Rural political transformation: Panchyat raj system

The establishment of three tier structures of the Panchayat Raj Institutions as envisaged in 73rd amendment to the Constitution of India was hailed as a great step forward. It sought to integrate the democratic process at all levels by formalizing a mechanism wherein people at all levels would have an opportunity to participate openly in matters which concerned them and their welfare and development. It provided the framework for mopping up of the local resources and wisdom for development from below. Further, it sought to bridge the gap between the people and the governments, unfortunately much of the hops were belied. It's time that the Panchayat Raj Institutions are geared up to play a pro-active role in ensuring development in the rural areas. Decentralization should be used as a strategy for transforming the rural communities into models of development and for correcting the urban rural imbalance.