The Future of Panchayati Raj Institutions: Learning from PRIA’s Past” by Mr. Manoj Rai

Panchayat 102 NOT OUT!

He started the seminar with reference of Famous Hindi Short Story writer /Novelist  Munshi  Premchand’s story “Panch parmeshwar “ which shows  a common man had struggled to get justice in the  Panchayti raj system in 1916. Here Mr. rai reconnects the above story with Panchayats and today also empahises the importance of Panchayats with a snap of both story cover and a Panchayat Service Centre (ISO certified) in 2018. So the presentation got that title.

• After that he described about the 73^rd constitutional amendment act,  and its salient features introduced  Gram Sabha in every gram panchayat,
• 3^rd tier panchayats: District, block and village,
• State Election Commission, State finance Commission and  District Planning Committee.

 Since the amendment became Act on  24^th April 1993, India celebrates 24 April as Panchayat Diwas. A Landmark in its governance system.

Then he started to talk about the PRIA’s intervention in Panchayats which was started in 1995-96 period.   PRIA was the first organisation who took the risk of working with Panchayats in those days. It can be said that PRIA had a far sight of seeing the importance of local self- governance and how it is going to be influencing common rural people.  PRIA had worked atleast in 23 states at that time which formed  partnership of 4000 NGOs and approx. 100 universities, media and Govt.  Mr. James Manor, an international expert on decentralisation, had once stated that PRIA is only NGO in the world that has done such a large scale programme on Governance.  

In fact PRIA had invented lot of new ideas such Pre Election Voter Awareness Campaign (fondly known as PEVAC). Also through Radio programmes, training for elected representatives and awareness creation, PRIA had really scripted a new history in supporting functioning of Panchayat system in the intervened states . PRIA had also supported at national level through its influence /presence on  policy advocacy: membership in Expert committee on planning and decentralisation, planning commission and preparing first ever state of panchayat report to parliament.

Mr.  Rai shown the examples through snaps of different Panchayat Sadan in India today such as Hivare bazar in Maharashtra Punsary panchayat in Gujarat, Gangadevipalli Panchayat in Telangana  and Dharnai in Bihar which are doing their work with full of strength.

Further he described about challenges before panchayat and role of PRIA in centralising centre and  states in devolution. In better utilisation of available resources and in rural urban service integration.

Last month he visited KILA for presentation Panchayati raj: 25 years…….All are recalling PRIA’s work with panchayats and there is a good field  for PRIA in future also  to work with panchayats.

 It concludes like that for PRIA; Panchayats and PRIA……

Past binds

Present reminds

Future invites!!!