PR Committees & Balwantrai
Revenue & Panchayati Raj · PR समितियां और बलवंतराय · 18 facts
Balwantrai Mehta Committee 1957: First major committee on Panchayati Raj; recommended 3-tier PR system (village, block, district); coined term 'democratic decentralisation'.
Balwantrai Mehta recommendations implemented: Rajasthan first state to implement on October 2, 1959 (Gandhi Jayanti); Andhra Pradesh second; PM Nehru inaugurated.
Balwantrai Mehta key features: Genuine transfer of power; popularly elected bodies; adequate resources; a statutory and democratic body, not just advisory.
Ashok Mehta Committee 1977: Appointed under Janata Government; recommended 2-tier system (Mandal Panchayat at village cluster level + Zila Parishad at district); political party participation allowed.
Ashok Mehta Committee — not implemented: Janata Government fell before implementation; however, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal enacted new PR laws based on its recommendations.
GVK Rao Committee 1985: Recommended decentralization of planning to district level; called PRIs 'grass without roots'; stressed district as basic unit of planning.
LM Singhvi Committee 1986: Recommended constitutional status for PR bodies; Gram Sabha as foundation of PR; PR elections through State Election Commission — basis for 73rd Amendment 1992.
LM Singhvi key recommendation: Nyaya Panchayats (village courts) for rural justice; Panchayat areas to be reorganized; each village to have its own Panchayat.
Gadgil Committee (VN Gadgil) 1988: Reviewed implementation of PR; recommended constitutional amendment for PR — directly influenced drafting of 64th Amendment Bill (which lapsed) and later 73rd Amendment.
64th and 65th Amendment Bills 1989: Rajiv Gandhi government; 64th for Panchayats, 65th for Municipalities; passed Lok Sabha but rejected by Rajya Sabha; basis for 73rd and 74th Amendments later.
EMS Namboodiripad and Kerala PR: Kerala under EMS (1957) implemented genuine people's participation; People's Planning Campaign 1996 devolved 35-40% state plan funds to LSGIs; model for decentralization.
Gram Sabha — key to PR success: LM Singhvi called Gram Sabha the 'foundation of PR'; Art 243A; direct democracy at village level; approves works, conducts social audit, selects beneficiaries.
Panchayat Raj Evolution timeline: Ripon Resolution 1882 (local self-government) → Montague-Chelmsford 1919 → Balwantrai 1957 → Ashok Mehta 1977 → 73rd Amendment 1992 (constitutional status).
Ripon Resolution 1882: Viceroy Ripon's local self-government reform; 'Magna Carta of local self-government'; established elected local bodies; first step toward representative local governance.
Gram Swaraj concept (Gandhi): Gandhi envisioned self-sufficient village republics ('Gram Swaraj'); each village managing its own affairs; PR constitutional provisions inspired partly by Gandhian vision.
Community Development Programme 1952: Before PR; welfare programmes through Block Development Officers (BDOs); failed due to top-down approach; Balwantrai Mehta recommended elected bodies to replace.
National Panchayat Day: April 24 celebrated as Rashtriya Panchayati Raj Diwas; marks the day 73rd Amendment came into force (April 24, 1993); Ministry of PR gives awards.
3Fs — Funds, Functions, Functionaries: Core demand for effective PR; committees recommended genuine devolution of these 3Fs; still not fully devolved in most states despite 73rd Amendment.