The Government has managed to clear the Bill amending Panchayati Raj legislation in place which makes provision for appointing an unelected person in every gram panchayat directly. The decision is being defended by saying the appointee would an expert to help the system existing at villages however the activists and political parties in opposition do not buy it.
Experts think that the decision of the Government is just to interfere with the already diluted system which is going to be eroded it even further. “The Act already in place does permit the appointment of such expert hands for better dealing of the affairs for development. However the decision of the Government raises suspicions due to some recent statements of the Chief Minister given for panchayat’s elected representatives. He on several occasions has labeled them as largely corrupt which is dangerous and undemocratic a thought in my mind,” said social activist and advisor to the Supreme Court Commissioner on right to food Balram.
Nitty-gritty of the Bill’s are yet to come out since the Department of Rural Development is still framing the guidelines for that but sources in the Department quipped that the appointees’ names would travel up to the Chief Minister Office for getting cleared besides being scanned by local police stations.
“We are apprehensive only because of that. If the person is getting appointed only based on his affiliation with the BJP or RSS and not on merit then the entire exercise is going to be even destructive for the already fragile system working there. Are these appointments not to manage the gram panchayats and gram sabha meetings, is the question needs to be answered. The symptoms are not good so far,” added Balram, who otherwise felt the need of experts for better planning and management at the village level.
Another activist who has been associated formerly with SIRD, Ranchi cautioned against the persons start behaving like super boss in the gram sabha meetings over and above the other elected ones.
“Even after so many years of inception our panchayats are ruing in the want of qualified staffs and able hands. Even other elected representatives in the form of panchayat samiti members or ward members are feeling let down and neglected in the want of works and responsibilities. Committees at panchayat levels have not been formed yet. In the situation like this, what the unelected member, who is going to be handpicked, can doIJ Instead fear is that whether the member in the name of being appointed by the Government would not behave like a super boss above all,” he said requesting not to be quoted.
The Department nevertheless harps the good omen behind the decision. “As of now the idea is to inject expert from that particular panchayat only through the Bill which has given enabling provisions and empowered the Government. With this the panchayati raj system would be strengthened even further. Rules are being framed and more details would come out only after that,” said Panchayati Raj Secretary Vandana Dadel.