Rural Development and Governance: Challenges and Solutions

Almost 68 per cent of India’s population still live in villages. That tells us that soul of India still lives in rural areas or villages. The progress in science and technology and tremendous economic growth in India has impacted the life in urban areas but rural areas still remains largely unaffected and devoid of development. At the global level, to fight the developmental challenges and address these concerns the strategy has been documented in the form of sustainable development goals. Success of global strategy depends on timely and effective local actions.

 

In Indian context, SDGs can be attained only through ensuring comprehensive rural development. Most of the identified SDGs and their targets are applicable to rural India. Panchayats are local governments in rural areas responsible for ensuring rural development. They have been mandated by the Constitution of India to plan for and implement schemes for economic development and social justice on 29 matters listed in Eleventh Schedule. Most of the SDGs fall within the purview of these 29 matters.  Of the three tiers of Panchayats: at district, village and intermediate level, the Village Panchayats or Gram Panchayats (GP) is the closest to rural community and the most important institution from the perspective of rural development and governance.

 

Government Gears Up

India has shown its intent to implement to achieve SDGs in its entirety. Efforts have already been initiated at the highest level towards the same. Prime Minister’s statement at the UN Summit for adoption of post-2015 Development Agenda says “today, much of India’s development agenda is mirrored in the Sustainable Development Goals. Since Independence, we have pursued the dream of eliminating poverty from India. We have chosen the path of removing poverty by empowering the poor. We have placed priority on education and skill development. Our attack on poverty today includes expanded conventional schemes of development, but we have also launched a new era of inclusion and empowerment, turning distant dreams into immediate possibilities: new bank accounts for 180 million; direct transfer of benefits; funds to the unbanked insurance within the reach of all; and, pension for everyone’s sunset years” (NITI Aayog, 2017).

 

NITI Aayog has also mapped sustainable development goals and targets with schemes and activities of different central ministries. Similarly, different ministries and state governments have taken the task to implement it on the ground. Niti Aayog says that “the draft mapping of the goals and targets as an initial step on proposed nodal and other Ministries has been carried out in consultation with MoSPI. Further, as an illustration, the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs), including the ‘core of the core’, ‘core’ and ‘optional’ Schemes being implemented by the States have been mapped along with some of the recent initiatives undertaken by the Central Government. In addition, Ministries are implementing Central Sector Schemes and States are also implementing various State Schemes aligned with one or more SDGs”

Our attack on poverty today includes expanded
conventional schemes of development, but we have
also launched a new era of inclusion and empowerment, turning distant dreams into immediate possibilities

 

Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has also prepared a draft vision document and identified nine SDGs viz. End poverty, End hunger, Health, Education, Women and child, Clean energy, Decent work and livelihoods, and Eco restoration, afforestation wherein Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) can play important role in achieving the identified Goals and targets. Arun Jaitley in his budget speech of 2016-17 had announced launch of Rastriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) for capacity building and training of PRIs on SDGs. In his 2017-18 budget speech he announced a slew of measures to alleviate rural poverty. Some of his budget highlights for rural areas were

Using space technology in a big way to plan MGNREGA works

• During 2017-18, another 5 lakh ponds to be constructed for drought-proofing
• Sanitation coverage in rural areas has gone up to 60 per cent
• Swachh Bharat Mission has made tremendous progress in promoting safe sanitation and ending open defectation.

Rs 19,000 crore in 2017-18 for PMGSY; together with contribution from states, Rs 27,000 crore to be spent

 

• Total allocation for rural, agricultural and allied sectors for 2017-18 is a record Rs 1,87,223 crore, up 24 percent from last year
• Target for agricultural credit in 2017-18 has been fixed at a record Rs 10 lakh crore
• Coverage of FasalBimaYojana to go up from 30 percent of cropped area, to 40 percent in 2017-18, 50 percent in 2018-19

 

Local bodies in rural areas are completely dependent on central and state schemes to undertake developmental work. However they have to play a crucial role in shaping local socio-economic development while addressing the diverse needs of rural and village community. Part IX (Article 243) of theConstitution, an outcome of 73^rd Constitutional Amendment, mandates Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) at the village, intermediate and district level to function as institutions of local self-government.

Effective delivery of civic services can improve the quality of life of villagers through ensured safe drinking water, sanitation, health care, roads and streetlight etc. The GP as a local government also has to carry out regulatory functions, so that villagers can avail their rights and do not encroach upon the rights of fellow villagers. Development functions of the GP are important for improving the standard of living of villagers and ensuring development of infrastructure in the GP area.

 

Substantial resources have been devolved to the GPs – Rs.200,292.20 Crore- for the period 2015- 2020 under the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC). This grant constitutes 90% basic grant and 10% performance grant. The basic grant is intended to improve basic civic services such as water supply, sanitation, sewerage, solid waste management, storm water drainage, maintenance of community assets, roads, footpath, street lighting, burial and cremation grounds etc. This grant will be provided to Gram Panchayats on per capita basis.

 

Enabling Gram Panchayats Perform These Tasks

To enable to perform, gram panchayats need to be empowered through various legislative and executive acts/ orders. Various departmental functionaries and elected representatives of GPs must also be oriented about such transfer of functions. To carry out those functions, all related functionaries may be brought under the control or supervision of GPs. Similarly control over funds related to these functions may also be transferred to GPs. Unless devolution of these three Fs: Functions, Funds and Functionaries is complete, Gram Panchayats will find it difficult to effectively carry out those tasks.

 

Rajesh Sinha of UNDP says that ‘empowerment of GP will need to be supplemented by a systematic capability development efforts. Elected representatives and functionaries of GP must also be provided training through various methods including exposure visits to GPs doing well. Such trainings must be completed within 3 months of elections and followed by yearly refresher training”.

 

SDGs can only be fully achieved in India through empowered and active Gram Panchayats. Empowering and activating GPs in turn would require devolution of functions, funds and functionaries and a systematic and concerted capability development efforts. If such conditions are met, we can definitely see a turnaround in rural hinterlands of India where governance and development are the crying need of the hour.