Local Self Government Sector in Kerala

Local Self Government Sector in Kerala.jpg

  • The local government of the state of Kerala comprises of 941 Grama Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 14 District Panchayats, 87 Municipalities and 6 Municipal Corporations.
  • Altogether there are 1200 local self government bodies of Kerala.
  • The Local self-government plays significant role through the Gram Sabhas.
  • Administrative Reforms Committee (ARC) headed by E.M.S. Namboodiripad was set up in 1957.
  • Kerala Panchayat Bill and Kerala District Council Bill was passed in 1958.
  • During the period of Pattom Thanu Pillai ministry, Kerala Panchayat Act was passed (1960).
  • In 1967, Kerala Panchayat Raj Bill was passed during the period of EMS Government. The government proposed two-tier structure with Panchayats considered as the basic unit and zilla parishad at the district level.
  • The content of the bill passed in 1967 was later considered with some changes and then introduced the Kerala District Administration Bill in 1971. This Bill also lapsed.
  • The Kerala District Administration Bill was considered later in 1978. It was passed in 1979.
  • On 29th January 1991, the election to the District Councils was held for first time.
  • Local infrastructure formation is also for the most part in the area of Panchayats and Nagarapalikas.
  • Significant organizations of public sector like hospitals, anganwadis, schools, agricultural institutions, hostels for SC & ST and Care foundations for different disadvantaged sections have been shifted to local governments.
  • First digital panchayat in Kerala is Pampakuda panchayat, Ernakulam.
  • Kerala Grama Panchayat Association is an association of Grama Panchayats. All Grama Panchayats are affiliated to the Grama Panchayat Association.

Kerala Panchayat Raj Act 1994

  • Kerala Panchayati Raj Act was approved by the State Legislative Assembly on 23rd April 1994. Act substitutes the Kerala Panchayati Raj Act 1960 and District Administration Act 1979.
  • The Kerala Panchayati Raj system came into operation from 30th September, 1995.
  • In 1944, Government of India enacted Constitutional amendments (73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments) to bring uniform system of local governments in the constituent states of India. It introduced uniform three tier system in rural areas and one tier system in urban areas.
  • The 73rd Amendment visualized the Panchayati Raj as institutions of self-government.

Sen Committee

  • Kerala Government appointed Sen Committee (1996) to overcome the limitations of the Act of 1994 and to suggest recommendations. Committee designed the institutionalization of the decentralization process in the State.
  • The Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and Kerala Municipalities Act were thoroughly re-structured in 1994.
  • All Village and Block Panchayats have three Standing Committees and the District Panchayat have five Standing Committees.
  • Steering Committee is constituted with the President and Vice President of the Panchayat and the Chairpersons of Standing Committees. Besides, there includes Functional Committees, for diverse matters which can incorporate specialists and practitioners.
  • Sub Committees were elected to assist the Standing Committee or Functional Committee.

Major departments of Local Administration

  • Panchayat Directorate
  • Directorate of Urban Affairs
  • Commissionerate of Rural Development
  • Town and Country Planning Department
  • Rural Development department started its functions in 1987.
  • The Department of Municipal Administration (It is renamed to Directorate of Urban Affairs) was established in the year, 1962. Directorate of Urban Affairs is currently managed by the Local Self Government Department. The department is concerned with the administration of all urban local bodies (60 Municipalities and 5 Municipal Corporations) in Kerala.

E-Gram

  • E-Gram was built completely for Gram Panchayats, which is a data analytic tool where it can stores and analyses all data about people in a panchayat.
  • E-Gram create real-time analytics on people, literacy rate, sex ratio, poverty threshold, and where they have access to electricity, clean water, healthcare and so on.

Village Panchayat

  • The Kerala Panchayati Raj Act 1994 envisages a Village Panchayat for each village.
  • In Kerala, village Panchayats is fairly large having a population of around 25000 on an average.
  • The Act has considerably empowered the Village Panchayats by giving control over almost all local level institutions.

Block Panchayat

  • The number of directly elected members of Block Panchayat should not be less than eight and should not exceed 15.
  • The Block Panchayat consists of (a) the elected members of the Block Panchayat, (b) the Presidents of the Village Panchayats in the Block Panchayat area.
  • The President and Vice President of the Block Panchayat shall be elected from among the directly elected members of the Block Panchayat.
  • One third of the total seat reserved for women both in Block and District Panchayat.

District Panchayat

  • Directly elected members of the District Panchayat should not be less than 15 and should not exceed 25.
  • The District Panchayat consists of (a) the elected members and (b) the Presidents of the Block Panchayats of the district (ex-officio members)
  • The members of Legislative Assembly and members of Parliament have been kept out from the Block Panchayats and District Panchayats.

District Planning Committee

  • The main function of the Committee is to prepare plans for the entire district as a whole.
  • The Committee is to be formed with the District Panchayat president as the Chairman and the Collector as ex-officio member-Secretary.

Municipalities

  • Municipalities are the urban local governments. The elected members are called Muncipal Counselor. The Chairperson is known as Municipal Chairman.

Municipal Corporations

  • Total Corporations are Six. They are Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.
  • Post of Mayor is reserved for woman in Thrissur and Kochi.
  • Metropolitan cities of Kerala are Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
  • Kozhikode Corporation was formed on 1962 November 1, Kochi Corporation is formed on 1967 October 31 and the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was formed on 1940.
  • Kerala Panchayati Raj and Municipalities Amendment Act 2009 implemented 50% reservation for women in PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions).
  • Revenue source for municipal corporations are Labour Tax, Professional Tax, Building Tax, Vehicle Tax, Entertainment Tax, various License fees, Advertisement tax, Government Grants etc.

Swaraj Trophy

  • It is a special award of Kerala government to best Local Bodies for the outstanding performance in administration, revenue collection, planning, people's participation, distribution of social security pension and so on.
  • It was started in1995-1996. The Name Swaraj Trophy introduced from 1996-97 onwards.
  • The amount of 25 lakh is awarded to the best grama panchayat at state level, 10 lakh for best grama panchayat in district level.

Grama Panchayat

  • First winner (1995-1996) - Kanjikuzhy (Alappuzha District)

Block Panchayat

  • First winner (2000-2001): Perumkadavila (Thiruvananthapuram District)

District Panchayat

  • First Winner (2000-01) : Alappuzha

Municipalities

  • First Winner (1999-2000): Manjeri (Malappuram)

Interesting Facts

  • Highest number of Grama panchyats - Malappuram Dist
  • Lowest number of Grama panchayats - Wayanad Dist
  • Highest number of Block panchayats - Thrissur Dist.
  • First Akshaya Project established - Malappuram
  • Highest number of Revenue Villages - Palakkad Dist
  • Biggest grama panchayat in kerala is in Kumili in ldukki Dist. (816.73 sq.km)
  • Smallest Grama Panchayat is Valapattanam, Kannur Dist (2.04 sq.km)
  • Panchayat in which highest Population Growth Rate is Munnar, Idukki
  • Panchayat in which lowest Population Growth Rate is Vattavada, Idukki
  • Panchayat in which lowest literary rate is Puthur, Palakkad Dist.
  • Panchayat in which highest population is Kannan devan Hills, Idukki Dist.
  • Village in which lowest population is Nilappara, Idukki Dist. (1125)
  • Village in which highest literacy rate is Nedumudi, Alappuzha Dist.
  • Village in which lowest literacy rate is Padavayal, Palakkad Dist.
  • Municipality in which highest literacy rate is Chengannur.
  • First Labour Bank is in Akathethara Panchayath.
  • First Computerized Taluk office in India is Ottappalam.
  • First paperless government office is Information Technology Mission.
  • First e-Districts are Palakkad and Kannur.
  • First Minister for Local Self Government is P.K. Chathan Master.
  • First minister for local self government in erstwhile Travancore is C.Kesavan