Question

Government Control over Panchayati Raj.

Answer 1

The Government exercises control over Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to ensure effective governance and coordination between different levels of administration. Though Panchayati Raj was introduced to promote self-governance in rural areas, the State Government retains the power to legislate and regulate its functioning. This control includes framing laws for structure, composition, and powers of PRIs, approving their budgets, conducting audits, and supervising their administrative functioning. Officers like the Block Development Officer (BDO) and District Collector oversee implementation and ensure accountability. While such oversight helps maintain order and uniformity, it must be balanced to preserve the autonomy envisioned by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, which emphasises democratic decentralisation and participatory development in rural India.