Why local governments

In a democracy, elected governments at the Centre and in the states are not enough: there should also be elected local governments to look after local affairs.

Two stories from the book:

• Geeta Rathore of Jamonia Talab Gram Panchayat (Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh) was elected Sarpanch in 1995 from a reserved seat; in 2000 villagers re-elected her from a non-reserved (general) seat for her work: renovating water tanks, building a school and roads, fighting domestic violence and atrocities against women, and promoting afforestation and water management.
• In Vengaivasal village, Tamil Nadu, the government allotted panchayat-area land to employees in 1997 and the District Collector told the panchayat to endorse it. The Gram Panchayat refused and went to the Madras High Court. A single judge upheld the Collector, but on appeal the Division Bench reversed this, holding that the government's order violated the powers and constitutional status of the Panchayats.
• Such stories became common after local bodies got constitutional status in 1993.

What is local government? Government at the village and district level: the government closest to the people, dealing with their day-to-day problems. It rests on the idea that local knowledge and local interest are essential for democratic decisions and efficient, people-friendly administration.

• People can approach it quickly and at little cost.
• It can protect local interests, as Vengaivasal's panchayat did.
• Democracy is about meaningful participation and accountability; strong local governments ensure both active participation (as with Geeta Rathore) and purposeful accountability (as with Vengaivasal).
• Tasks that can be done locally should be left to local people and their representatives. People know their local government better than distant ones, and care about what it does, since it directly affects their lives. So strengthening local government strengthens democracy.

Example (new): when the hand pump in a village breaks, villagers who can go to their panchayat office the same day are far more likely to get it fixed quickly than if they had to petition an office in the state capital.