Devolution 038; detail

The government of Rajasthan,on October 2,decided to transfer five of its departments primary education,health,agriculture,social justice and empowerment and women and child development to panchayati raj institutions. These elected local government institutions will now have full administrative and financial control over the schemes run by these departments,and over the employees responsible for implementing them at the local level. Such decentralisation of functional and financial powers could tangibly improve the transparency,accountability and delivery of the governments schemes.

In large states like Rajasthan,decision-making in the state capital can at times be detached from the realities on the ground. Monitoring of implementation can also be a challenge. And quite obviously,given the layers of state government funds have to pass through to eventually reach the rural areas,the scope for leakages is also greater. Therefore,transferring operational and financial responsibility to panchayati institutions makes eminent sense,and has in fact been the spirit,not always implemented,of panchayati raj for nearly two decades. Of course,there is still a need to monitor how panchayats use their operational and financial autonomy. To maintain checks and balances,the government has sensibly constituted a sub-committee of the cabinet under the state minister for rural development and panchayati raj. To ensure a degree of professionalism,the government has agreed to appoint IAS and Rajasthan Administrative

Services RAS in executive positions at the divisional and district levels,respectively.

The Rajasthan governments decision,if carried through thoughtfully,can be a gamechanger because too often,governments are not willing to surrender any of their turf. Guarding turf is the natural instinct of most bureaucracies. But there is a political reason too the party in power would like to take all the credit for the governments programmes rather than share it with local bodies that may be run by a different party. But Ashok Gehlots government has decided otherwise. The government has also chosen the departments for devolution wisely. It is precisely in the social sector and agriculture spheres where panchayati raj institutions can bring about a fundamental change for the better in the quality of governance.