PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF TOWN PANCHAYATS WITH REFERENCE TO PUBLIC SERVICES IN VIRUDHUNAGAR DISTRICT

Town Panchayat is one of the forms of local self-government in Tamil Nadu, India. The aim of the town Panchayat is to satisfy local needs of the residents in a balanced and coordinated manner. Increased responsibilities coupled by environmental, economic, administrative, technological and sociopolitical factors have brought out the gap in the income and expenditure ratio. Nevertheless, factors such as decline in fiscal dependence on higher levels, increase in own tax sources of town panchayats in general, are indicators of improves fiscal health. This study opens up further avenues of research in the context of an inter-state comparisons of performance of town panchayats so as to understand the policy implications of other state governments. Another matter of concern is mounting tax arrears. Therefore town panchayat must have a special drive to collect arrear tax that would make several public services adequate.