Decentralization and Local Democracy in India - A Study of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala Open Access

Agrawal, Surabhi (2010)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/xg94hp780?locale=en
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Abstract

This paper aims to study how a diverse country, such as India, manages to promote a
unified civil society. This question is addressed by focusing on decentralization in India
through the local democratic institutions known as Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
The panchayats were given formal authoritative governing power in 1992 through the
73rd constitutional amendment. This increased their roles and importance as local rural
governing structures. The goal of the study is to answer the questions: What accounts for
variations among the strengths of the panchayats? Does a strong panchayat necessarily
translate into greater efficacy for the village community? These questions are examined
both at an inter-state level through comparisons between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh and at
an intra-state level by focusing within Uttar Pradesh. Dreze and Sen's categorizations of
high facility, involvement, and equity define the variations in the strength of panchayat.
The causes for these variations include mass mobilization and political participation in
the two states studied. This study indicates that the amount of training and resources
provided act as intervening variables to the variations in strength. Variations in the
panchayat strength within Uttar Pradesh are highly dependent on the background and
leadership of the panchayat chairperson. Furthermore, strong panchayats correlate to
greater efficacy in community programs through greater economic development, social
justice and development, and dispute resolution. This paper develops proxies that can be
used to measure strength of panchayats and highlights the importance of improving these
institutions for the functioning of India's democracy.

Table of Contents

Contents Introduction................................................................................................................. 1 Background and Descriptive Facts.................................................................................. 5 History of Panchayats............................................................................. 7 Structure and Composition of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)............. 11 Responsibilities of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).............................18 Literature Review...........................................................................................................21 Strength of the panchayat........................................................................21 Explaining variations in strength of panchayats...........................................26 Between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh..........................................................26 Within Uttar Pradesh............................................................................ 29 Explaining effects of strong institutions to outcomes................................... 31 Hypothesis................................................................................................................... 35 Research Design and Methodology.................................................................................. 38 Why Kerala and Uttar Pradesh?.................................................................38 Measuring variations in institutional strength..............................................39 Between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh...........................................................39 Within Uttar Pradesh..............................................................................44 Interviews............................................................................................ 46 Explaining effects of strong institutions to outcomes.....................................48 Between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh............................................................48 Within Uttar Pradesh.............................................................................. 48 Finding............................................................................................................................ 49 Measuring variations in institutional strength................................................ 49 Between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh............................................................. 49 Explaining institutional strength.................................................................60 Intervening variable of training and resources...............................................65 Strength within Uttar Pradesh.....................................................................72 Explaining institutional strength................................................................ 79 Explaining effects of strong institutions to outcomes....................................... 82 Between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.............................................................. 82 Within Uttar Pradesh ................................................................................ 90 Conclusions and Implications............................................................................................... 99 Findings........................................................................................................99 Weaknesses................................................................................................ 100 Implications................................................................................................. 102 Future Research............................................................................................ 105 Conclusions................................................................................................. 107 Appendix 1..................................................................................................................... 108 Appendix 2..................................................................................................................... 110 Glossary.......................................................................................................................... 114 Works Cited................................................................................................................... 115

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