Core Demand of the Question
- Grassroots democracy losing autonomy: Decision-making weakened
- PESA Issues
- Local Funding Issues
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Answer
Introduction
The Rural Development Ministry’s 2026 Gram Sabha survey reveals that 18–28% of rural citizens avoid Gram Sabha meetings due to poor outcomes, indicating that grassroots democracy is increasingly functioning as a scheme-implementation platform rather than a self-governing institution.
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Body
Grassroots democracy losing autonomy: Decision-making weakened
- Scheme-Centric Governance: Gram Sabhas increasingly implement Union and State schemes instead of determining local development priorities.
- Limited Local Planning: Local issues receive little discussion, reducing Panchayats’ role in participatory planning.
Eg: Ministry survey found only 13% of Gram Sabha time is spent identifying local issues.
- Weak Citizen Influence: Poor follow-up on public demands discourages participation and weakens democratic accountability.
Eg: 18–28% respondents cited “lack of outcomes” as the main reason for low participation (MoRD Survey, 2026).
- Administrative Dominance: Digital compliance and reporting consume officials’ time, leaving limited space for meaningful public deliberation.
Eg: Increased emphasis on NIRNAY App and real-time uploading of Gram Sabha proceedings.
- Reduced Local Consent: Decisions affecting local communities are increasingly taken by higher authorities instead of Gram Sabhas.
Eg: Land acquisition and mining approvals are often processed despite inadequate local consultation in Scheduled Areas.
PESA Issues
- Consent Dilution: Gram Sabha’s statutory power to grant or refuse prior informed consent is frequently bypassed.
Eg: PESA Act, 1996 mandates Gram Sabha consent before land acquisition in Scheduled Areas.
- Manufactured Approval: Low attendance is sometimes used to justify approvals without genuine community participation.
- Mining Conflicts: Resource extraction often proceeds despite local opposition, undermining self-governance.
Eg: Hasdeo Arand protests highlighted disputes over Gram Sabha consent for coal mining.
- Forest Rights Overlooked: Community rights under forest laws remain inadequately respected during development projects as observed in Forest Rights Act, 2006.
- Constitutional Spirit Eroded: PESA intended self-rule, but administrative control has reduced Gram Sabhas to consultative bodies.
Eg: PESA extends Part IX of the Constitution with special powers for Scheduled Areas, yet implementation remains weak.
Local Funding Issues
- Tied Grants: Conditional grants restrict Panchayats from addressing locally identified priorities.
Eg: 14th and 15th Finance Commission grants prioritised drinking water and sanitation.
- Weak Own Revenue: Limited taxation powers increase dependence on higher governments.
Eg: Ministry survey found only 4% of Gram Sabha discussions focus on revenue generation.
- Central Priorities: Spending increasingly follows centrally sponsored schemes instead of local development plans.
- Fiscal Dependence: Financial dependence reduces Panchayats’ bargaining power and policy autonomy.
- Declining Participation: Citizens lose interest when financial decisions are predetermined by higher governments.
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Conclusion
Revitalising grassroots democracy requires restoring Gram Sabhas as genuine decision-making institutions through faithful PESA implementation, greater fiscal autonomy, and untied local finances, thereby fulfilling the 73rd Constitutional Amendment’s vision of democratic self-governance and participatory development.
July 2, 2026
