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| Role of Corruption in Panchayati Raj System | | | Rakesh Aathur
As we all knew that Panchayati Raj is the outcome of 73rd amendment of our constitution in order to access the democracy at its very gross root level. But people among the rural areas as well as among villages are illiterate, ignorant and having little knowledge of understanding about the policies of government comprising nature of the government and others. Last tenure of Panchayati Raj had totally rendered the common people irrelevant towards its duties and obligations. As Panchayati representatives remained involved in several illegal activities like galloping BADP, MGNREGA, IAY, etc funds including others sponsored under many of the central and state government schemes. Plenty of such complaints regarding misuse of public funds has filed in some hawk- watch agencies like SVO, Vigilance commission, crime branch, local police stations, etc of which some had taken into cognizance so and many of them are under trial against many of the Panchayat members also.
While witnessing a Panchayat of Samba district (name script), which is a major Panchayat among the same district, at presently comprised of more than 10 wards and approximately same no. of the Panchayat members including panches, sarpanch, chairman, etc had been represented by the respective people of the Gram sabha, whom could have misused the government funds blatantly. Even a simple enquiry in such a behalf may put-off the blanket from the concealing facts and can make the cause of trial against many of them.
The fund misused against the MG-NREGA scheme is a major issue which provides more than 100 days work to every person of the gram Panchayat at minimum wage rate of Rs 154 or 179 per day. But these fund has been withdrawn by the selfish motives of many Panchayat members and sites where it is deployed having little reminiscence of the work done had left behind. The family members of the panches and sarpanches has been enrolled as village workers or labourers issued with job cards and huge amount of money has been withdrawn surmounting their heads, which has gone solemnly into their own pockets. In this game the employees of the concerned block development offices has close connivance with them also.
There is an accountable urge to have formal check-up through watchdog like agencies to enquire into this misuse of funds and register with secant complaints regarding against such culprits. Even such agencies may not wait for complaints filed with from complainants against such culprits, but spontaneously these agencies should took into cognizance the funds allocated and used on the prescribed sites as well as money withdrawn surmounting per heads should make under check. As former PM- Manmohan Singh had preached during his speech once that the MGNREGA fund has been misused on a larger scale. But it is so unfortunate that he did not suggested any alternate measure to stop it or suggested any measure to check it.
In other words, we can say that Panchayat members belonging to higher strata has given rise to privilege of their own persons in incidents i.e. land-grabbing, illegal gratification upon poor peoples' resources. Several such examples can be witnessed in the district and many other Panchayat Halquas of Jammu & Kashmir including other parts of India.
Mean they have adopted all kind of unfair means to privilege themselves and their near kiths and kin despite seeking the welfare of poor people in their close vicinity or Panchayat Halquas. It is a biggest blunder that they have joked with the democracy and still government is in believe to have Panchayati election and bidding to firm the democracy at very grass root level.
Conclusion as if government should prescribe an educational standard to qualify for the election to Panchayat members, Sarpanches and other local bodies. And election should be held-up in complete surveillance of some watch dog agencies because there heard so many-a- times about such unfair practices likely weak security approach noticed in last election at many of the polling booths where caste dominance had made its influence vehemently too. As far as development concerned, it is so poor and large amount of public funds has been misused and earned for selfish motives is the main point of weakness of the Panchayats. Such examples can be seen at most of the Panchayat Halquas of so many districts of Jammu & Kashmir also where some members had ignored the few wards as per developmental aspects owing to jealous or inquisitiveness or personal rivalry like reasons.
The people of the rural are comprising villages mainly has been blunt butchered at the hard hit hands of these Panchayat members all over the Indian territory owing too prevalence of malpractices like corruption, misuse of public funds and self motivated privilege . They all have attained the qualities like foxes, which are so clever to befool the ignorant people all over the India on the berg of marked development assurance. Whereas agencies involved in these three tiers of the Panchayati Raj had witnessed too, that there occurred a scam on large scale at state as well national level.
And development finishing spots had remained with little bit signs of built-up sites yet, is the clear message of clumsy work administration of the Panchayats. In other words we can say that the response of the Panchayats all over the area has very weak response towards the common people in the wake of development and other facets of progress.
But the present ordinance passed pertaining to representing the Sarpanches of the panchayats in Jammu & Kashmir can prove to be partial and contrary to the ethos of true democratic norms. It may cause dominance of higher strata over the lower strata of the society where members should be vehemently auctioned at once and on the other hand the role of the common man in Panchayat election should lost its predominance and some impartial and corrupt practices may take place there also. |
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