PRi's

It is however, observed that a number of Ministries of Central Government have
not taken any concrete steps to integrate PRIs in their strategy of planning and
implementation of various programmes, which essentially fall in their jurisdiction. At
best the Ministries issue general instructions / directions for involvement of panchayats
in their programmes without suggesting concrete modalities or institutional
arrangements with specified roles for them consistent with their jurisdictional status.
Besides, the Ministries are increasingly implementing programmes through Non
Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which are expanding rapidly in the social sectors.
PRIs do not really figure in this strategy of implementation and in fact there is not even
a conceptual recognition that essentially NGOs are operating in areas and subjects
which belong to the PRIs and therefore they should work in tandem with them.
Ministries also take up internationally funded projects. All such projects are
implemented through bureaucratic functionaries and do not involve panchayati raj
institutions even though the subject they deal with fall in the domain of panchayats.

Even States like Kerala feel handicapped in regard to Central schemes
since the guidelines for implementation are drawn by the concerned agency of Central
Government. There is, therefore, an urgent need to conceptualise how the Centrally
Sponsored / Central Sector Schemes would be implemented through PRIs and to
ensure effective PRIs - NGOs interface consistent with the spirit and provisions of the
73rd Constitutional Amendment Act.


Planning Commission constituted a Task Force on Panchayati Raj Institutions
vide its notification No P-12025/5/98-RD dated 20.12.1998 under the Chairmanship of
Shri K B Saxena, the then Principal Adviser, Planning Commission, for working out
concrete modalities for building up consensus and formulating operational guidelines on
above-mentioned issues. The composition of the Task Force and the Terms of
Reference are given at Annexure I.
The report of the Task Force on PRIs has been prepared on the basis of the
detailed deliberations held in the meetings and the inputs received from the members.
The report is divided into eight Chapters.
Chapter I provides the rationale for setting up the Task Force, Chapter II
discusses the present status of PRIs in the country, Chapter III examines
implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes through PRIs, Chapter IV discusses
Externally Aided Projects and Panchayati Raj Institutions, Flow of funds to the PRIs is
discussed in Chapter V, PRIs - NGOs interface is considered in Chapter VI; Chapter VII
looks at the system of Checks and Balances over PRIs and Chapter VIII contains
Agenda for Action for the Tenth Five Year Plan.

The existence of gram sabha / panchayats help in the process of social audit. Gram Sabha can evaluate the work carried out by  panchayats and judge their quality, effectiveness and conformity with accepted norms. PRIs can also ensure wide publicity for their activities among the people through the  gram sabha. Activities of various NGOs / CBOs working at the village level can be effectively monitored by insisting on their close cooperation with the gram sabha. The village panchayats should also undertake through gram sabhas awareness programmes for promoting school enrollment rates, checking dropouts. The block panchayat should select local level NGOs for implementing special educational programmes. Zilla Parishads should arrange for training of public functionaries, NGOs and other social workers in handling the problems of disabled persons in cooperation with National Institutes or where available, State level Institutes or rehabilitation centres. Zilla Parishads would have a major role in ensuring that various
disabled persons are equipped with appropriate aids and appliances under the
concerned programmes and are enabled to effectively neutralise their disability through
this process. Zilla Parishads with the help of block level panchayats should identify
delivery system for the National programme for rehabilitation of persons of disability.
Zilla Parishads should also identify NGOs who have the empathy and good track record
and are interested in taking up work for the disabled persons. Zilla Parishads should
also develop mechanism for monitoring the functioning of NGOs working in the area  and promoting their accountability to the community. They should be involved in monitoring, review of programmes for the disabled to ensure that their benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.




Pursuant to this, the Ministry of Rural Development has evolved a Panchayati
Raj Devolution Index which consist of five parameters viz:
i) Constitutional and Political Devolution (PD)
ii) Administrative Devolution (AD)
iii) Financial Devolution (FID)
iv) Functional Devolution (FUD)
v) Devolution to Gram Sabhas (EGS)
The Devolution Index (DI) can be computed on the basis of following methodology:
DI = (PD+AD+FID+FUD+EGS) /5
The Devolution Index would help us to know the extent of devolution of three Fs
i.e. Functions, Functionaries and Funds and administrative devolution to the PRIs in the States.

Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs)
Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)/Jawahar
Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY)         which is implemented through PRIs.
housing schemes (IAY / PMGY), or social / economic infrastructure in the villages
(JRY / JGSY, EAS, IWDP, DPAP, DDP, ARWSP, RCRSP)
self employment programmes such as IRDP / SGSY
social security programmes such as NSAP and Annapoorna Scheme.social justice and protective measures such as effective implementation of Protection Civil Rights Act of 1955 and Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989, village level panchayats should have the responsibility of reporting incidence of atrocities committed on SCs/STs to the competent authority.ICDS,Women and Child Development
Programme, zilla parishads and block level panchayats may provide maximum support by mobilising gram sabha for financial and material contribution from the community for enhancing the coverage and quality of different programmes.
provide grants to institutions / projects for their running and
maintenance such as Central Pollution Control Board, Botanical Survey of India,
Zoological Survey of India, National Museum of Natural History etc. In respect of such
institutions where any of the activities involve field operation or development project, PRIs should be involved / associated in selection of area, preparing development plans, surveillance, monitoring and, wherever feasible, enforcement
Agriculture:-Crop Development, Land and Water Resources Development,
Production of Inputs, Research, Regulatory arrangement,
Fisheries Sector:- Schemes relating to fishery training and extension, Development of fresh water aquaculture, The scheme related to integrated coastal aqua-culture,
Animal Husbandry and Dairy:- State farms , ‘National Project on Cattle and Buffalo breeding,
Irrigation:-Command Area Development (CAD) Programme










the State level Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Corporation (SCFDC),
 Financial assistance to disabled through National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC)
Central Sector and provide assistance / support to the Central
Institute of Fisheries, Nautical Engineering and Training (CIFNET, Kochi), Integrated
Fisheries Project (IFC, Kochi) and Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fisheries
(CICEF, Bangalore). The scheme related to Fisheries Survey of India is responsible for survey and assistance of marine fisheries in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)