Decentralisation and Its Role in Development

World over decentralisation has been viewed as an instrument for meeting aspirations of local people. India has embarked on this process since the later part of the 1950s, but decentralisation got a new dimension by way of the 73rd Constitution Amendment Act in 1993. Though the Constitution Amendment is considered a landmark of sorts for strengthening the panchayati raj institutions, yet, as reflected from the field study and analysis, neither from the point of people’s participation, nor from the perspective of capacity of PR institutions to deliver in the rural areas, does the Act prove to be effective.

Under the given state of socio-economic and political disparities and the poor capacity of the panchayats to deliver, reforms are very critically required. Reforms must begin by creating an enabling environment. It requires initiatives for reducing inequalities, making basic services available to people, and enhancing access to opportunities.

And, the reforms should focus on fundamentals: • how decentralisation can contribute to achieving the objective of mobilising people; • how decentralisation can increase government responsiveness to the aspirations of various interest groups and provide them a good quality of life; and • how decentralisation can improve economic and managerial efficiency. It calls for primacy of human resources development, institution building, and initiating right development policies.

Each state should come out with clearly defined contours of an action plan. The book emphasizes that more than legislation (though necessary, and further amendments may be required in some cases), socio-economic and institutional reforms are essential for meaningful people’s participation in democratic and development processes and for improving the efficacy of panchayats to deliver.

And, for good governance, reforms have to be a focal concern.