PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT: AN OVERVIEW

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are three tier structures to ensure the Rural Development and people's participation in local governance. By 73rd constitutional amendment, Indian government empowered the PRIs for making their own development plan, levy taxes, running educational institutions, hospitals, making roads, bridges, culverts etc. PRIs can decide the local priorities and prepare the development plan. Finance commission directly send money to PRIs to ensure best utilization of funds for local development. PRIs ensure the connectivity, education, health, forest, drinking water, sewerage; mining etc. works in local areas. In addition to that, PRIs are responsible for carrying out the central schemes viz. Housing, MNREGA, NRHM, PMAY, SBM, NRLM etc. These are the programms being implemented by the PRIs which are of help in providing pakka houses for the deserving families, employment to the unskilled labourer and asset creation under NREGA, hygiene and sanitation for individuals as well as the community under SBM, skill development of the rural youth under NRLM, etc.