National Panchayati Raj Day 2020: Know about its significance, celebration & history

On the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day 2020, our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing numerous Gram Panchayats in the Nation. The National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year on April 24. As the country is going through a testing time amid COVID-19 pandemic, this year the PM will address the Gram Panchayats via video conferencing.

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What is National Panchayati Day and why is it celebrated?

This annual celebration is done in order to commemorate the historic day on which the Constitution Act (73rd Amendment) passed in 1992. However, it came into existence a year later on April 24, 1993. Hence, each year to celebrate the inception of decentralised power National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated. 

Source: Raja Kumar Instagram 

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Since a decade National Panchayati Day is celebrated in World's largest democracy. India's former Prime Minister started commemorating the Panchayati Raj Day since the year 2010, which was the first National Panchayati Raj Day. The decision of decentralising power at the rural level was made because it was difficult for a single Chief Minster to look after an entire state solely, and solve their issues in the minimum time possible. 

History behind National Panchayati Raj Day 

In the year 1957, a Committee was formulated which focused on the evolution of Panchayati Raj in India. Balwantrai Mehta was appointed as the chairman of the Committee. As per the Committee's report, it recommended a decentralised three Panchayati Raj hierarchy. It includes-

1) Gram Panchayat at the Village level

2)  Panchayat Samiti at the Block level

3)  Zila Parishad at the District level

Names of representatives of the Panchayats were decided to be Pradhan, Mukhiya or Sarpanch, who is responsible for the rural development of their respective zones. In 1959, Rajasthan became the first state, wherein the Panchayati Raj system was executed. Inauguration of the Panchayati Raj was done in the month of October 1959 in Nagpur by our first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. 

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What is done on National Panchayati Day?

Every year the Prime Minister directly talks to the Gram Panchayat representative, and also take a look into their progress report. Furthermore, a discussion on various issues affecting the functioning of the Panchayati Raj system is done. The Central government also felicitates 170 Panchayati Raj institutions on the National Panchayati Raj Day each year.

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As they get rewarded for their contribution under the Panchayat Empowerment Accountability Incentive Scheme. On National Panchayati Day 2020, PM Modi will launch the e-GramSwaraj Portal and Mobile App and the Swamitva Scheme.