis, Mandal Panchayats and Nyaya Panchayat Act in 1983. This Act came into effect from 1985. The Nyaya Panchayats included in the Act did not come into existence.
These new Panchayat Raj institutions came into being in the State in 1987 when the elections were held to these bodies for the first time. Franchise was extended to those completing 18 years of age. According to the new Act the three-tier, inter-linked development oriented institutions known as Mandal Panchayats at the village level, Taluk Panchayat Samithis at the taluk level and Zilla Parishads at the district were reconstituted. In the new system, only Mandal Panchayats and Zilla Parishads were having elected bodies. Taluk Panchayat Samithis remained only as supervisory or co-ordinating institutions between Mandals and Zilla Parishad and used to work under Zilla Parishads. In the new setup, Zilla Parishads were entrusted with more powers and functions. They almost functioned like the Governments of the districts. Most of the development activities of the state were executed or carried through Zilla Parishads and Mandals. Nearly 80% of the total development expenditure was earmarked to Zilla Parishads. Except major and medium irrigation works, all other developmental works were entrusted to Zilla Parishads. Mandals had separate powers to carry out certain specified (27) delopmental works according to local neeeds. The impact to decentralised administration of Zilla Parishads, Mandal Panchayats was very much felt in rural areas specially in the improvement of attendance in primary schools, of both students and teachers and doctors in the rural hospitals and field staff of other departments as revealed by the evaluation committee on the working of Zilla Parishads and Mandal Panchayats.
|
