Panchayati Raj First Started in Which state?
VerifiedAnswer: Rajasthan
Explanation:
The Panchayati Raj system first started in Rajasthan on October 2, 1959, marking a historic milestone in India's journey toward democratic decentralization. This groundbreaking initiative was launched simultaneously in two districts of Rajasthan - Nagaur and Ajmer - by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The concept of Panchayati Raj was developed based on the recommendations of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee, which was established in 1957 to study the Community Development Programme and National Extension Service. The committee strongly advocated for a three-tier system of local self-governance to ensure effective rural development and democratic participation at the grassroots level.
The three-tier structure implemented in Rajasthan consisted of:
• Gram Panchayat at the village level • Panchayat Samiti at the block level • Zilla Panchayat at the district level
Rajasthan's pioneering role in implementing this system demonstrated remarkable foresight in recognizing the importance of local governance. The state government, led by then Chief Minister Mohan Lal Sukhadia, showed tremendous political will in adopting this revolutionary approach to rural administration and development.
The success of the Panchayati Raj system in Rajasthan inspired other states to adopt similar models. Following Rajasthan's lead, several other states like Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Punjab gradually implemented their own versions of the Panchayati Raj system throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
The significance of this system became even more prominent when the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act was passed in 1992, making Panchayati Raj institutions constitutional bodies with defined powers, functions, and financial resources. This amendment gave constitutional status to the system that Rajasthan had pioneered more than three decades earlier.
Today, the Panchayati Raj system serves as the backbone of rural governance in India, empowering millions of people at the grassroots level to participate in democratic decision-making processes. Rajasthan's historic initiative on that memorable day in 1959 laid the foundation for what would eventually become one of the world's largest experiments in democratic decentralization, covering over 600 million rural Indians across the country.
