Aspirant Academy

Polity, Governance and Current Affairs

Key Points at a Glance

Rajasthan: Panchayati Raj, Urban Local Self-Government

Paper III · Unit 1 Section 1 of 11 0 PYQs 27 min
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Key Points at a Glance

  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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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