Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
ANNEXURE 10
PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS AND
GOVERNANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Rajesh Ramakrishnan 1
ABSTRACT
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are well placed to govern and manage natural
resources as they have a statutory status, are democratically elected, and provide
institutional continuity or sustainability. Grassroot people’s institutions have
their own salience and function best when appropriately nested within statutory
institutions like Gram Panchayats, which can act as overarching governance
institutions. Following the 73 rd Amendment, the Eleventh Schedule was added to
the Constitution, specifying 29 subjects over whom PRIs have jurisdiction. State
governments were required to devolve functions, functionaries, and funds to PRIs
for these subjects. Eleven of these 29 subjects are related to natural resources.
These subjects are also critical to rural livelihoods. The Panchayats (Extension
to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, applicable to Schedule V Areas, defined local
self-governance for communities living in Schedule V Areas and recognised their
traditional rights over natural resources. A village in the Schedule V Areas was
defined as consisting of a habitation or a group of habitations or a hamlet or a
group of hamlets, comprising a community and managing its affairs in accordance
with traditions and customs. The Gram Sabha or village assembly was recognized
as the basic unit of governance.
Panchayati Raj Institutions play a key role in developing village-agriculture plans
through a decentralised planning process that is in tune with the local needs and
aspirations. The Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) reinforces people and
stakeholders’ participation in the local planning processes. The development plan
matches people’s needs and priorities with available resources. The focus is on
local development issues, local perception of need and priority, local analysis of
problems and solutions, local resources management, all within a collective local
1
Development professional – natural resources management and livelihoods; Isha volunteer
Indian Rivers
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