Report of National Conference by Ms. Swati Desurkar

on

Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions after 60 Years of Independent India: A Vision of the Future, organized by Academy of Grass Roots Studies and Research of India (AGRASRI), Rajiv Rural Development Foundation (RRDF) attended on 19th and 20th august, 2007 at Tirupati.

I express my gratitude to RSIC for giving me the opportunity and encouraging me to attend this conference.

It is true that after an enactment of the 73rd Constitution Amendment Act, the decentralization of power and the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s) are not only empowering the people at the grassroots but also enhancing the democratic functioning.  However, India has failed to create the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s) as true Constitutional bodies for social transformation ever after 60 years of Independence.  For this, one has to take a fresh look at the delivery of good governance at the grassroots to the Indian citizens with the following questions:  What is wrong with the Panchayati Raj system in India? Why so much of poverty even now after Sixty Years of Independence? Why illiteracy continues to plague the villages? Why civic amenities are not available at many places in Indian villages? Why many people do not participate and raise their voice in an era of decentralized governance? Seeking answers to these questions, the need of the hour is to ensure that Panchayats can function as true institutions of Local Self-government. The Panel members and all the government officials with the view of some of the social scientist, where trying to find out the intricacies of PRIs in this conference.

The Board of Governors, Director and Staff of the AGRASRI, organized a National conference on Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions after 60 Years of Independent India: A Vision of the Future and Sixth Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture and Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Outstanding Leadership and Best Panchayat Awards Presentation on 19-20 Aug in Hotel Bliss, Tirupati.

Sub-themes/ Panels of the Conference are listed below for articulation of views and presentation of papers:
Panel – I : Devolution of 3 F’s – Functions, Functionaries and Finances – to the Panchayati Raj Institutions : A Myth or Reality; Panel – II : Panchayati Raj and Right to Information Act : A Way Forward for Transparent Administration; Panel – III : Capacity Building and Decentralized Governance: Strategies and Challenges; Panel – IV : Panchayati Mahila Shakti and Yuva Shakti Abhiyans : From Unrest to Prosperity; and Panel – V : Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions towards Good Governance in India : A Vision of the Future.

Dr. A. Chakrapani, Hon’ble chairman, A.P.Legislative Council, Hyderabad innagurated the conference, on 19th August, 2007 in Tirupati. Unfortunately I was unable to understand Dr Chakrapani’s speech as he was talking in his own regional language. Shri R. Dileep Reddy, State Information Commissioner (RTI), Govt of AP, Hyderabad was a guest of Honour. He gave a excellent talk on Panchayat Raj and  right to information Act which was a sub theme of one of the Panel discussion .I wanted to meet him after his speech and gather some more information on right to information act , but couldn’t make it as he left the hall instantly after the presentation. After his enormous information on right to information act, I felt for a moment, as a citizen of India we should be aware of this act. Prof Julian Swindell, Principal Lecturer in GIS and Digital Education, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, United Kingdom was a special invitee. Mr Swindell presented his views in one of the panel discussion on gender discrimination in Uk which was quite strange and informative. Inaugural function was followed by paper presentation on Panel 1: Devolution of 3Fs– Functions, Functionaries and Finances – to the Panchayati Raj Institutions: A Myth or Reality. I was one of the participants for this panel. The objectives of my paper was to review the current status of functions transferred to PRIs in the wake of 73rd Amendment, to examine whether the resources transferred to them are adequate to perform these functions and fulfill their responsibilities and to suggest ways of improving their financial health. Mr Bhargav was the chairperson for this Panel. I presented a macro perspective on devolution of powers to Panchayat Raj System.I gave a broad view of state wise devolution of 3Fs as per the 11th schedule of the constitution. I even mentioned about the two model states i.e- Karnataka and Kerala, who have covered all the 29 subjects to the local bodies. Mr Bhargav who was highly impressed with my presentation, mentioned it in his concluding speech, “I don’t know why swati is trying to apologize at the beginning of her presentation saying that if I go wrong somewhere please bear with me,” indeed she gave a fantastic speech on PRIs and covered a broad scope of devolution of 3Fs.It was a great honour to hear this from person like Mr Bhargav. In the tea break after my presentation many co-faculties came an congratulated me. Mr Vishwanathan, Frontline Correspondent from Chennai requested a copy of my paper. For a moment I felt, my hardwork and endurance have payed as this been my first paper presentation. On the same evening Agrasri committee took us to the nearby Kalyan Balaji temple and Padmavati temple.  

On the next day, i.e on 20th Aug, 2007, there were very good lectures on Capacity Building and Decentralised Governance: Strategies and Challenges. Professors like Dr N.Sivanna, Prof Satyanarayana Sangita from ISEC, Banglore had a lot to tell on capacity building with some case studies which they actually conducted in some of the gram panchayats in Karnataka. On the same day during lunch hour I was fortunate enough to have lunch with Padma Bhushan Dr. R.A.Mashelkar, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, National Chemical Labs, Pune and erstwhile Director-General of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, who was a chief speaker for the Sixth Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Lecture, and who received the Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Outstanding Leadership Award for the Year, 2007 on 20th August, by AGRASRI. Dr Mashelkar gave at length presentation on his fight for Patent rights of haldi and basmati with US Govt. He also spoke about the Unani medicines and our Late P. M Rajiv Gandhiji’s contribution to Medical Science.

The Valedictory session was commenced by Mr R.L.Bhatia, Governor of Kerala. As usual his speech was political like other Indian politicians….. Couldn’t gain  much from his talk. Overall this conference was a good exposure and a good break to enter the sea of academics. The most satisfying moment of my trip was the visit to Tirupati temple as we all are aware that getting tickets is a huge problem there. We need to do advance booking to visit this temple. On the first day of our stay in tirupati, we were excited to know from Dr Sunder ram that he has organized our trip to Tirumala. But on 20th August after the conference Dr Sunder ram got a call from the concerned person about the unavailability of the tickets. Tears started rolling my eyes, as I was really keen to visit the temple. I was very nervous. Half an hour later Dr Sunder ram came with the news that the concern person managed to get the tickets. For a moment I felt, GOD really exist in this world .Believe me, he could hear my prayers and I really mean it. At last we managed to reach the temple at 11.00 pm and could take darshan at 12.00 in the night. On my way back to Mumbai, visited MIDS(Madras Institute Of Development Studies) in Chennai. On the whole it was a good learning experience and a wide scope to increase the network in the field of academics.