Panchayati Raj & 73rd Amendment
Revenue & Panchayati Raj · पंचायती राज और 73वां संशोधन · 18 facts
73rd Constitutional Amendment Act 1992: Gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj; effective April 24, 1993 (celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day).
73rd Amendment added: Part IX (Articles 243-243O) and 11th Schedule (29 subjects) to the Constitution; mandatory for states with population over 20 lakh.
Gram Sabha (Article 243A): Body consisting of all persons on electoral rolls of a village; foundation of Panchayati Raj; approves annual plans and audits.
Three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat (village level), Panchayat Samiti/Block Panchayat (intermediate level), Zila Parishad (district level).
Five-year term: Panchayat elections must be held before expiry of 5-year term; State Election Commission (Article 243K) oversees elections.
Women reservation: Minimum 1/3 seats and chairperson positions reserved for women in panchayats; 20+ states have increased it to 50%.
SC/ST reservation: Proportionate to population; if district has 30% SC, then 30% panchayat seats reserved for SC; rotation of reserved seats.
OBC reservation: Article 243D allows states to provide reservation for backward classes in panchayats; not mandatory but most states provide it.
State Finance Commission (Article 243I): Must be constituted every 5 years; recommends devolution of taxes from state to panchayats.
DPC (District Planning Committee, Article 243ZD): Consolidates plans from panchayats and municipalities; forwards to state government; coordinates spatial planning.
11th Schedule — 29 subjects: Agriculture, land reform, minor irrigation, animal husbandry, fisheries, social forestry, roads, education, markets, health, drinking water, housing.
Panchayats not applicable in: Areas in the Sixth Schedule (NE tribal areas — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram), Fifth Schedule areas (tribal areas under Governor).
PESA Act 1996 (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas): Extends PR to Fifth Schedule areas; Gram Sabha consent mandatory for land acquisition, mining.
Panchayati Raj Day: April 24 every year; commemorates coming into force of 73rd Amendment on April 24, 1993.
Panchayat Secretary: Government servant (not elected) who assists Gram Panchayat; maintains records, conducts meetings, disburses funds.
Grama Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP): Gram Sabha prepares annual development plan; must cover 9 themes (poverty, health, clean water, education, agriculture, social security etc.).
India's elected PR representatives: 2.5+ million elected panchayat members; 1.4+ million are women; world's largest democratic decentralization system.
RGSA (Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan): Central scheme for capacity building of PRIs; training elected representatives and officials for effective governance.