IAS Mains Expected Questions - Polity

LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT

Evolution of Local Self Government

1. Lord Ripon‘s Resolution of 1882 has been described as the Magna Carta of Local Self- Government in India. It was a Policy Statement and marked a fundamental change in the basic approach.‘
2. Lord Ripon was the prophet of local government in India.‘
3. The proposals of the Royal Commission on Decentralization (1907-1909) did little more than echo the resolution of May, 1882, yet even such entirely conservative reforms were postponed for a further ten years : the last of the years of opportunity for British statesmen and officials -and they passed away unused.‘

Role of State Government

1. Discuss how State government can exercise control over panchayats

Planning

1. Conceptually district planning introduces a spatial dimension to the planning process at the state level. Examine, in this context, the role of district planning in practice in different states.
2. Absence of District Planning Committees in a large number of districts has prevented convergence of planning at the district level." Examine the above statement with examples.
3. In spite of having Constitutional status the District Planning Committee is not able to implement decentralized planning due to centralized nature of economic planning. Comment.
4. State and district planning bodies in India have both been effective in achieving their goals.Comment
5. District Planning in India has been the dream of the technocrat, the promise of the democrat and a vanishing trick of the political administration. The nature and working of the district planning machinery are a mute witness to these‘

Decentralized Planning

1. Discuss the problems in the planning process at the state & sub-state levels.
2. Would you say that the implementation of the Panchayati System in the last ten years has led to a real restructuring of the Indian polity?
3. "The primary emphasis in District Administration has to be on implementation of development programmes in cooperation with active support of people." Elucidate.
4. "Rural development programmes in India suffer from lack of coordination and a sound appraisal system."
5. "The District Rural Development Agency is presently serving as the nodal agency of rural development at the district level." Explain
6. "The most momentous recommendation of the Asoka Mehta Committee was the creation of a two-tier system of Panchayati Raj." Examine the statement.
7. The Panchayati Raj institutions at grass-roots level are ensuring greater people‘s participation and involvement in development work. Comment.
8. The most important feature of the second generation panchayats is their change from local developmental organization to local political institutions.
9. The political will at higher levels seems hesitating to go whole hog for democratizing the entire field administration. So long as this trend would persist, we would be having successive Committee Reports pinpointing same ailments of Panchayati Raj and prescriptions to restore its health,‘ Elucidate the achievements and failures of the Panchayati Raj Institutions in the context of this statement.
10. The real problem with Panchayati Raj institutions is to promote efficiency in the implementation of the rural development programmes and to ensure social and economic justice to the poor in the country side.‘ Examine the past experience of working of Panchayati Raj and Suggest specific constitutional measures to enforce genuine decentralization in the light of the above statement.
11. The rural development programs have helped only those who are on the fence of the poverty line. The guest schemes‘ have lots of organizational overlap and the lack of orchestration of development effort‘ have pushed the real poor‘ into a state of destitution, detribalization and detribalization
12. It is unrealistic to attempt to eliminate political parties from Panchyati Polls.... The issue is how to get these parties to provide good government at the local level?
13. The Panchayati Raj bodies do provide an appropriate forum for effecting welfare of Weaker Sections, including the members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes through decision making and programme implementation processes at local level.‘
14. State the role of local self government is a parliamentary democracy. Do you think that local self government institutions constitute the foundation of democracy?
15. Describe the organisation and progress of Panchayati Raj institutions in India and examine the extent to which they serve as instruments of rural reconstruction and rural development.
16. Examine whether rural women in India have been empowered by their active participation in Panchayat Raj System.in urban governance, uni-funtional agencies & development authoritiesz create a "functional jungle.Explain
17. Autonomy of local bodies is conditioned by state-local relations and the managerial capability of the local bodies themselves.
18. What is meant by Fringe areas in the sphere of local government in india Municipal government in India, generally speaking, is made to depend on the State Government even for its bare existence.‘ Discuss.
19. Examine some of the Challenges to Development Administration in the Panchayati democracy of rural India. Do you think that the Constitutionalisation of three-tier Federalism will be a viable model for future?
20. Decentralised Decision-Making and Political Participation
21. Role of Gram Sabha under the Constitution (Seventy third-Amendment) Act, 1992
22. The panchayati Raj institutions and district administration should develop a new relationship for achieving the goal of good governance.
23. 24th April as National Panchayati Raj Day

E-Panchayat Mission Mode Project

1. PRIASoft
2. PlanPlus
3. National Panchayat Portal
4. Area Profiler
5. ServicePlus
6. Asset Directory
7. ActionSoft
8. Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES)

Role of Panchayats for Development of Villages

1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGS),
2. Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme” (PEAIS)
3. Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA)
4. Panchayat Mahila Evam Yuva Shakti Abhiyan (PMEYSA)
5. Saakshar Bharat Mission,
6. Indira Awas Yojna (IAY)
7. National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP)
8. Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF)
9. Rural Business Hubs Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Yojana (RGSY)
10. Mani Shankar Aiyar Committee to Examine Panchayats for More Efficient Delivery of Services
11. Recommendations of Dr.T.Haque Committee on Minor Forest Produce
12. Women Participation in PRIs
13. Decentralisation of Power to Panchayats and Local Bodies
14. Social Audit in PRIs

Empowerment of Panchayats

1. Constitutional Amendments
2. 73rd Constitutional Amendment has provided permanent structural framework to PRI's resulting into silent social revolution." Comment
3. Even after a decade of having adopted the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution, the Panchayat Raj institution still faces a number of problems towards making it a strong and vibrant unit of Government." Comment.
   Discuss how far the grass root democratic institutions have remained successful in accelerating the process of rural development after 73rd constitutional amendment.
4. Bring out the common and unique features of the 73rd and the 74th amendments to the Constitution of India. Do you think that these amendments would contribute to the achievement of gender and social justice at the grass root level
5. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments are major landmarks in India‘s Constitutional History and Local Governance.
6. Examine the provisions of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments from the point of view of the autonomy of the local bodies.
7. A singular feature of the 74th Constitutional Amendment is the new role assigned to the urban local bodies in the field of planning. Comment
8. The institution of Nagar Panchayat as mentioned in the 74th Constitutional Amendment has to be created with utmost care.

AMENDMENT PROCEDURE

1. How is the Constitution of India amended? Do you think that the procedure for amendment makes the Constitution a play-thing in the hands of the Centre?
2. What is the import of the 84th Amendment of the Indian Constitution?
3. Highlight the significance of the Twenty Forth Amendment to the Constitution of India ?
4. The 42nd amendment to the Constitution of India
5. What are the general features of the amending procedures of the Constitution of India?
6. Highlight the significance of the Seventy-third Amendment to the Constitution of India.

Courtesy : IAS Master