E Panchayat in Rural India Progress and Challenges

 

Nalin Seth

Asso, Prof, Political Science, Institute of Law and Research, Jasana, Faridabad, Haryana, India.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: dr.nalinseth123@gmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

India is one of the most vibrant and largest democracies in the world enjoy a unique place among the comity of nations. We have consolidated our democracy through establishment of the Panchayati Raj system at grass root level in India. After 73rd amendment act 1992 Panchayati Raj has brought tangible improvement at grass root level in rural India. It was the initiative taken by the Government of India in 2007 when the digital India program for rural India was introduced which is called e governance in India. E governance through the ICT or wide area network, mobile Internet have the ability to make relations with the citizens. Panchayati Raj system at grass root level upgraded and started to use the various tools of digitalization include Internet mobile, service delivery to citizens in rural India. E Panchayats addresses all aspect of panchayat in rural. Panchayat of India has also introduced digital India programme which aims to digitalise Indian villages and gram panchayat by broadband Internet services and promote e governance and transform the rural life into the knowledge economy which aims at providing digital services. The panchayat are to perform all functions efficiently with use of information and communication technology. It is with broad vision of Mission mode project approach. It addresses all aspects of panchayat functions include decentralization planning Budgeting Accounting service delivery like certificate and licences etc. to citizens. E Panchayat uses ICT for improving delivery of services to citizens. Social audit improving governance of self government. Capacity building of panchayat representatives. Government of India both are the centre and state level Have the vision and strategies to bridge the digital divide and provide supporting infrastructure in rural areas to enhance the capacities of panchayats. The success of e panchayat and digital India depend on the benefits. There are certain challenges Before the e panchayat and digital India programme. The telecom infrastructure companies policy maker. There is need of PPP Public Private Partnership to manage various projects Small villages n rural India. Present paper is an humble attempt to address the issues Problems and progress concerned with E Panchayat in rural India. Paper also discuss some strategies and Initiatives taken by central and state governments. This will be beneficial to all policy makers academician and Research Scholars for future.

 

KEYWORDS: E Panchayat. Governance. Digitalisation. Policy. Rural India. Citizen.

 

 


INTRODUCTION:

It is universally accepted fact that Nation states are governed by various political regimes. Each political regime is the product of its own peculier historical, culutral economic and social factires.

 

Democracy has been accepted stable and liberal form of government where people can participate in decision making process of their country. It emphasise the decentralisation of economic and Political power through local self government. Prime objective of local self government is meet with local needs relieve the centre and the State governments of administrative burden secure and effective development administration, promote political consciousness among the rural masses.

 

Panchayat Raj system has existed since ancient times in India. Villages used to have panchayat council of Five persons to settle disputes in the villages the institution of panchayat used to represent not only the collective will but also the collective wisdom of the entire ruler community. Father of nation Mahatma Gandhi advocated Panchayti Raj as a foundation of India’s political system and decentralised form of the governance in the villages. It was the Lord Ripon who firstly introduced local self government in India during the British rule. After independence Bal want Rai Mehta committee in 1957 recommended for the Three tier system of panchayat in India. Lastly in 1959 Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the first Panchayati Raj system in Nagpur Rajasthan in India.

 

India has over 1.3 billion people spread over 650000 plus villages 4000 plus small towns and cities and various aspirational district. The diversity of India in terms of the demography, language common culture, customs traditions, capabilities, skills and locations is unparalleled across anywhere in the world.aq. Today India is also well known globally for its rapidly growing digital power technological capabilities and its innovative spirit. Along with these developments Rural transformation has been done through the Vibrent Panchayti Raj system in the country This Panchayti Raj system had been assigned constitutional status through the 73rd amendment to the constitution of India. Article 243 was added to the constitution as a sequel to this amendment providing 3 tire system of panchayats devolution of powers and responsibilities to the panchayats.

 

It also provide wide representation to the schedule tribe schedule cast and other backward classes which are the weaker section of the society. Article 243g of the constitution state that panchayat should plan for an implement schemes for local economic development and social justice. Panchayats are set up and operate through the state panchayati Raj acts. The state legislature ought to consider the 29-subject set out in 11th schedule of the constitution for devolution of the panchayats. 11th schedule covers a wide range of rural development agenda including agriculture land development land reforms minor irrigation water management fisheries social industry rural housing rural roads bridges waterways, rural electrification, non conventional energy.

 

The Ministry of panchayati Raj was created on 27th May 2004 with the aim to make panchayat Raj institutions and effective efficient and transparent vehicle for local governance social change and public service delivery mechanism meeting the aspiration of the local population. The role of ministry of panchayati Raj involves strengthening the administrative infrastructure basic services Inc by technology and capacity building of the functioning of rural local body. In the year 2020 e governors has been introduced in the price to make ease the complexity is involved in e governance applications India rural areas. E panchayat with disturbed technology and east grams swaraj has also been integrated with the government marketplaces schemes to increase the digital experience to the panchayats and the rural areas.2

 

At last Wheel of debate through various committees for almost over 3 decades panchayati Raj system in India was reactivated in 73rd amendment act 1992. This was followed by the conformity acts passed by the state governments and election to panchayats were held throughout the country. It was the result of the 73rd amendment the 3.4 million people were elected throughout the country to the 3 tires of local governance in the country.3

 

E - Panchayat Conceptual Framework:

In contemporary times of the globalization era E governance has assumed important place in the governance of any Country. E governance concerns with the transformation of government process and public services delivery mechanism through technology. The use of information and communication technology have widened these scope of the citizen party participation in the public affairs at all levels. The purpose of the implementation of e governance in rural India through the ICT is to deliver the better public services through the distillation process and technology.

 

E panchayat project holds great promise for the rural masses in India as it aims to transform the panchayati Raj institutions into symbol of modernity, transparency and efficiency. This is a nationwide wide initiative introduced by Ministry of Panchayati Raj that endeavours to ensure people’s participation in programmed decision-making process at grass root level of Goverance. Government of India with the intention to ensure the participation of citizens in policy making introduce the national e governance plan in 2006. The vision of the NgP was to make all government services accessible to the common man in the locality or in local administration. E panchayat is one of the mission mode projects MP currently being implemented with a vision to empower and transform ruler India. This project was formulated by the ministry of panchayati Raj expert group 2007 under the chairmanship of doctor BK gorilla pool commanded the cost-effective solutions and improve the status of computerization up to the gram panchayat levels in India.

 

The project aims to automate the functioning of 2.4 5,00,000 panchayats in the country. The project addresses all aspects of panchayat functioning including planning monitoring, implementation, budgeting, accounting, social audit and delivery of citizen services like issues of certificates EC. The concept of e panchayat has been defined variously. According to World Bank e government refers to the use of government agencies often information technology such as wide area network Internet mobile computers that have the ability to transform relation with citizens business and others arms of the government.4

 

E-Panchyat Is software product conceptualised, designed and developed by national informatics centre Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh as a part of its e governance initiatives. E panchayat has been designed taking into consideration all the information and knowledge management requirement in gram panchayats. The 1992 panchayat Raj act of Government of India and the success stories of the gram panchayats in various states in the country have been taken into the consideration while developing e panchayat. The government orders issued by the government of Andhra Pradesh regarding the village secretary secretariat and functions of the village secretary besides the elected representative of the gram panchayat are all considered in this package. Does e panchayat fits well into the information system at gram panchayat level the software is citizen centric enabled web software.5

 

There are at least 30 main modules in three Panchayat and 150 some modules in line with 30 sectoral functions of the gram panchayat. Some of the models are related with the Information Services which are like certificates, licence bill payments, gram panchayat meeting management, gram panchayat cleanness monitoring, agriculture related departments to provide some specific Information Services to the farmers irrigation and water conservation dairy and animal husbandry, fisheries, election, small skin rashes, housing, water, fodder and fuel, rules bridges technical education, adult education, library, cultural programme, markets, health family welfare, women’s and child welfare, social welfare, cottage industry, EC. There are certain other village services which are being provided by the e panchayat software birth and death certificates registration property tax land tax projects and work monitoring water tap connections and water tax collections will stop court cases filing suits financial accounting.6

 

Al though EPanchyat programme exist but still the power of Content of information with bottom up is missing. A new concept Digital Panchayat has also been identified and rolled forward for implementation. Digital Panchayats Programme is a national initiative of Digital Empowerment Foundation and National Internet exchange of India Depart. Of Govt. Of India. Objective of Digital Panchayat is to improve the functions of Panchayats in India. It is also clear here that there are certain digital panchayat of the tips on which de panchayats are working in the villages. Panchayat has the objective to empower citizens of every panchayats and they have the objective to improve the development and governance public service delivery at panchayat level through information on policy programmes and implementation.7

 

Features of E Panchayat software:

There are certain features of the various software models of e panchayat.

1.     Electronic knowledge base panchayat these are one biometric attendance monitoring.

2.     Below poverty line enumeration.

3.     Village level planning.

4.     State health group related information management.

5.     Monitoring attendance in GP meetings.

 

Managing information related to the atrocities against women and children if any in the rural area and gram panchayat registration computerization, demand receipts generation revenue accounting crops related information management, until signatory related information c there are certain citizen services models any panchayat birth and deaths registration certificates house tax old age and other works monitoring, water connection, grievance redressel.

 

The Use of Information Technology largely confined to the district level. Concept of E Government and E Goverance has been widely accepted in all levels of government. As per the World Bank e government refers to the use of government agencies of information technologies such as wide area network the Internet and mobile computing that have the ability to transform relations and citizens, business, and other arms of the government fullTechnically speaking e panchayat system is web based and n tired and functions like an application service provider enabling panchayat level digital services for all stakeholders. The stakeholders are citizens, elected representative, gram panchayat officials coma the government and the knowledge workers. It creates an environment in which the people feel empowered establishes a system that ensure people can easily avail their fundamental rights to information, and broaden the scope of local government.8

 

Government of India with an intention to transform the governance by ensuring participation of citizen in policy making introduce the national E Governance plan in 2006. The vision of the NeGP was to make all government services accessible to the common man in the locally people through common services delivery outlets and insure efficiency in services at affordable cost. E Panchayat is one of the Mission Mode project MMP currently being implemented with a vision of empower and transform the rural India.7 The basic objective of the east panchayat mission mode project are to use ICT 4 improving the delivery system services to citizens capacity building of the panchayati representative and official social audit transparency accountability panchayat improving governance of local self government.9

 

E panchayat uses of ICT 4 their decisions sport system and their panchayats. It is also being used for the tool for transparency, disclosure of information to citizens social audit accountability full stock it is also used for better and convergent delivery of services to the ruler citizens. It is an e procurement medium. E panchayat are linked with the icts which improve the efficiency in which the governance becomes the cheaper producing the same inputs at the lower cost. Governance producing more output at the same total cost. Governance that is innovative producing new outputs. E panchayat is also beneficial for the empowerment of the poor people in the villages citizen that the rural level are informed better and equipped with the opportunities access services, exercise their rights, and hold the state and local self government accountable. E panchayat and governance also provide participation opportunities for the poor people in the village level and decision-making process.

 

E panchayat also help and it has shifted the paradigm which help overcome the powerlessness defencelessness and voicelessness of the poor people in village areas leading to improvement in their status and resulted their empowerment on a sustainable basis. E panchayat is the best instrument for the citizens at the lower level or the village labour and which the citizen can now demand several information on the functioning of the government and also may provide several inputs to the government policy making process while the citizen as a customer can demand better services from local government. Panchayat also provide the services for the gram Sabha which disseminate the information resolution voting record agendas Various types of the progress reports proceeding of the gram Sabha and information related to the bpl list pension property list surveys family surveys EC can be provided by the EPA chat. Hi panchayat also provides the data of education health water and sanitation natural resources and biodiversity EC. It also provide the database on panchayat members and staffing details for stop the functions of the east panchayat are more extended to the gram panchayat services for citizen. Like licensing house related services grievances and pensions on civil civil services, implementation of scheme interested with the panchayat such as the ration cards pension midday meal schools textbooks EC certificates of birth death income solvency results EC.

 

E-Panchayats in Rural India:

Progress and Challenges:

E governance has become the key to success of good governance in this age of knowledge dominated world. India is also prone to adopt e governance put at micro and macro levels. This is evident from the fact that Government of India has also taken up initiative to implement the electronic network and introduced the technology throughout the country for governor down at the village level all over India. And this context of information technology and e governance the concept of e panchayat has been introduced in the rural India which is not a new phenomena now. E panchayat is nothing but use of the information and communication technology ICT in the local level governance through panchayat bodies for administrative and development purposes. There are various aspects of the e panchayat like application use equity and accessibility, maintenance, efficiency,10

 

Information and communication technology have brought about a paradigm shift in addressing the challenges of rural economy and society and group. ICC CT is a tool to Improve productivity delivery and sports system in the village area and it create awareness on healthcare and provide digital diagnostics agro services education employment land records pension distribution public distribution system drinking water supply management women empowerment EC. The scope of ICT and e panchayat today which has increased an integrated the social welfare schemes ,women and child development schemes health and family welfare elementary education and planning schemes EC at the village level ICT in panchayati Raj institutions is required 4 number one decision support system for panchayat 2 tool for transparency and information to citizens social audit accountability 3 better and conversion delivery of services to citizens for improving internal management and efficiency of panchayats 5 means for capacity building at the rural areas 6 as an e procurement medium. Panchayats are providing very services to the gram Sabha as dissemination of the internal processes of the gram panchayat agendas resolution proceedings of the gram sabhas and action taken 3 progress report for dissemination of data. Gram panchayat services are also available for citizen through the panchayats system like licensing objection certificates free running shops hotels industries house related services construction licence property ownership records certificates property tax related areas house tax grievances on civil services water supply repairs information regarding the repairs garbage disposal certificates birth and death certificate income certificate solvency residential EC in the village areas 11 All these can can be implemented by the GP itself irrespective of connectivity. 4 mini cooper.

 

There are certain many benefits which has been provided by the ICT use in pris. Other benefits of the e panchayat are being delivered through the partnership between private sector government pris and NGOs in implementing ICT initiatives full stock PR eyes can play if a facilitating rule. There are many different programs conceded by many different agencies around use of ICT. The benefits and function of the east panchayat can be categorised multifold. New panchayat Raj institutions after 73rd constitutional amendment of the Indian constitution are created with a view to provide real participatory governance at the door of the citizens

 

We can describe the main Functions and Progress of EPanchyats in India. These are as Follows.

 

One:

Efficient public service delivery:

E Panchayat are well able to provide many people centric services easily and efficiently under one roof. Barson deaths registration and issue of certificates payment of property tax water tax and other utility services can we provided at minimum cost with minimum delays.

 

Two:

Monitoring development:

Programmes monitoring and evaluation of development programs is another area where the use of ICT is essential. Online connectivity of east district with central ministries and departments would make transmission of data easily.12

 

Three:

It Emphasise the citizen with information awareness acquaintance with the ongoing schemes in order to make them ready to participate both as the beneficiary and the stakeholders in the villages.3

 

Four:

Financial management:

Through the 73rd amendment the Government of India has developed financial resources to panchayati Raj institutions. Panchayats are allowed to live and collect appropriate taxes, duties tolls and fees in accordance with the state laws to generate their own resources and revenues full stops deep controller and Auditor General of India has prescribed simple format for preparation of budget and accounts by Cris. These are proposed by adoption of pris application Priya soft developed by national informatics centre which deployed in ECR school stock.

 

Five:

Facilitating planning:

At the grassroots level article 243g of the constitution of India provide the provision for decentralised planning. Panchayat has a major role in the process of planning at the grassroots level grassroot level of society. The ministry of panchayati Raj has developed an application PLAN plus which is used in many backward regions of the country. It has been planned to enable panchayats with GIS tools to facilitate planning at the grassroots level.12

 

Six:

Information dissemination:

Easy availability of the information at every level of the panchayati Raj system is the another feature of e panchayat stop there are many functioning such as the agenda of meetings, decision taken and voting records can be kept and made accessible to the citizen. Information regarding the bpl pensions and census data can be provided.

 

Seven:

E-Panchayat has to overcome many alignments of public services delivery system like inefficiency corruption high costing services delivery.13

 

Eight:

People’s participation:

 Dissemination of Information through ICT can generate awareness and increase the peoples participation of the weaker section and women in the rural area. It is only through the e panchayat system e panchayat make information available to all without any hurdle regarding this scheme of development in the area.

 

Problems and Challenges of E Panchayats:

Although E Panchayats are working well at all level in the local self government in India but it is not easy to implement the e panchayat because it depends on the infrastructure and socio economic, political, and human resources factors. The goal of equipping panchayatswith computers and IC technology and connect Internet connectivity would not be an easy task if we look at the backdrop we can find that the E panchayats are facing many problems e panchayats infect requires financial resources, computer applications coma skilled human resources and political will.

 

Firstly:

The most important and primary impediment and problem in the way of implementation of e panchayat is the lack of infrastructure and train human resources so far as the availability of the computer Internet facilities in India are concerned it is lowest in the world evidence from the fact that 2.7% of the computers and 4.9% of Internet penetrations are available in India. Tele density and rural areas is around 14%. Provisions of CPC in our countryside is in very slow process evident from the fact that the100000 Common services centre word to be opened up in rural areas by March 2009 but only 50008 have been ruled out until now. VICT rest upon the power supply electricity but more than half of the rural areas and villages in India are not electrified anyone more in rural backward areas. This kind of the work required electrified electrification of the villages.14

 

Secondly:

Another problem of the implementation of the e panchayat system is the lack of human resources at local areas. This is a challenge which is significant at the implementation level and at the user level also it has been observed in most of the villages that panchayat representatives and villagers are not computer literate even a simple computer application would be difficult to handle for them.

 

Thirdly:

Content creation on the computer in legal language is another challenge and problem sometimes it has been observed that English is still an alien language to rural areas and the villagers. The local population needs information in their local language and computer application should also be in local language and simple. The use of ICT in rural areas in India is still a top down and supply driven approach.

 

Fourthly:

Another significant challenge and problem of the E Panchayat or application of ICT is the political will t party in power in the state and the people in the government must have genuine will to introduce the e panchayat concept in rural areas although the ministry of panchayati Raj has been doing very well with their various schemes but in some state there are the problems of the politics.13

 

At Last:

Sometime the questions arises regarding the human sources badri people of rural India have the e readiness will there be enthused to use the ICT for their poverty reduction process is there is there any awareness level to make the optimum use of the information technology and mechanism as the rural areas what will be the role of panchayats representative who are themselves the part of the same social structure ACC.15

 

CONCLUSION:

It is accepted fact that India adopted the path of Planned development after Independence. Rural development was on the agenda in poor Economy. In this scenario Panchayati Raj system was inaugurated in 1959 with recommendation of various committees. In 1992 73rd Amendment Act was passed which incorporated part IX of the Constitution now Constitutional Status has been given to PRIs. Panchayat have been visualised as third tier of the Governance. Within in the institutionalized panchayati Raj, the core foundations lis in 2.5/Lakh Villages and their Goverance at local level.

 

50 years of panchayati Raj was celebrated on 2nd October 2009. On this occasion it was decided to recognise the importance of E Panchayats as institution of the local government. There should be some changes in the structure and schemes which are to be reached to the people in good measure. After that 5 pronged strategy has been adopted and demented by the central government to increase the participation in the panchayati Raj system. It was decidedE governance has become the key to success of governance as well as good governance in this age of knowledge dominant world. India is also not exception. Government job government of India has adapted the new approach by introducing the information technology in the administration and governance at various levels.18

 

Government enacted technology Act in 2000. The concept of the e panchayat has been introduced in various states which has become a good vehicle of good governance at grassroot level. E panchayats are performing various function in the village areas by improving the decision making processE panchayats are working well in the state like Andhra Pradesh West Bengal AC e panchayat are performing multi functions such as the batter disease making mechanism they are providing this services like digital sports system for decisions. Most important of the function of the e panchayats is web-based monitoring of the progress of schemes which is open to both the managers and citizens at the village level. E panchayat will also provide opportunities for e learning among the people at the village level apart from the public services functions. Percolation of e governance down at the village level is not an easy task as various entrances is likely to come in the way E Panchayats. Certain impediments are:

 

Resource crunch, High costing of public management, inefficiency on part of the governors, corruption in the local bureaucracy, rampant poverty ignorance and lack of self aspiration among rural people. But one should not lose their hope because these maladies can be overcome by the introduction of the e panchayats system and in governance in the rural institutions which have been implemented in the country.19 The use of ICT enhances efficiency, provide transparency, alert and responsive governance facilitate governance with optimum use of the endogenous resources. This system eradicate ignorance diminishes corruption, and powers weaker section like women poor and deprived sections white scientific outlook to them.20

 

At last it can be concluded that E Panchayats can be Effective tool to increase the performance and effectiveness open Childs and empower far from clusters and individuals who stop the e panchayat may play vital role not only in maintenance of the law and order but also in the overall development of the ruler areas and can solve the various problems like illiteracy economic backwardness infrastructure shortage of power or electricity lack of adequate infrastructure and proper maintenance of transportation and communication facilities in the rural area.

 

REFERENCES:

1.      Sandeep Dua, Panchayti Raj system towards Changing Rural India Kurukshetra Delhi 2021 p 28

2.      Sandeep Dua, Panchayti Raj system towards Changing Rural India Kurukshetra Delhi 2021 p 28

3.      M. Aslam, Panchayati Raj in India National Book Trust, Delhi. 2013 p. 2

4.      Lalan kr Mehta, Empowerment Through EPanchyats Kurukshetra, Delhi Nov 2015 p. 25

5.      Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013. P .6

6.      Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p. 169

7.      Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p.16

8.      Ravinder Kumar Varma., E-Panchyats in India, Serials Publication, Delhi. 2018 P. 14

9.      Ravinder Kumar Varma., E-Panchyats in India, Serials Publication, Delhi. 2018 P. 15

10.   Ravinder Kumar Varma., E-Panchyats in India, Serials Publication, Delhi. 2018 P. 16

11.   Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p. 25

12.   Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p. 26

13.   Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p. 26.

14.   Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p. 27

15.   Mukesh Kumar, E-Panchyat. Sumit Enterprises. New Delhi 2013.  p. 27

16.   George Mathew, Panchayati Raj Achievements Gaps and Challenges. Kurukshetra Delhi July, 2018. P. 5

17.   George Mathew p. 6

18.   Dr. Mahipal, Panchayati Raj in India, Kurukshetra. Delhi, July. 2013, p. 6

19.   Ravinder Kumar verma and Arcana Kamari. Panchayat in India, Serials Publication New Delhi 2018 p16

20.   Ravinder Kumar verma and Arcana Kamari. Panchayat in India, Serials Publication New Delhi 2018 p. 85.

 

 

 

Received on 30.08.2024      Revised on 18.09.2024

Accepted on 04.10.2024      Published on 05.12.2024

Available online on December 31, 2024

Res. J. of Humanities and Social Sciences. 2024;15(4):303-309.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5828.2024.00047

©AandV Publications All right reserved