SWARAJ for improving
Panchyatiraj
The lessons from
By
Arvind Kejriwal
Presenter
Dhanada Mishra
The Disease witin
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There are many ills we see around us everyday in our country even
after more than 60 years of independence
Many of them related to basic necessaities of life such as
education, health, housing, food, clothing and drinking water etc.
Studies like ASER and PAHELI of Pratham and census data of
Government show continuing deprivation on a large scale
For example, more than 50% of rural students in class V are unable
to read a class II level text in their mother tongue as per ASER 2012
which shows a declining trend over last 3 years.
Healthcare statistics measured by infant mortality, maternal
mortality, nutrition etc. indicate similar picture.
Its not much better in case of proportion of households living in
Kutcha houses or having to do with out sanitation and safe drinking
water.
The People have 'No SAY'
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There is an overwhelming feeling among the
common citizen that they have 'NO SAY'
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No control over Public Servants
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No control or say over Public Funds
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No say over Law-making or Policies
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No control over local Natural resources
Its as if the 'dream of true self-rule' or Swaraj is
yet to be realised
The Symptoms Vs. Disease
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The abysmal social indicators are symptoms of
the disease underneath, which is lack of a
'Direct Democracy' at the grass-roots level
The British left and Indian leaders and
buraucrats replaced them at the top but the
System of Governance has been very slow to
change
As a result the common people are still not
truly 'Empowered' in a heavily 'Top-Down'
Governance Model
The Symptoms Vs. Disease
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The abysmal social indicators are symptoms of
the disease underneath, which is lack of a
'Direct Democracy' at the grass-roots level
The British left and Indian leaders and
buraucrats replaced them at the top but the
System of Governance has been very slow to
change
As a result the common people are still not
truly 'Empowered' in a heavily 'Top-Down'
Governance Model
The Shortcomings of Current
Panchayatiraj System
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Tree Plantation drive in Bhondsi village Haryana
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The Problems of NREGA – Gajapati Episode
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Panchayat can not even buy 'Brooms' - UP
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City Garbage in Kuthambakkam - TN
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Panchayat Secretary serves State
Government not the Panchayat
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BRGF – Collector's discretion not people's
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Ward No. 45, Bhubaneswar
Examples of Other Countries
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Walmart in America
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Budget Made on the Street – Brazil
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A Parliament runs on People's Will –
Switzerland
YES – Direct Democracy works Abroad and it
also works in INDIA – but few and far between
SWADESHI Islands of SWARAJ
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Hivre Bazzar in Maharastra – Transformation
of a panchayat
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North Kerala Village – A Case Study
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Madhya Pradesh's New Law – A Miracle!
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YES – It can be DONE in INDIA
WHAT SHOULD CHANGE?
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GRAMSABHA directly empowered to
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Control local public servants, e.g., teacher,
Anganwadi workers, panchayat employees, health
workers etc.
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Direct control over Government Funds most of
which should be in un-tied form
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Control of local minor natural resources including
water, land, minerals and forest produce
Distribution of works, resources and
responsibilities at various levels of
Panchayatiraj
When People Decide
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Education will improve
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Health will improve
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Naxalism will be tackled
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Alcoholism can be tackled
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Will reduce Poverty, Hunger and
Unemployment
Some Mis-conceived Apprehensions
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Empowering Gramsabhas will
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Increase Corruption
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Fight Amongst people
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Fear of 'Khap Panchayat' style culture
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What about PESA Act
Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj
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The Gramsabha should be supreme
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Sarpanch need to report to GS rather than DM
GS should take all decisions and they should
be final
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GS should authorise action against sarpanch
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GS should have the power to recall sarpanch
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All village work should be done by Gramsabha
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Village level Govt workers should report to GS
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At least 50% of state budget should be placed
at the disposal of the Gramsabha as untied
funds
Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj
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Gramsabha should have control over Block
Samiti and District Parishad by nominating its
representives successively
Provision of election of members at large
should be scrapped
GS should have control over policy making at
Assembly and Parliament through initiative
GS's Right to official Information
Gramsabha should approve all bills and
initiate criminal case in case of corruption in
works
Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj
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Gramsabha should have control over tax
collection in its area of jurisdiction
All land acquisition should be through the
Gramsabha process
All land documents should be held at the
panchayat level and all transactions should be
publicly displayed periodically
Gramsabha should control all natural
resources
The common certificates such as caste,
domicile etc. should be issued at panchayat
Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj
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Gramsabha should have transparency in
keeping all its records and make them
available to public suo-moto
All villages should have their own panchayats
rather than multiple villages meeting in a single
panchayat or gramsabha unless they
themselevs want to
Special benefits group or councils should be
formed to protect minority groups
Lokpals should be formed to oversee proper
functioning of panchayats
THANK YOU!