Institution of Local Self Governance and its Linkages with Tourism

Panchayat and authorize it to approve the annual plan for the villageand income-expenditure statement of the village panchayat. The'Gram Sabha', consisting of all eligible voters, has been made thesoul of the Panchayat institutions to discuss and decide their ownproblems, and to further people's participation in variousdevelopment programmes in a democratic way. This will fostermaximum accountability and transparency of administration andpublic awareness.2. Uniform institutional structure: Keeping in view the provisionsof 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, State panchayat Raj actshave been constituted which incorporate a three-tier system ofPanchayat Raj, consisting of Zilla Panchayats at the District level,Panchayat Samitis or Kshetra Panchayats at the intermediatelevel & Gram Panchayats at the village level However, thePanchayat at the intermediate level can be constituted in a statehaving a population not exceeding 20 lakhs.3. Direct Election: The Act provides for direct elections of all themembers in the Panchayats at all levels; whereas indirectelections of the chairperson at the intermediate and districtlevels. The mode of elections of chairpersons at the village levelhas been left to the state government to decide. Thus will boostlocal people's initiative and enhance their involvement in thesystem, through the electoral process.4) Representation for Women and socially marginalisedcommunities in governance: The legislature provides for thereservation of seat in every Panchayat for the SCI S1's inproportion to their population at each level. Likewise, seats havebeen reserved for women. Not less than one-third of the totalnumber of seats to be filled by direct election are reserved forwomen and these seats are to be allotted by rotation to differentconstituencies in a Panchayat. In respect of backward classes anenabling provision has been made in the Act. Posts ofchairpersons in panchayati raj institutions at all levels have beenreserved for the scheduled caste and Scheduled Tribes in20