104. Rajasthan: Panchayati Raj, Urban Local Self-Government

CORE Key Points at a Glance

1. 1

   Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act 1994 — Three-Tier Structure

   • Rajasthan enacted this Act to implement the 73rd Constitutional Amendment
   • Three tiers: Gram Panchayat (GP) → Panchayat Samiti (Block) → Zila Parishad (District)
   • One of the early states to pass implementing legislation
2. 2

   Scale of Rajasthan's PRI Network

   • 11,341 Gram Panchayats, 352 Panchayat Samitis, and 33 Zila Parishads
   • Based on 2020 reorganization; new districts created in 2023 brought total districts to 50
   • Zila Parishad count may update as boundary demarcation continues
3. 3

   50% Women's Reservation in Panchayati Raj

   • Rajasthan provides 50% reservation for women at all three PRI tiers
   • This exceeds the constitutional minimum of 33%
   • Reservations for SC and ST are proportional to their population
   • In 2020 elections, women won 52.8% of total Panchayat seats
4. 4

   Gram Sabha — Cornerstone of Grassroots Democracy

   • All adult voters of a Gram Panchayat constitute the Gram Sabha
   • Must meet at least 4 times per year
   • Rajasthan law requires Gram Sabha approval for ward-level development plans
   • It is the primary accountability mechanism at the village level
5. 5

   Right to Hearing Act, 2012 — World's First

   • Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Right to Hearing) Act, 2012 is the world's first such law at the Panchayat level
   • Citizens can file complaints about development work quality with the Panchayat
   • Response must be provided within a time-bound period
   • Later extended to cover all state government offices
6. 6

   Urban Local Bodies — Four-Tier Structure

   • Rajasthan's ULBs have four tiers: Nagar Panchayat → Nagar Palika → Nagar Parishad → Nagar Nigam
   • Rajasthan has 7 Municipal Corporations: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Bikaner, Ajmer, Udaipur, and Bharatpur
   • Governed under the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009
7. 7

   15th Finance Commission Grants for Local Bodies

   • Allocated ₹90,000 crore for PRIs and ₹26,000 crore for ULBs nationally (2021–26)
   • Rajasthan's PRIs received tied grants for sanitation, drinking water, and basic amenities
   • Tied grants are conditional — must be spent on specified purposes
8. 8

   Rajasthan State Finance Commission (RSFC)

   • 6th SFC constituted in 2023 to recommend sharing of state taxes between state and local bodies
   • Previous SFCs recommended horizontal devolution formula based on population and area
   • SFCs are a constitutional requirement under the 73rd/74th Amendment
9. 9

   Rajasthan Right to Hearing Act, 2012 — Broader Scope

   • Extended beyond Panchayats to all state government offices
   • Citizens can submit applications, register complaints, and are entitled to a time-bound response
   • Monitored through the Rajasthan Sampark portal (helpline 181)
10. 10

    PESA — Tribal Self-Governance in Rajasthan

    • PESA Act, 1996: Extended Panchayati Raj to tribal Fifth Schedule areas with enhanced powers
    • Rajasthan notified PESA Rules in 2011; applies to Udaipur, Banswara, Dungarpur, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, and Chittorgarh
    • Gram Sabha consent is mandatory before land acquisition, mining lease, or project approval in Schedule V areas
11. 11

    Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Smart Cities

    • Jaipur MC covers 472 sq km with a population of ~35 lakh — largest ULB in Rajasthan
    • Smart City Mission designated Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, and Udaipur as Smart Cities
    • The programme is under the central government's Smart Cities Mission (launched 2015)
12. 12

    Ward Committees under 74th Amendment

    • 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 mandated Ward Committees in cities over 3 lakh population
    • Ward Committees are ward-level elected bodies for sub-municipal democracy
    • Rajasthan implemented Ward Committees but effective functioning remains limited due to resource constraints
13. 13

    Two-Child Norm for Panchayat Elections

    • Rajasthan's Panchayati Raj Act disqualifies persons with more than two children (after cutoff date) from contesting Panchayat elections
    • Constitutionally upheld by Supreme Court in Javed v. State of Haryana
    • Remains controversial as it is seen as targeting certain communities