National Panchayati Raj Day 2023: Every year on 24 April, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj celebrates “National Panchayati Day”. This day is celebrated to mark the moment in the history of decentralization of power to the grassroots level with the introduction of Panchayati Raj systems in the rural areas through the 72nd Amendment Act 1992 of the Indian Constitution which came into force on 24 April 1993. This year marks the 13th “National Panchayati Raj Day 2023”. National Panchayati Day is celebrated on a grand stage and generally held outside the National capital. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been awarding the best performing Panchayats/States/UT’s across the country in recognition of their good work.
The word Panchayat originates from the Sanskrit words: “Panch” (meaning five) and “ayat” (meaning assembly). The main objective of celebrating this day is to strengthen e-governance in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s) across the country.
Latest Current Affairs 2023: Weekly, Monthly Current Affairs (PDF)
National Panchayati Raj Day 2023: Theme
- The theme for the National Panchayati Raj Day 2023 is “Sustainable Panchayat: Building Healthy, Water Sufficient, Clean & Green Villages”.
- The first National Panchayati Day is celebrated on 2010. Since then the National Panchayati Day is observed every year on 24 April to mark the constitutional amendment that created the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India.
- The day marks the introduction of the 73rd Amendment Act 1992 of the Indian Constitutions
- On this occasion, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been awarding the best performing Panchayats/States/UT’s across the nation to appreciate on their good work.
- Awards are given under various categories such as: 1) Deen Dayal Upadhyay Sashaktikaran Puraskar, 2) Nanaji Deshmukh Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Puraskar, 3) Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award, 4) Gram Panchayat Gram Development Award & 5) e-Panchayat Award (given to States/UT’s only).
National Panchayati Raj Day 2023: History
- Panchayati Raj is the system of local self-government of villages in rural India. 24th April 1993 is considered as the important day in the history of Panchayati Raj in India as the 73rd Amendment Act 1992 came into force to provide constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s).
- Some of the important features of this Act are: 1) to provide three-tier system of Panchayati Raj at Village, Intermediate & District levels with population below 20 lakhs, 2) To conduct Panchayati elections after every 5 years, 3) To provide 33% seats reserved for Women, Scheduled Castes (SC’s) & Scheduled Tribes (ST’s).
- The three-tier system was first adopted by Rajasthan (at the Nagaur district on 2nd Oct. 1959).
- To examine the implementation of self-government at rural level, the Indian government appointed number of committees. These are:
- Balwant Rai Mehta Committee(Jan. 1957) -Recommended to elect local bodies in Panchayats. Balwant Rai is considered as the “Father of Panchayati Rai System”.
- Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) – To examine the measures to strengthen “Panchayati Raj Institutions”.
- GVK Rao Committee (1985)
- LM Singhvi Committee (1986) – Recommended “Constitutional Status for local bodies”.
- The 73rd Act also provides shape to the Article 40 of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) which state to organize the village panchayats and provide them powers to function as a self-government.