Panchayati Raj in UP

A gram pradhan in a village in Barabanki or Ballia manages roads, drains, the panchayat bhawan, a share of the Finance Commission grant, MGNREGA works and a dozen beneficiary lists. The office is small, but in a state with about 58,000 gram panchayats, these offices together shape the daily life of most of UP's people. Panchayati Raj is therefore a core topic for UPPSC — in the General Studies papers and in the interview, where candidates are often asked what they would do as a BDO.

A long history

Uttar Pradesh was an early mover. The United Provinces Panchayat Raj Act, 1947 was enacted in the year of independence and set up elected gram panchayats across the province. It also provided for nyaya panchayats (village courts) to settle petty disputes, though they never became an effective part of the system.

The middle and upper tiers came later, through the UP Kshettra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961, following the Balwantrai Mehta Committee's recommendation of a three-tier structure.

After the 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992), UP amended both laws in 1994 to bring them into line with Part IX of the Constitution — fixed five-year terms, reservation, a State Election Commission and a State Finance Commission.

The three tiers

Each tier also has an official counterpart: the Gram Panchayat Secretary / Gram Panchayat Adhikari at the village, the Block Development Officer at the block, and the Apar Mukhya Adhikari (AMA) for the Zila Panchayat.

The Gram Sabha — all adult voters of the gram panchayat area — is meant to be the foundation. It approves the annual plan, selects beneficiaries and conducts social audits. In practice, attendance is often thin, which weakens this accountability link.

Elections and reservation

• Elections are conducted by the State Election Commission, UP (Article 243K), every five years. The most recent general elections were held in 2021, in four phases.
• Seats and posts of chairpersons are reserved for SCs, STs and OBCs, and one-third for women (within and across categories). The rotation of reserved seats has often been litigated in the High Court.
• Many states have raised women's reservation to 50%; UP retains one-third.

Functions and funds

The Eleventh Schedule lists 29 subjects that states may devolve. In UP, panchayats' main functions in practice include:

• village roads, drains, street lights, ponds and sanitation;
• maintenance of panchayat buildings and community assets;
• implementation of schemes such as MGNREGA, Swachh Bharat (Grameen) and the Jal Jeevan Mission at village level;
• beneficiary selection for housing and pensions;
• preparing the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

Money comes mainly from Central Finance Commission grants, State Finance Commission devolution (Article 243I) and scheme funds. Own revenue — from property taxes, fees and ponds — is very small.

UP has invested in physical infrastructure, including panchayat bhawans (gram sachivalayas) with computers and panchayat sahayaks to deliver services at the village level.

Problems

A Mains framework: strengthening panchayats in UP

Practice

Prelims-style:

1. When was the UP Panchayat Raj Act passed?
2. Which Act created Kshettra and Zila Panchayats in UP?
3. How is the Kshettra Panchayat Pramukh chosen?
4. Which body conducts panchayat elections in UP?
5. What is the GPDP?

Mains-style:

• "Panchayats in Uttar Pradesh have been created in law but not empowered in practice." Discuss.
• Examine the problem of proxy leadership in panchayats and suggest remedies.