On this Day – 24th April NATIONAL PANCHAYATI RAJ DAY

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  • The National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24 every year by Ministry of Panchayati Rajin India.
  • The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010.
  • It’s celebrated on this day because on The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24th April, 1993.
  • Though the Panchayati Raj Institutions have been in existence for a long time, it has been observed that these institutions have not been able to acquire the status and dignity of viable and responsive people’s bodies due to a number of reasons.
  • The Constitution of India recognizes Panchayats as ‘Institutions of self-government’.
  • There are 2.51 lakh Panchayats in our country, which include 2.39 lakh Gram Panchayats, 6904 Block Panchayats and 589 District Panchayats. There are more than 29 lakh Panchayat representatives.
  • After the Constitution came into force, Article 40 made a mention of panchayats and Article 246 empowered the state legislature to legislate with respect to any subject relating to local self-government.
  • Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) was constitutionalized through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 to build democracy at the grass roots level and was entrusted with the task of rural development in the country.PRI is a system of rural local self-government in India.
  • Local Self Government is the management of local affairs by such local bodies who have been elected by the local people.
  • The 73rd Constitutional Amendment added Part IX titled “The Panchayats” to the Constitution.
  • Basic unit of democratic system-Gram Sabhas(villages) comprising all the adult members registered as voters.
  • Three-tier system of panchayats at village, intermediate block/taluk/mandal and district levels except in States with population is below 20 lakhs (Article 243B).