RAS question
On which date was Panchayati Raj inaugurated in Rajasthan?
Correct answer: (B) 2 October 1959.
Panchayati Raj was inaugurated in Rajasthan on 2 October 1959 at Nagaur by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Explanation
Rajasthan's Panchayati Raj inauguration is tied to the launch of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in the state. The Government of Rajasthan's Economic Review 2024-25 states that Rajasthan was the pioneer state in introducing this three-tier system, and that the Panchayati Raj system was inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 2 October 1959 in Nagaur, Rajasthan. The date is therefore not just a commemorative choice; it marks the formal beginning of Panchayati Raj in Rajasthan, with Nagaur as the launch site and Nehru as the inaugurating leader. This is why 2 October 1959 is the only option that matches both the date and the historical context.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 15 August 1959 is Independence Day, but the cited Rajasthan source places the Panchayati Raj inauguration at Nagaur on 2 October 1959.
- (C) 26 January 1959 is Republic Day, but the recorded inauguration of Panchayati Raj in Rajasthan took place later, on 2 October 1959.
- (D) 14 November 1959 is Children's Day, but it does not match the source-backed inauguration date of 2 October 1959 at Nagaur.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan's political and administrative history, especially the evolution of local self-government through Panchayati Raj. It recurs in RAS because dates, places and institutional milestones of Rajasthan's governance system are standard factual anchors in polity questions.