Balwantrai Mehta - Architect of Panchayati Raj institute

Ningreikhan Wungkhai *

India of course is a land of enriching culture and a bedrock of enlightenment and its reputation precedes the present with no lesser ambition. We cannot deny the fact that India is also famous for Mahatma Gandhi across the globe.

However, not every enlighten ones can bring his vision of India as a baron of decentralized democracy, as a center of well-established local self-government and rural development. And who among the few had notably fruiticious in bringing his dreams to reality was also Mr. Balwantrai Mehta, famously known as the 'architect of Panchayati Raj'.

On this auspicious day, 19th February, it is worthwhile to remember him for his magnanimous contribution to the country during the pre-independent era, and his pragmatic ideas of democratic decentralization, which was reflected in a pivotal working committee naming after his name "Balwantrai Mehta Committee" that stood as a vital vehicle in shaping the rural India to a centralized democracy.

His early life and political involvement: born to a humble family in Gujarat, on 19th Feb 1900, Balwantrai Gopalji Mehta as a child was a person of humility and well-disciplined boy. During his schooling days he shows extensive dedication towards his studies and display extensive interest in social welfare. For this attributes he was dearly loved by his teachers. At the age of 20, after graduation, he refused to earn further degree from foreign universities stead joined the non-co-operation movement in 1920.

As a young graduate from a middle class family and a rigorous aspirant to the cause of India's independent, his career in politics took turn and reach beyond milestone of India freedom saga. He was an active frontrunner in Civil Disobedience, Bordoli Satyagraha, and was imprisoned in 1942 for his active participation in Quit Indian Movement, for 4 years.

His fidelity to the vision of M.K. Gandhi and for his relentless serviced to the country, Gandhi later recommended him for INC membership when India was freed from the foreign dominion, and thus become the member of congress working committee and eventually become the general secretary of All India congress Committee during the tenure of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru as the then President. He became the second chief minister of Gujarat succeeding Jivraj Narayan Mehta in 1963 and died during his office in 1965 during the Indo-Pak war when a Beechcraft plane carrying him and his wife and six other was shot down by a Pakistani aircraft mistaken for a military aircraft.

The awakening of decentralized democracy in India:

As a person of high intensity for the growth of the nation, not only he had contributed for the nation both during the pre-independent and post independent India but also had emancipated for the rural development – decentralized democracy. Soon after the 1957 general election, he was appointed as the chairman of a parliamentary committee called the Estimate Committee to propel a thorough examination and implementation of the working of community development and national extension service.

Under his able chairmanship, the committee submitted its report and recommendation of a well-established local self-governance vehicle known as Panchayati Raj Institute (PRI).

One of the major characteristic of this recommendation was the establishment of three tier system within the PRI i.e. Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Zila Parishad at the district level. Of the three tier structure of the PRI, the Zilla Parishad which consists of district level officers from every spectrum including special representation of women, collector, and representative of the ST&SC stood as the apex body.

It not only supervised the working of the other tiers in case of machinery failure but also gave consent to budgets of the Samitis besides the advisory board reaching out to the government regarding implementation of various schemes. The chairman of Zilla Parishad is elected from its members whereas the chief executive officer is deputed by the state. Maintenance and functions of hospitals, dispensaries, irrigation, primary and secondary schools falls within the jurisdiction of the Zilla Parishad.

This institute plays a significant role in the administration of the rural India due to its people oriented policy as the objective of the PRI is restricted to direct participation of the people.

Acting as a dynamic functionary body and patronage from the Govt, its function varies from economic attribution to social justice and stretches till the legislature in their respective constituency. While on case of taxation, well established revenue system is followed apart from receiving grants under the recommendation of finance commission. Apart from receiving grants from the government, PRI also receive funds for implementation of several national and state schemes such as MGNRES, BRGH, and IAY.

Mandatory and discretionary power of PRI: The 73rd Amendment Act which becomes constitutionally effective from April 1993 was passed by parliament in 1992 to strengthen the working of PRI and subsequently inducted Part IX to the Constitution of India. This Act renders constitutional shape and endowed machinery tools to Article 40 of the constitution. Article 40 of the Indian Constitution envisaged the 'organization of village Panchayats' and mandates that, 'the State shall take steps to organize village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government'.

The mandatory power and discretionary power has each distinct contrary. The former used the word "shall" in its provisions whereas the word "may" was used in the later.

Multiple obligatory under Mandatory provisions dictates, (a) direct election to all seats in the panchayat at all level; (b) compulsory election after every five years; (c) If a panchayat is dissolved prematurely, elections must be held within six months, with the newly elected members serving the remainder of the five year term; (d) If a panchayat is dissolved prematurely, elections must be held within six months, with the newly elected members serving the remainder of the five year term; (e) reservation of seats in all panchayats at all levels for SC/ST; (f) reservation of one—third of all seats in all panchayats at all levels for women, with the reservation for women applying to the seats reserved for SC/STs; (g) indirect elections to the position of panchayat chairperson at the intermediate and district levels; (h) reservation of the position of panchayat chairperson at all levels for SC/STs in proportion to their share in the state population (i) reservation of one-third of the positions of chairperson at all three levels for women; and

Discretionary provisions dictates the following, (a) Transfer of powers and functions to Gram Sabha; (b) Mode of election of chairperson of a panchayat at village level; (c) Reservation of OBCs; (c) To decide the taxes, duties, tolls and fees for which a panchayat shall be authorized; (d) To make provision for maintenance of accounts and auditing of panchayats;

India as a democratic nation guaranteed equal rights to all citizens and the improvising effort of multiple working committees by bringing Panchayati Raj into a wider scope, women from every walk of life had played a crucial role in the mainstream decentralized democracy.

The number of women in panchayats has been immensely increase in many fold from the time the Government approved 50% seat reservation for women in PRIs on 27 August 2009. As of now, the entire elected members in Kodassery Panchayat in Kerala are women.

And for the achievement that is tremendous, for the growth the PRI has ushered today, it is worthwhile to remember Mr. Balwantrai Mehta, the 'Architect of Panchayati Raj' with great respect and bountiful honor.