Institution of Local Self Governance and its Linkages with Tourism

From the above table it is clear that most state governments have notshown much vision on enacting new Panchayati raj laws. Theexceptions being West Bengal and Kerala where decentralization ofpower has been extensive and genuine. A part of the fa ult lies in thesystem, a part in the immediate social environment but a largepart is to be attributed to the controlling state government itself.Inadequacy of funds available to local bodies and creation ofparallel structures to take over the mandatory powers of thePanchayats has been a chronic problem before all local bodies.Powerfu l groups based on caste and economic status dominate thelocal governmental bodies. Though, the states have accepted the73'd and 74th Amendments in letter rather than in spirit, in many StateActs, civil servants are indirectly given powers over the elected bodythus making the devolution of powers and functions to thePanch ayats go at a snail pace.The bureaucracy and politicians still enjoys financial and economicpower vis-a-vis the elected representatives at the panchayat level. Tomaintain such a position, the argument they put forward is that inmost of the villages and districts, the feudal elements and landowning sections are still dominant and that their chances of misusingthe political and economic power are higher. Further, the argumentthey put forward is that the voices of illiterate Schedule Castes,Schedule Tribes, women and other marginalized sections may notcarry the same weight while deciding important matters even if theyoccupy important positions in the Panchayat Raj Institutions. Theseare the flimsy grounds, which bureaucrats use to wield power.The above arguments only goes to prove that there has beenreluctance on part of state-level politicians to recognize theimportance of the local governance- their autonomy, their powers andtheir area of functioning-, which is again creatirlg problems indevolving powers. Ministers , MLAs and senior political leaders aremore wurried that the power they enjoyed so far will wane ifPanchayats and municipalities become really rowerful. State-levelleaders do not like the emergence of local level ledership, as itwould pose challenge to them in due course.68