PANCHAYATI RAJ CORE GROUP " Towards A Dead-end ?"
Gautam Vohar

The Panchayati raj core group (PRCG), comprising a number of Delhi NGOs, set out a clear path for itself during the course of its initial meetings.  Since then the path seems to have meandered into a dead-end.

As the Delhi NGOs were favourably located for collecting data on panchayati raj, they were expected to play a major role in information sharing.  They were equally well placed to develop contacts with the government and funding agencies; hence strengthening these to promote panchayati raj effectively was seen as another role.  The PRCG was also expected to encourage collaboration between NGOs and panchayati raj institutions in the various states, as well as initiate training of local body leaders and the marginalised through government institutions and volags that had the capability, even as it sought to give them direction.

These objectives evolved over time.  In the initial states when the PRCG met, only three states had enacted the new legislation, and hence getting others to include progressive provisions became a major criteria.  A glimpse into how the PRCG’s strategy evolved may be obtained from examining the minutes of its meetings.

As noted, the earlier meetings were concerned with developing model legislation.  The minutes of the PRCG meeting in November 19, `93 notes “It was finally decided that the group from UP should go ahead with its efforts to develop a model bill, highlighting the positive provisions of the Acts of Gujarat, Bihar and Karnataka and lobby with the government for a progressive Act.  This will be done with the help of AVARD and VANI.... VHAI will procure the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act and circulate it to all PRCG members.”

During the March 4, `94 meeting the objectives of the PRCG were listed as such by the members:
¨      to get in touch with state governments where panchayati raj acts are in the process of being formulated and suggest inclusion of progressive issues/agenda.
¨      to monitor, review and organise activities and programmes related to panchayati raj.
¨      to prepare NGOs in the states to ensure the effective implementation of the new enactments.
¨      to ensure that NGOs generate awareness among women, as well as SC and ST about the 73rd and 74th amendments.

During the meeting on March 28, `94 certain other objectives were enumerated:
¨      to function as a ginger group within the panchayati raj movement and link up with other organisations.
¨      to use documentation to strengthen grassroots level NGOs promoting panhcayati raj.  The feedback received from the grassroots should be disseminated by PRCG.

Another objective was stressed at the meeting on April 22, `94.
¨      to focus on self-governance and panchayati raj (So far its development functions have been emphasised.  Panchayats as constitutional bodies at the lowest level have to be understood as institutions of self-government, not merely as institutions of development).

As per the meeting on August 6, `94 the following aims were noted:
¨      PRCG should try to make itself more effective to catalyse and facilitate effective action by Vos on panchayati raj across the country.  It was felt that more PRCGs at the state level and “further down” needed to be promoted.
¨      PRCG to network with institutions such as Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST), Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), and Indian Social Institute (ISI), IIPA and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF).

The objectives are listed in detail to highlight that the PRCG was ambitious.  It had an enoromous agenda.  Looked at from another perspective, it may be said that this was precisely its weakness.  For it did not have the wherewithal to carry out the task on its own (such as funds, expertise, man power).

One objective that the PRCG can take up, and it is one that crops up in most of its meetings, is “information sharing”.  To the extent that members inform the core group about the workshops/seminars they attended, this is happening.  But considering the advantageous position it is placed in for securing information from the Centre, training institutions, NGOs, it should be putting it across to volags, and indeed state governments, throughout the country.  And the reverse flow could be shared as well: the data gathered through the PRCG network at the grassroots.

The one way this can be accomplished is through a newletter of its own.  It will not duplicate the publications on panchayati raj such as P.R. Update brought out by the Institute of Social Sciences; rather, it will add a dimension that has not so far been covered.

Thus, at a meeting held at VHAI on July 22, `94, South-South Solidarity (3S) and DRAG put forward the idea to “initiate a newletter for PRCG to communicate activities, news, trainings, meetings, etc. to members of the PRCG and other interested groups and individuals.  3S and DRAG have agreed between themselves to produce the newletter three times a year with an initial six page length to commence in October 1994.  To reach a constituency of several hundred groups, 3S and DRAG have worked out a cost sharing agreement in the collection of information, editing and printing of the newsletter and will commit initially to produce six newsletters over a two year period.  The efficacy of the newsletter can be re-evaluated after this period for further continuation”.

This was subsequently followed with a proposal wherein it was stated “we would need active information sharing from the PRCG members and their affiliates to produce this newsletter and we would hope that PRCG members would enclose the newsletter in their existing publications to cut costs.  This initiative apart from writing, editing, printing (to be shared by 3S and DRAG) will also involve a fair amount of travelling to collect information locally and at the national level to attend seminars, conferences or for tapping resources from other sources.  While 3S and DRAG personnel will devote about 7 days each in terms of their voluntary input, 3S will bear the cost of bringing out 1,500 copies of the newsletter.”

After deliberations PRCG decided that instead of a newsletter it would have a Documentation Service (a la the UNI and PTI news services) that will “cover,among other things, the PRCG work on/ with (I) government, (ii) funding agencies, (iii) training institutions.  It should also try and determine the collaboration between NGOs and panchayati raj institutions (or the lack of it) and document PRCG meetings/workshops/seminars.  This should make the PRCG’s documentation service worthwhile, as no one else is covering this ground so far.”

The Documentation Service like PRCG’s other objectives, has not yet materialised.  Perhaps this is because the PRCG does not have its independent source of funds.  There was a plan to secure these.  Members were given responsibility of generating funds and were accorded territories/zones where they were expected to tap donors such as CAPART and foreign funding agencies.  SAHAYAK was asked to preapre a project proposal which could be shown to potential donors.

SAHAYAK did come up with a project proposal which was circulated at the meeting held on December 10, 1993 and approved.  It was noted that the funds raised would be used to hold meetings in the states and cover the travel costs of the PRCG members.

At the meeting held on March 4, 1994, the members were told that on February 21, the Director General of CAPART had informed the PRCG representatives who had met him that “separate funds will be created for panchayati raj by April `94 or so”, and a part of this, it was expected, would be funelled to the PRCG.

During the March 28, `94 meeting, one of the members suggested that foreign funds should not be solicited by the PRCG.  And it was decided that until such time as the government (ministry of rural development) made available the funds, VHAI would take care of travel expenses, 3S and DRAG, documentation.

No funds have materialised so far.  And nothing has been done about the “education” of core group members.  While those who have been constantly attending seminars and workshops are conversant with the latest developments on panchayati raj, others are not and hence the need was felt that the PRCG itself needed a refresher course.  For the education of the PRCG members themselves P.M. Tripathi was to prepare a detailed note on the concept of panchayati raj to point out the flaws and benefits of the acts passed by Karnataka, Bihar and Gujarat as far back as December `93.

And as late as the December 28, `94 meeting, P.M. Tripathi felt it necessary to emphasise that PRCG members “should themselves develop a clear and better understanding of panchayati raj.” He made the suggestion that resource persons should be invited to “conduct sensitisation session on PR for the PRCG members.”

The suggestion to have refresher courses for the PRCG has fallen by the wayside.  However, it is not as if nothing positive has emerged from the efforts of the PRCG:

1. The sharing of information on workshops attended by AVARD and VANI and occassionally PRIA and VHAI (each with their own agenda) has kept the members abreast of what is happening on the field.  Prakriti and CWDS, who visit various women leaders and panchayats, have also made information available.

2. The PRCG members attended the workshops on the 74th Amendment in Bombay; on NGO participation in PR in Rishikesh; and on the preparation of training material in Hyderabad.  Based on these common experience, the information sharing sessions of the PRCG have been much more fruitful.

3. The publications on panchayati raj have been made available to all PRCG members by VANI in particular.

4. PRIA has prepared a training manual.

5. A special issue on panchayati raj has been brouoght out by CAPART’s People’s Action on the intervention of the PRCG.

6. Six papers were presented at the oneday workshop organised by DRAG on March 28, `94: Response to local self-government (VANI); PRIA’s prespective and activities on panchayati raj (PRIA); Regional village health workers convention on panchayati raj (VHAI); Women and panchayati raj (Prakriti); Women and panchayati raj in West Bengal (CWDS); NGOs and panchayati raj (DRAG).

These papers, along with the minutes of the meeting, were circulated to those involved in the promotion of panchayati raj and evoked some response.  D. Bandyopadhyay of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation stated: “The news about the performance of women in panchayats as revealed in your discussions is very encouraging.  It only indicates the need for more training inputs to build up capabilities and skills.”

This was the one occasion that issues/ideas related to panchayati raj were discussed at some depth by the members.

The above are neverthless marginal achievements.  It may well appear, at best, that disparate elements have come together in the name of promoting panchayati raj and at worst, that they have done so to while away their time, mouthing noble sentiments, spouting high sounding phrases, making promises that can never be kept - all an alibil for not taking purposive action.  A glance at the objectives confirms this, for there is so much the PRCG has set itself to do, and done so little about it.

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