A Chance to Empower The ‘Countrified’.

After a year of pause and hold, the local body elections are going to be held in Andhra Pradesh. But The importance of Panchayati Raj institutions is very less understood by the common public and these elections are usually considered as a tool for the political masters to consolidate the influence of their parties in the rural areas.

In the world’s largest democracy, The Panchayati Raj System can be considered as the best tool for the decentralization of power. The soul and heart of our country are its villages, Panchayati Raj Elections give the rural citizens to explore both the dimensions of democracy; participation and representation.

The Panchayats grants power to the Typical Indian Women who are well known for managing the household needs so that they can prove that they are also capable of managing and tackling the problems raised in their hamlets and  It also releases the liberalizing force to the socially and economically disadvantaged groups.

The rural development programs like primary education, health centers, agricultural development, Water Supply, Drainage Systems, Transportation facilities, etc., are under the supervision of the Panchayati Raj Institutions. The Panchayat Raj System provides rostrum like Gram Sabhas to the rural citizens to discuss the village level development activities and problems.

So, the future of a village depends on the leadership at the Panchayat level and as mentioned above, Villages are the heart of the nation and this implicates that if we fail to make use of the Panchayati Raj Elections properly, there will be negative consequences that might affect the nation.

It is a perfect time for people to realize the importance of Panchayati Raj and to put an end to the game of the political biggies using the local body elections as a mere tool to prove their strength at root levels. It is the right moment for the right-minded individuals especially for the youth of the state to educate the uneducated about the importance of the Panchayati Raj System and the local body elections.

And aftermath, the state government should stop being reluctant in devolving the finances to the panchayats and should make them as autonomous as possible and it should also realize that instead of creating confusion among the people of the state by splitting up the capital under the concept of decentralization,  it would be even better to empower the local institutions like the Panchayats, District Planning Committees, etc.,  as an act of decentralization because it encourages the rural citizens to be more participative in democratic process.