Question : STRENGTHENING OF GRAM SABHAS

(a) whether adequate steps have been taken for development and empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) including Gram Panchayats and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the minimum attendance and quorum have been prescribed for Gram Sabhas and if so, the details thereof, State-wise ;

(c) the details of instructions/ suggestions and advisories issued by the Union Government to the State Governments for the development of villages in the country and the follow-up action taken thereon; and

(d) the action plan of the Union Government to make Gram Sabhas more powerful and effective in the devolution of power?

MINISTER FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI CHAUDHARY BIRENDER SINGH)
(a)to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred to in parts (a) to (d) of the reply to the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 332 for 19.3.2015

(a) The schemes implemented by the Ministry, i.e the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat SashaktikaranAbhiyan (RGPSA), support States/ UTs to develop and empower their Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).Under RGPSA,financial assistance has been provided to States for engaging administrative & technical staff, construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawans, training and creation of training infrastructure for Elected Representatives and functionaries of Panchayats etc. to develop and empower PRIs. Under BRGF, the Ministry has supported decentralized planning in Panchayats. The Ministry has also supported States to devolve powers to Panchayats through incentivization and regular reviews.

(b) As per the Constitution,the statutory provisions relating to minimum attendance and quorum for Gram Sabha meetings are provided for in States Acts and rules and vary from State to State.The details of the Gram Sabha quorum as per the information furnished by States and UTs are given in Annex-I.

(c) Under the BRGF Programme, funds are provided to Panchayats through States in an untied form on the basis of plans prepared by Panchayats, to fill infrastructure gaps. Advisories have been issued to States to discuss and ratify the plans in Gram Sabhas and to consider prioritizing community toilets and drinking water.

(d) The Ministry has issued guidelines for activating Gram Sabhas.Initiatives to strengthen Gram Sabhas, such as creation of Ward Sabhas and Mahila Sabhas and institutionalization of social audit, are reviewed as State plans are considered under RGPSA. The RGPSA provides for capacity building and orientation of Gram Sabhasand States have availed of this facility to organize trainings of Gram Sabhas. A Gram Sabha Reader has been prepared on sanitation and shared with States.