(a) whether the Government is contemplating to provide more power to the Panchayats and Gram Sabhas;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the names of the various schemes proposed to be implemented directly at the level of Panchayati Raj Institutions?
THE MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)
(a) to (c) Panchayat, being "Local Government", is a State subject and part of State list of Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India. Article 243G of Part IX of the Constitution allows discretion to State/Union Territory (UT) to endow, to the Panchayats with powers and authority including in areas listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, to enable them to function as institutions of local self-governance to prepare plans and implement schemes for economic development and social justice. The extent and pace of devolution, including the monitoring of functionaries, to Panchayats vary across States. A statement showing subject-wise status of devolution in States (Tata Institute of Social Sciences Devolution Study 2015-16) is given at Annexure. The Government is implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) involving Panchayati Raj Institutions for job card to wage seekers, execution of works, monitoring, supervision, social audit and consolidation of plans etc. The Institutional mechanism under Jal Jeevan Mission has Paani Samiti/ Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC)/ User group at Gram Panchayat level.
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