Q. Local self-government can be best explained as an exercise in (UPSC Prelims 2017)
Answer:
Democratic decentralisation
Notes: The correct answer is
[B] Democratic decentralisation. While local self-government touches upon several political concepts, its core identity in the Indian context is the devolution of power to the grassroots level.
- Democratic Decentralisation (Statement B – Correct): This refers to the process of devolving functions and resources from the central or state government to elected local bodies. The aim is to ensure that "power reaches the people" so they can participate in the decision-making processes that affect their daily lives. In India, this was formalized by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts (1992).
- Federalism (Statement A – Incorrect): Federalism generally refers to the division of powers between two levels of government: the Union and the States. While local bodies are sometimes called the "third tier" of federalism, they are legally and financially dependent on state legislatures, making "decentralisation" a more accurate descriptor.
- Administrative Delegation (Statement C – Incorrect): Delegation is a top-down approach where a superior authority assigns specific tasks to subordinates (like a District Collector) without transferring actual power or autonomy. Local self-government involves devolution, where authority is permanently vested in the local bodies by the Constitution/Law.
- Direct Democracy (Statement D – Incorrect): Direct democracy is where citizens vote on laws and policies directly (like in a Swiss referendum). While the Gram Sabha is an example of direct democracy, the overall Panchayati Raj and Municipal system is a representative form of local government.
Key Facts:- Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957): This committee first recommended the establishment of the scheme of 'democratic decentralisation', which eventually came to be known as Panchayati Raj.
- Article 40: A Directive Principle that urged the State to organize village panchayats.
- Part IX and IX-A: Added to the Constitution to provide a permanent framework for rural and urban local bodies respectively.