The lessons from SWARAJ for improving Panchyatiraj

1
The lessons from SWARAJ for improving Panchyatiraj

• By
• Arvind Kejriwal
• Presenter
• Dhanada Mishra

2
The Disease witin

• 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.

3
The People have 'No SAY'

• There is an overwhelming feeling among the common
  citizen that they have 'NO SAY'
• No control over Public Servants
• No control or say over Public Funds
• No say over Law-making or Policies
• No control over local Natural resources
• Its as if the 'dream of true self-rule' or Swaraj
  is yet to be realised

4
The Symptoms Vs. Disease

• 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

5
The Symptoms Vs. Disease

• 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

6
The Shortcomings of Current Panchayatiraj System

• Tree Plantation drive in Bhondsi village -
  Haryana
• The Problems of NREGA Gajapati Episode
• Panchayat can not even buy 'Brooms' - UP
• City Garbage in Kuthambakkam - TN
• Panchayat Secretary serves State Government not
  the Panchayat
• BRGF Collector's discretion not people's
• Ward No. 45, Bhubaneswar

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Examples of Other Countries

• Walmart in America
• Budget Made on the Street Brazil
• A Parliament runs on People's Will Switzerland
• YES Direct Democracy works Abroad and it also
  works in INDIA but few and far between

8
SWADESHI Islands of SWARAJ

• Hivre Bazzar in Maharastra Transformation of a
  panchayat
• North Kerala Village A Case Study
• Madhya Pradesh's New Law A Miracle!
• YES It can be DONE in INDIA

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WHAT SHOULD CHANGE?

• GRAMSABHA directly empowered to
• Control local public servants, e.g., teacher,
  Anganwadi workers, panchayat employees, health
  workers etc.
• Direct control over Government Funds most of
  which should be in un-tied form
• Control of local minor natural resources
  including water, land, minerals and forest
  produce
• Distribution of works, resources and
  responsibilities at various levels of
  Panchayatiraj

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When People Decide

• Education will improve
• Health will improve
• Naxalism will be tackled
• Alcoholism can be tackled
• Will reduce Poverty, Hunger and Unemployment

11
Some Mis-conceived Apprehensions

• Empowering Gramsabhas will
• Increase Corruption
• Fight Amongst people
• Fear of 'Khap Panchayat' style culture
• What about PESA Act

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Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj

• The Gramsabha should be supreme
• Sarpanch need to report to GS rather than DM
• GS should take all decisions and they should be
  final
• GS should authorise action against sarpanch
• GS should have the power to recall sarpanch
• All village work should be done by Gramsabha
• Village level Govt workers should report to GS
• At least 50 of state budget should be placed at
  the disposal of the Gramsabha as untied funds

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Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj

• 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
• Right to grant liquor and mining license

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Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj

• 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 level

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Pratical Steps for Panchayatiraj

• 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
• State Government interference should be
  minimised

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THANK YOU!