The Congress party commemorated National Panchayati Raj Day by recognizing significant laws enacted under Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh’s leadership to enhance grassroots democracy in villages. Rajiv Gandhi’s 73rd Amendment to the Constitution in 1993, which reserved one-third of Panchayati Raj institution seats for women, was highlighted as a pivotal initiative. This move led to approximately 32 lakh elected representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions, with around 15 lakh being women.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s contributions to empowering Panchayati Raj institutions were also acknowledged. Singh’s government established the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in May 2004 and launched the transformative MGNREGA in February 2006, granting gram panchayats a crucial role in planning and execution. The 73rd Amendment, spearheaded by the Rajiv Gandhi government, introduced detailed Articles 243-A to 243-O in the Constitution, significantly empowering panchayats as the bedrock of our political system.
Jairam Ramesh emphasized the current landscape, noting the existence of approximately 2.6 lakh gram panchayats, over 6,700 intermediate panchayats, and 673 zilla parishads. He underscored the pressing need for revitalizing panchayats and nagarpalikas, stressing their significance over merely augmenting Lok Sabha’s strength, especially in light of recent developments regarding the women’s quota amendment bill.
