Decentralised Participatory Development

Administrative, technical and financial control has been placed with the stakeholders. WCs not only decide what work to execute, they execute, verify and control the funds. Parents appoint the EGS teachers,. Panchayat have a system of social audit. Panchayat directly receive a share of the State revenues. From the next financial year, the DPSs will directly receive the funds voted to districts by the legislature. Most decisions today are taken at the lowest appropriate level. The entire government machinery reaches out to the people as partners in these processes. During the annual village contact drive, every functionary from the village level worker (VLW) to spend a week in the villages. Transparency is ensured at every level from the gram sabha to the DPC. The citizen has a right to information and may obtain a copy of almost any document as a matter of right. Primary education has been guaranteed by the State government as a right and a guarantee under the EGS scheme.

DISTRICT PLANNING COMMITTEE

District Planning Committee (DPCs) have been given wide-ranging administrative, financial and legal powers. The committee is chaired by the Minister in-charge of the district. 80% of the members are drawn from District Panchayat and urban local bodies. MP & MLA are special invitees. The committee acts as a decentralised arm of the state government at the district level with a demovratic body decision making and the necessary set of powers. Some examples of the decision taken by the DPC are as follows. In exercise of administative and financial powers

• Sanctioning works worth upto Rs. 10 million.
• Approving tenders upto Rs. 10 million.
• Approving creation of a municipal body in place of the existing village Panchayats in the Pithampur industrial area.
• Universalisation of middle school education (i.e. a middle school within 3 km of any habitation) through rationalisation of existing teacher manpower. 122 middle school were thus created in July 1999 enabling the district to achieve the target to universalisation middle school education well before 2001, and without incurring any expenditure from the Government exchequer. In exercise of legal powers
• Allotting land to various Government departments for development needs.
• Appointment of notaries.

DISTRICT PANCHAYAT

District Panchayat have been the over a; responsibility for development in areas which are essentially of rural significance. This includes rural development programmes, social welfare programmes, education programmes, education, tribal welfare, village industry , agriculture, public heath etc. The existing cadres for these departments have been declared dying caders and the staff is being filled with panchayat appointee. The allotment and administrative powers of the relevant developments are now placed with the District Panchayat. Some examples of the powers exercised by the District Panchayat follows.

• Members and / or chairperson of District Panchayat are placed on almost every important board or committee constituted at the district level.
• Chief Executive Offcer of the District Panchayat has been given powers Head of the Department in case of Education and Tribla departments.
• Transfers and disciplinary powers of the relevant departmental staff lie with it.

VILLAGE PANCHAYATS

Village Panchayats have been given control over the village level workers of various developments. Examples of powers exercised by them follow.

• Land transfer and mutation powers now lie with them.
• Appointment of various villege level funtionaries like the Secretary of the villege Panchayat, the Anganwadi worker, the EGS teacher etc. are appointed by the villege Panchayat.
• They lease out quries and mines of minor minerals. They also lease tanks. They proceeds of these go to the villege Panchayats.
• They have power to levy taxes.
• The funds for most development and welfare schemes are now routed through the village Panchayat. The selection of beneficiaries is also done in the gram subha (meeting of all village Panchayat electors).