24 April 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC
1. Prime Minister’s Visit to Bihar on National Panchayati Raj Day
(Source – PIB 24th April 2025 )
|
Topic: GS Paper 2 – Polity & Governance |
|
Context |
|
3 Key Programs of PM
- PM to participate in programme marking National Panchayati Raj Day in Madhubani,Bihar
- PM to inaugurate, lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 13,480 crore in Bihar.
- PM to flag off Amrit Bharat express and Namo Bharat Rapid rail in Bihar.
About Panchayati Raj
Established in 1992, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), making them the third tier of governance with Article 243 to 243O and the 11th Schedule listing 29 subjects for decentralized governance.
Three-Tier System with Devolution
- PRIs operate through a three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block), and Zila Parishad (district). States must devolve powers related to planning, implementation, and resource management for effective local governance.
- Inclusive Representation and Democratic Participation
PRIs ensure democratic decentralization through direct elections, with mandatory reservations for SCs, STs, and women (33%), promoting grassroots leadership and social equity. - Fiscal Decentralization and Local Accountability
Institutions like the State Finance Commission (243I) and State Election Commission (243K) strengthen PRIs by recommending fund devolution and ensuring timely elections, fostering financial and functional autonomy. - Challenges and Way Forward
PRIs face issues like lack of funds, poor capacity-building, limited autonomy, and state interference. Strengthening fiscal transfers, digital governance, and training can make PRIs engines of rural development and participatory democracy.
|
Practice Question: Discuss the significance of strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions in achieving grassroots development in India. (10 marks) |
Check this out 23 April 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC
