Participatory Decentralised Planning in India Issues of Functions, Functionaries and Finance (An Old and Rare Book)

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Sachinandan Sau is Professor of Economics and Coordinator, Departmental Research Support (DRS), University Grants Commission at the Department of Economics with Rural Development, Vidyasagar University He got his Master of Arts, Master of Philosophy and Doctorate of Philosophy (Arts) Degrees in Economics from University of Calcutta. While serving a college as lecturer in Economics he was granted four years' teacher fellowship by University of Calcutta under the Faculty Improvement Programme of the University Grants Commission, during which he completed his M.Phil. And Ph.D. works. He was a Visiting Fellow at and is associated with the Centre for Urban Economic Studies, Department of Economics, University of Calcutta as Research Associate (honorary). He was a member of the Expert Committee on Encyclopaedia Asiatica (Vol. VII-The Economy). He is the founder Managing Editor of Economic Development Review which was later renamed as Vidyasagar University Journal of Economics of which he is now editor. He has presented his papers at large number of national and international Seminars and Conferences and has got over 40 research articles published in edited volumes and learned professional Journals including Economic and Political Weekly. He has published a book on Port and Development A Study of Calcutta Port in India and edited Rural Development Theories and Experiences, Fifty Years of Rural Development in India, Participatory Decentralised Planning Issues and Experience with Reference to India and Participatory Decentralised Planning in India Issues of Finance and Statistical Information.

Decentralised planning with people's participation is recognized as the efficient democratic process as well as instrument of rural transformation. Since the 73 amendment to the Constitution of India which envisages panchayats as institution of self-government and enjoins them to plan for economic development and social justice in respect of 29 subjects enlisted in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution a decade has passed and time is now ripe for making a critical review of progress of panchayats in respect of decentralized planning and its impact on improvement of quality of life of rural people. Many issues concerning participatory decentralized planning are now being raised in the recent development discourse. Prominent among them are those of functions, functionaries and finance of decentralized planning units. The essays collected in this volume deal with the issues of functions, functionaries and finance from a number of angles.

Issues and problems relating to participatory decentralized planning may be discussed from the theoretical perspective as well as from the empirical standpoint. Since panchayats belong to state subject in the Constitution of India the conceptual framework of empowering panchayats in respect of functions, functionaries and finance has been developed in one of the essays. Another essay analyses major issues relating to panchayat system in India in general.

There are particular issues relating to functions of panchayat raj institutions and their impact on socio-economic development. Two essays in this volume take up these issues for empirical study.

Decentralised planning is the order of the day, where people's participation and individual freedom form the basis for social decision-making. The Constitution of India Seventy-Third Amendment Act 1992 is a watershed in the history of planning and development, which has made panchayats the third tier of government. The panchayats as units of decentralised planning and self-government should enjoy functional, administrative and financial autonomy. Since a decade has passed since the Constitution amendment time is now ripe for making a review of the functioning of panchayat raj institutions (PRIS).

The recent experience has highlighted slow and tardy progress of deccentralised planning and governance. Many issues, prominently those of functions, functionaries and finance now confront decentralized planning units. The Working Group on Decentralised Planning and Panchayati Raj Institutions and the Working Group on State Resources constituted by the Government of India have highlighted many of these issues. These issues need to be explored and analysed in depth.

The aim of this collection of papers is to discuss the functional, functionaries and financial issues of decentralized planning units with reference to some states in India The present volume is the outcome of a National Seminar on Participatory Decentralised Planning in India: Issues of Finance, Functions and Functionaries, which was organized during March 2004 by the Department of Economics with Rural Development, Vidyasagar University under the aegis of the University Grants Commission. The book is designed for students, academics, practitioners and policy makers interested in issues of decentralized planning and participatory rural development.