Contents

• Empowering Gram Sabha Through Social Audit (Full Material Available Only For Premium Members)
• Dimensions of Child Labour (Full Material Available Only For Premium Members)

GRAMA SABHA–A MILESTONE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL INDIA

The 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution (1992) is a milestone in the evolution of Panchayats in India which carved out the third tier of the Indian Political System. While the Panchayats have been the backbone of Indian villages to achieve economic development and social justice in rural areas.

Grama Sabha which is an entity of constitution of India is legitimized statutory body to do multifaced work at the village level.

The main objective of introducing Grama Sabha is to have decentralized planning and evaluation with peoples participation at the grass root level. The concept of eradication of discrimination and facilitation of peoples participation from all walks of social life in the management of affairs of their locality were the foundation for the emergence of comprehensive society called Grama Sabha. Transparency and intimacy becomes part and parcel of their institution.

The realization that people’s participation alone can bring sustainable development through good governance at the base level. Hence, it becomes inevitable that collective wisdom of Grama Sabha guides the Panchayati Raj Institutions in their planning and execution of developmental functions, social auditing as an integral part of Grama Sabha that ensures transparency in administration and accountability of Panchayati Raj Institutions. In Tamil Nadu Grama Sabha is described as “A body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised with in the area of Panchayat at the village level.

Grama Sabha Act in Different States

The significance of Grama Sabha was recognized first by Maharastra government as early as in 1959. The Bombay village Panchayat Act of 1959 provided for a minimum of two meetings of the Grama Sabha to be held in a year. It is obligatory on the art of Panchayat to place before Grarna Sabha manual statement of the accounts and report of the administration of the proceeding year the development and progress of works for the ratification of Grama Sabha. The significant role that Grama Sabha could play in Maharastra can be understood from the fact that Maharashtra land reforms review committee recognized it even in the vital matters like complementation of tenancy acts. It Is a paradoxical truth that In several neighbouring stat s of Maharashtra. The Grama Sabha is emerging as vibrant body of decentralized administration. In fact the Karnataka act No.20 of 1958 passed by the erstwhile Janata government introduced the body called Grama Sabha an important competent of decentralized administration without mentioning about the sp clfic functions of Grama Sabha. However, Dlwakar Committee (1963) had brought to light the difficulty caused by Grama Sabha as it do's not have any constitutional rights to control the functioning of Panchayats at the grass root level. The Karnataka Act revels that Grama Sabha was expected to prepare and promote more development schemes for the rural development. But In reality there is no evidence to show that the Grama Sabha had performed the function. There is no substantial evidence to show that Grama Sabha had mobilized voluntary labour and contribution in kind and cash for Community Welfare Schemes.

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