power decentrelizetion : the reality show the truth
| Panchayats are highlighted as institutions of participatory democracy. In reality panchayats now function in an obviously bureaucratic fashion. An ultimate corrupted B.D.O. Suman Maji of Dinajpur  It is in the Act that gram sansads must meet every November and May to recommend action plans and scrutinize the work done. "Ten percent of all villagers must be present at these meetings to form the quorum, but this is seldom | achieved," says Rejjak Ali, former pradhan of Raipur Gram Panchayt under Hariharpara Panchayat Samiti. Apathy or indifference is the major reason why the rural people generally stay away from gram sansad and gram sabha meetings. A BDO in Bishnupur subdivision says that mass participation is lacking in the panchayats because of political squabbling at the village level. Acctually, the village people considerd the panchayats as local offices of the state governments, instead of their own. In the Gram Sabha meetings people seldom attend. In the month of November,2002, the total participation of the voters in gram sansad meetings was a meager of 11 percent in West Bengal. This proves that out of each 10 voters 9 do not bother about budget of the village panchayat, audit report, development plans. They do not consider that their presence will at all influence the functioning of the panchayat activities. |