Gadag: The National Panchayat Raj Day is celebrated on April 24 every year to mark the constitutional amendment made by the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India. PRIs are the third tier of governance in India after the Central and State governments, responsible for local-level governance in rural areas. This day marks the establishment of the first Panchayat Raj system in India on April 24, 1993.
The Panchayat Raj system has a long history in India since ancient times. The word Panchayat is derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Panch’ (meaning five) and ‘ayat’ (meaning assembly). Around 300 BC, during the Mauryan period, the Panchayat system was in vogue in India. During this period, administration became decentralised, and local self-government became the norm.
Speaking on the occasion of Panchayat Raj Day to Verito.today Vice Chancellor of Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University (KSRDPRU) Gadag, Professor Vishnukanta S. Chatapalli said, Panchayat System is the oldest system in India. In the rural parts of our country, panchas used to give judgments on the position of benches. They were deciding on what does the village want or what is does not. In course of time, the system was disrupted by the encroachment on the country and the City. Freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and many others wished that the village should be developed before and after independence. Similarly, the Government is also in the same mood.”
In modern India, Panchayat Raj system was first introduced in 1959 by the Jawaharlal Nehru-led Government. However, the system was not given constitutional status by the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution until 1993. The amendment made it mandatory to establish a system of three-tier PRIs at the village, block and district levels.
National Panchayat Raj Day is significant as it highlights the importance of grassroot democracy and local self-government in India. PRIs play a crucial role in rural development and are responsible for implementing government schemes and programmes at the local level. They play an important role in ensuring the participation of women and marginalised sections of society in the decision-making process.
This day is an occasion to recognise the contributions of Panchayat Raj institutions in the development of rural areas. It provides an opportunity to assess the progress made in the implementation of the Panchayat Raj system and identify areas that need improvement.
Theme
The theme of The National Panchayat Raj Day 2023 is ‘Sustainable Panchayat: Building Healthy, Sufficient, Clean and Green Villages’. The theme focuses on promoting sustainable development in rural areas by ensuring the availability of clean water, promoting good health practices and creating a clean and green environment.
The National Panchayat Raj Award Celebration Week is being organised to recognise the efforts of panchayats in achieving these goals and to promote greater progress towards sustainable development. The National Conference on Healthy Panchayat, Better Water Facility and Clean and Green Panchayat provides a platform for panchayat representatives and officials to share their experiences and discuss strategies for achieving sustainable development in rural areas.
KSRDPR University started Panchayat Raj and Rural Development course for the first time in our state to attract the youth towards rural development. The Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University Act, 2016 was enacted to establish an Integrated University of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in the State of Karnataka for the teaching, training, research of Sustainable Development and Panchayat Raj Institutions. The Act was enacted with the objective of strengthening the local self-government system and to give impetus to study and research for holistic rural development in the State of Karnataka. The establishment of this university was one of the ambitious programmes of the Government of Karnataka led by Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
In 2017, KSRDPR University established Panchayat Raj and Rural Development and several other courses.
It has 10 postgraduate and 5 degree courses.
“Corona has taught everyone a lesson. Today’s youth are interested in coming to the village. ‘Our village, our pride’ concept is a awakening among the youth. And the courses available in the university complement it. The students studying here will stay in the village for a month over a period of two years. Thus they get very close to the agricultural activity, Chatpalli said.
Talking about the theme of Panchayat Raj 2023, VC said that there is no other way out for sustainable development. The development of the village should be done by the people. The simplest way to do this is to create jobs in the village to become a full-fledged village, just as there is a need for water from house to house, especially when the youth of this country are working under ‘work from home’ and it is very interesting to note that the interest in agriculture is being turned positively among them.”