CPCT Test 2
15 min30 WPM required514 words
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The Panchayati Raj system in Madhya Pradesh represents the foundational layer of democratic governance in the state, providing citizens at the village level with institutions through which they can participate directly in decisions affecting their daily lives, access government services, and hold local representatives accountable for the use of public resources. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 provided the constitutional basis for Panchayati Raj institutions across India, mandating the establishment of a three-tier structure comprising Gram Panchayats at the village level, Janpad Panchayats at the block level, and Zila Panchayats at the district level. Madhya Pradesh enacted the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Raj Avam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam in 1993 to give effect to the constitutional provisions, and the state has been implementing a progressively decentralised model of governance under this legislative framework. The Gram Sabha, which comprises all adult voters registered in the village, is the foundational institution of Panchayati Raj and meets at least twice a year to approve the annual plan and budget of the Gram Panchayat, receive reports on expenditure and programme implementation, identify beneficiaries for welfare schemes, and discuss matters of local importance. Active Gram Sabhas are seen as the hallmark of effective local democracy, and the state government has taken measures to improve their functioning, including the Gram Sabha calendar, public announcements of meetings, and social audit of public works. Elections to the three tiers of Panchayati Raj are conducted by the Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission at intervals of five years, with direct elections to Gram Panchayat wards and Janpad Panchayat constituencies, and indirect election of the Janpad Panchayat president and the Zila Parishad president from among the elected members. Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and women is provided in all three tiers, with not less than fifty percent of seats reserved for women, a provision that has significantly increased the participation of women in local governance in Madhya Pradesh. The Sarpanch, the elected head of the Gram Panchayat, and the Gram Panchayat Secretary, a government employee providing administrative support, together manage the day-to-day functions of the Gram Panchayat. The state government has devolved a significant number of subjects to Panchayati Raj institutions under the eleventh schedule of the Constitution, including agriculture extension, minor irrigation, social forestry, primary and middle school education, primary health, drinking water supply, rural roads, and social welfare programmes. Funds for these devolved functions flow through the state finance commission award and through scheme funds tied to specific centrally and state-sponsored programmes. The e-Gram Swaraj portal, a central government digital platform, enables the online planning, budgeting, and reporting of Gram Panchayat activities, improving transparency and accountability. The Madhya Pradesh government has also promoted the Gram Sarkar concept and the Gaon ki Sarkar Hamari Sarkar initiative to strengthen community ownership of local governance, with intensive awareness and capacity building programmes for elected representatives. The quality of Panchayati Raj functioning in Madhya Pradesh varies considerably across the state, with better-performing Panchayats in more developed districts and weaker performance in remote tribal areas where literacy, connectivity, and administrative capacity are limited.