CAPACITY ISSUES IN DEVOLUTION OF
POWER TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Gram Panchayat Organisation Development project
(GPOD), Arghyam
National Seminar
On
Decentralized Governance in
Water and Sanitation in Rural India,
NIAR, LBSNAA
June 26th to 28th, 2012
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The directional foundation for a strong
decentralized set-up has already been laid
• 73rd Constitutional Amendment, 1992 has given us the legal framework
for decentralization which not many countries can boast of, resulting in
creation of 2.5 lakh odd Gram Panchayats across the country
• Substantial financial outflows go directly to the GPs, such Central and
State Finance Commission grants, RDPR grant, govt programmes such as
MGNREGA, Ashraya Housing etc. Major Central Plan Assistance
Programmes being implemented by or under GPs were to the tune of
Rs.109052crs for 2010-11.
• Each state has an SIRD, dedicated to capacity building of members and
staff of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)
• Constant efforts at strengthening the processes of planning, account
keeping etc. – Integrated Planning manual, Panchtatra etc.
Yet, there are miles to go before local
authorities deliver the goods….
However, before we look at the
performance of local authorities, it is key
to ask
“Have we designed the system for
success?”
3
Arghyam’s Gram Panchayat Organisation
Development (GPOD) project in Karnataka
focuses on GP institution building
Project objectives:
1. To develop a step by step framework for building a strong GP
institution
2. To initiate a process of real time change in 2 Gram Panchayats
in Karnataka, while implementing the above framework
3. To leverage local strengths and capacities.
Project duration:
Phase I: Diagnostic and design: Jan to Dec 2011
Phase II: Handholding planning and implementation: Jan to Dec 2012 4
Our partners
• Programme Manager: Arghyam, Bangalore , a registered
public charitable trust setup in 2001 with a personal
endowment from Ms. Rohini Nilekani
• GPs: O’Mittur (Kolar district) and Dibburhalli (Chikkaballapur
district)
• Our NGO partners: Grama Vikas (GV) and Foundation for
Ecological Security (FES)
• Advisor: Shri T R Raghunandan, Former Jt. Sec, Govt of India
• HR consultants: Panarc Consulting Group, Delhi
5
Triple mandate of 73rd Amendment is
increasingly becoming the responsibility of the
GP, with funds allocation up to Rs.1crs p.a.
Looking at how demand is placed, by default or design,
accountability of service delivery lies with the
elected members
Drinking
water
Cleanliness
ZP/TP
Sec*
Elected
members of
the GP
PDS
Housing
Citizens
Health
Education
Street
lights
……….
Conflict
resolution
* In the case of Karnataka, PDO has been introduced
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What should the GP get, and what does it
actually get…?
Capacity building support
1-2 training programs in
5 years
Financial & Technical support from
line depts./ programs/schemes
WHERE TO GO? WHAT TO EXPECT?
Not compensated for
time & resources
Leadership influenced
by reservation
GP Member, mostly
elected first time
Government staff
GP employed staff
A lone Secretary,
sometimes shared
among two or more GPs
To be paid out of GP’s
own meager revenues
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Are we creating the right incentives?
Understanding different
programs and schemes,
efficient service delivery
to citizens, building a
strong institution,
structured planning and
implementation….
Taking over contracts,
making the fast buck
to compensate for
election money and to
plan for next elections,
creating strong
political protectors…
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Let us look at different issues which the
GP faces, and what needs to be improved
Issues
Non-clarity regarding exact nature of obligations
and responsibilities of govt line departments
Group of GP members responsible for
implementation of devolved functions - no
individual portfolios and scope for specializations
Gram Panchayat members spend money out of
their pockets for addressing issues such as street
light replacement, broken taps etc.
Specific issues such as correction of BPL list,
decision on additional public taps, inadequacy of
gramthana land etc.
Large programs and schemes (NREGA, NRHM,
NRDWM etc.) detail expectations from GP, in
addition to those from citizens. No provision for
compensation for discharging responsibility
Little knowledge among GP members on various
programs/ schemes/ responsibilities and powers
What needs to be improved?
Transparency in administrative
system
GP Institution buildingorganisation structure
GP Institution building- imprest
and other operational
guidelines
Clarity in decision making
process and authority
GP Institution building –
structure and incentives to
deliver responsibilities
GP capacity building – need for
targeted training
I submit
the
tono
re-engineer
the
This
is not to
sayneed
thereisare
capacity issuesbut
they can be easier
targeted and
implementation
framework
to addressed
ensure it
with more administrative transparency at higher
provides
the
structure
and
incentives
for
govt levels and better institutional design at GP
institutions to perform
level
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We are working towards a stronger GP institution,
using the Organisation Development (OD) framework
Purpose of the GP:
Vision and Mission
Role clarity through
Process Mapping, RACI*
1.
2.
3.
Extensive citizen
interaction through
Participatory Rural
Appraisal and
Focus group
Discussions
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Street Light maintenance
Drinking water through piped
water supply
Cleanliness of roads and
drains
Procurement
Complaint handling
Greening the village
Food security
PDS
Fixing Water tariff
Preventive health
NREGA
Housing
Education
Revenue generation
Protection of CPR
Agriculture and Animal
husbandry
Planning
* Roles - Responsibility Accountability, Collaboration and Information providing
GP Organisation structure
to deliver the purpose
Extensive discussions
with GP members,
government officials,
other elected
members and experts
Members empowered
to perform and take
decisions
Handholding GP
functioning in their new
structure as they interface
with the larger system
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GPs have passed resolutions to accept this structure
Grama
Sabha/ Ward
Sabha
As it is..
Adhyaksha
Production
Standing Com
Social Justice
Standing Com
PDO
Amenities
Standing Com
Secretary
Supplemented..
Head –
Production fns
Head – Social
Justice fns
Head –
Amenities I fns
Head –
Amenities II fns
Head -Capacity
Building fns
•Revenue
Generation
•Greening the
village
•Agriculture
and animal
husbandry
•NREGA
• PDS
•Food Security
•Complaint
handling
•Drinking
Water- piped
water supply
•Cleanliness of
roads and
drains
•Preventive
health
•Housing•Protection of
CPR
•Education
Street light
maintenance
•Facilitating
capacity
building of
heads, staff
and members
•Citizen
profiling
Heads to be supported by staff, members, Line departments and 61A Committees
Heads can be selected from among the members or even from outside
The response of GP has been exceedingly
heartening…
“By the end of my tenure, I
aspire to achieve a level
where there will be zero
complaints”
- Bharathi, GP Adhyaksha &
Head, Social Justice
I need to go over all the
government circulars related
to the Mid day Meal schemeVenugopal, Head- Social
Justice
Getting all the heads together was a
challenge, in which case we had to meet
them separately – Asha, Project Officer,
Grama Vikas
The first thing I need to do is
to take stock of all assets in
the GP- such as number of
drains, drinking water
borewells etc… Narasimha
Reddy, Head- Amenities I
“Earlier we would just go to the
GP meeting and sign, now we
have a sense of responsibility
to work for the citizens and
retain their trust in us (GP
members)” – Muniyamma,
woman GP member,
Dibburhalli on behalf of other
women
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The framework potentially builds specialization
as well as pushes for accountability from higher
government levels
• Each Head assumes accountability for a set of functions,
interfacing with govt departments to fulfill the
responsibility effectively
• His/her knowledge of schemes/programmes/funds
increases
• This triggers more awareness and pushes for
transparency and accountability from govt departments
• Finally, state training efforts can become more targeted
to build capacity
Rather than creating another of cadre of Panchayat employees
who may not be interested in living and working within the
Panchayat, we are utilizing and enhancing skills of local people
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However, this framework is not
sustainable without a larger change
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Recommendations for a stronger
implementation framework involves other key
institutions
• Panchayati Raj authorities to review GP’s structure/
work processes to enable it to deliver its devolved as
well as agency functions better, as a self governing
unit
• When the GP is functioning as an agency for service
delivery, there should be a Service MoUs with the
government line departments, clearly stating mutual
responsibilities and obligations of both parties.
GP should be paid a fee for such delivery
16
Recommendations for a stronger
implementation framework involves other key
institutions
• Panchayati Raj authorities to create provision for
compensation - GP to be able to compensate its
members from its revenue (possible if GP’s revenue base
is expanded and includes service fee mentioned above)
• SIRDs to enable a demand driven knowledge support GPs to have a key role in deciding development effort of
its members, staff and citizens. With members assuming
specific responsibilities, more targeted development
effort can happen.
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Thank you
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