THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THANJAVUR LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT

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1 Journal of Management (JOM) Volume 5, Issue 6, November-December 2018, pp , Article ID: JOM_05_06_020 Available online at ISSN Print: and ISSN Online: THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THANJAVUR LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT Prof R.Govindaraj Professor, Department of History, Rajah Serfoji Government College, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India P. Sabapathy Department of History, A.V.V.M.Sri Pushpam college, Poondi, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, India ABSTRACT In this paper, the Panchayat Acts has been narrated in order to enlighten the significance of implementing the schemes of Centre and state governments, and also provide the resource of the local government. Key words: e-recruiting, evaluation, Internet job market, Internet job boards, Internet job sites, online recruiting Cite this Article: R. Govindaraj and P. Sabapathy, The Origin and Growth of Thanjavur Local Self Government, Journal of Management, 5(6), 2018, pp INTRODUCTION India, the largest democratic country, is agrarian in character. Its 76 per cent population lives in villages and depends on agriculture for the development. Balwant Ray Mehta (1957) reported that development cannot progress without responsibility and power. The Mehta committee recommended the scheme of democratic decentralization. The scheme of democratic decentralization is the form of a three tier interconnected, interdependent democratic structure of rural local self-government at the village, block and district level. This idea was aimed at planning and implementation of rural development and welfare programmed based on decentralization evolution and democratization of power from the state level to the lower tiers in a democratic way. This system as a whole was termed as Panchayati Raj. The committee evolved some basic and fundamental principles of Panchayti Raj which are as follows :- It should be a three-tier structure of local self governing elected bodies and from village to district the bodies are to be organically linked up. There should be genuine transfer of power and responsibilities. Adequate resources should be transferred to the new bodies to enable them to discharge these responsibilities. All development programmes at these levels should be channeled through their bodies editor@iaeme.com

2 The Origin and Growth of Thanjavur Local Self Government The system should be such as will facilitate further devolution and dispersal of powers and responsibilities in the comming future. The "Balwant Ray Mehta committee" (1957) recommended the establishment of interconnected three tier organizational structure. The village panchayat is an important organization for carrying out rural development work in rural areas. By the constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, a new part - 9 has been added to the constitution under the title panchayat. The Act provided for establishment of three tier panchayat system (village, block and district level) as units of local self government. It also contains provisions regarding regular elections to panchayat bodies, setting up to a state election commission and a state finance commission, reservation for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and women enabling provision for reservation of backward classes of the population. Realizing the need to promote the weaker sections and significance of village panchayats in all-round development of villages, government of india implemented 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act bearing the basic tenet of the Rajiv Gandhi's preposition "Empowering people for prosperity" to bring out a significant change in the attitude, behavior and performance of the rustic folk in India. This Act came into force on 24th April It was a historic event in the evaluation of our democracy for removing gender imbalance in the institution of local self government. Under article 243 (D) makes the provision for onethird reservation of seats for women and it attract the active participation of those excluded from the decision-making process. Tamil Nadu occupies a unique place in the evolution of Local Self-Government in India from the Sangam period itself. Historically, it has enjoyed a privileged position in the south, performing a pivotal role in matters of policies and administration. The Southern states of India owe the origin of their municipal governments to the Madras District Municipalities Act of The Sangam classics provide evidences of local self-government in Tamil Nadu, when they speak about affairs of villages being discussed by the people in appointed common places. It was the Imperial Cholas, however, who had perfected the system of village autonomy. The two inscriptions discovered at Ukkal and Uttaramerur (North Arcot and Chengalpattu district respectively) unfolded, the perfect system of Local Self-Government in Tamil Nadu during the tenth and eleventh centuries. According to these inscriptions, the village was governed by the Village Assembly, which had a number of committees such as Tank Supervision Committee, Golden Supervision Committee, and Gold Supervision Committee under its control. The members of the committees were elected and qualifications were prescribed. Notable among them was the Kudavolai method of election at Uttaramerur which has clearly been brought to light by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri. The number and description of Variams and Committees differed in different Sabhas as also to the method of their appointment. The assemblies and the committees together exercised a number of functions such as looking after the construction and maintenance of irrigation tanks, management of charities, taking charge of deposits of money, lending and borrowing money, levying fines, controlling village servants and leasing of lands. In all essential details, it is akin to the democratic electoral systems of today. Various types of local selfgovernment institutions had existed under the Pallava, the Pandya and the Vijayanagar Kingdoms also. They were the Sabhas, Ur and Mandalam. They were all agrarian Units. Sabha was the name given to the assemblies in the villages granted to the Brahmins known as Brahmadeya village. The Ur had existed in non brahmanical village where the population was a mixed one. The Nadu was a rural local editor@iaeme.com

3 R. Govindaraj and P. Sabapathy authority with a wider area. Above Nadus,there were Mandalams. All these were corporate bodies. All these bodies were based on manhood suffrage. To be elected as a member in these bodies, one should not only be a sound scholar and proficient in vedangas, but also must have a healthy body to withstand the stress and strain of public life. Thus, the concept of a territorial, non-sovereign community possessing the legal right to regulate its own affairs prevailed from time immemorial. 2. TOWN IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1850 Municipal administration in India at present is based on the Town Improvement Act (Government of India Act XXVI of 1850) The Act contained provisions for framing by laws necessary for a routine administration by the councilors subject to the sanction by State Government. 3. TOWN IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1865 The funds were compulsorily collected by this act and were used for charges of maintaining police, for construction, repairing and cleaning of drains, maintenance of roads, streets etc. One fourth of the amount was given by the state government as grants in aid. The district magistrate appointed the Vice- President of all the municipalities within the district. 4. TOWN IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1871 As per this Act, the Government withdraws the compulsory collections of funds which were under the act of 1865 had to be contributed by the Government. According to this Act the municipalities were given additional functions such as maintenance of hospitals, dispensaries, schools, birth and death registration and vaccination. The period of office of the members was increased from one and three years. The District Collector was the President of the Municipal Councils of the district. 5. MADRAS DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES ACT OF 1884 The change in the municipal administration in Tamil Nadu was seen after the enactment of this Act. This act superseded the Town Improvement Act of 1871 and for the first time the term municipalities came into being. This also gave new names such as Council and Councilors. The municipal council was to consist of not less than twelve members and their term of office was to be three years. The Revenue Divisional officer in charge of the subdivision of the district, in which the municipality was situated, was made an ex-officio councilor. Rest of the councilors were appointed by the government or with the permission of the government, any portion not exceeding three or fourth of total numbers of councilors might be elected by the tax-payers. The Chairman was appointed by the government or elected by the councilors from among themselves, with the permission of the government. He was the executive officer of the council. The government had the power to remove any Chairman or Councilor at any time. The District Collector was vested with emergency powers. The only new tax which the municipalities levied under this act was water tax at the rate of 4 per cent on the annual rental value of houses and lands. 6. TAMIL NADU DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES ACT OF 1920 Based on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Decentralization, the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act of 1920 was passed, repealing the Act of This Act increased the elected members of the Municipal council. The elected portion of the councilors was not to be less than three-fourths of the total number of councilors. The rest were to be editor@iaeme.com

4 The Origin and Growth of Thanjavur Local Self Government appointed by the Government having regard to the representation of the Muslims and other minority communities. The term of office of councilors was fixed at three years. They were to elect their Chairman and Vice-Chairman. It also provided for creation and appointment of the posts of Health officers and Municipal engineers and granted larger powers to the municipal council to levy local taxes to open schools and dispensaries and to fix the strength of the Municipal council. It is this Act which is still in operation, though it has undergone quite a few changes. In 1920, an Inspector of Municipal Council was appointed to supervise the working of the Municipalities. 7. AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT OF 1920 This act increased the elected members of the municipal council. The councilors elected were not to be less than ¾ of the total number of councilors. The rest were appointed by the Government, including Muslims and other minority communities. This act is still in operation with a few changes, except the existence of an Inspector of Municipalities. According to this Act, property tax, a tax on companies, a professional tax, a vehicle tax and tolls on vehicles and animals were levied. The Government appointed auditors to audit the funds. 8. THE MADRAS LOCAL BOARDS ACT 1920 The Act brought district, taluk and union boards in the State. The taluk boards existed at the revenue taluk level. An amendment was made to the Madras Local Boards Act 1920 by Act XIX of 1943, by which whole time Executive Officers were appointed to all major Panchayats and such of the Minor Boards as were notified by government on that behalf. The District Board has sanctioned strength of 44 excluding the President during The Taluk board has sanctioned strength of 136 of which 30 were nominated and 106 were elected. The taluk wise break up was Tiruchirappalli 18, Karur 18, Kulithalai 21, Musiri 20, Lalgudi 20, Udaiyarpalayam 21, Perambalur 18 which made a total of 136. Union boards as reconstituted were 293 of whom 216 were elected and 77 were nominated. The communications were related to the roads. The total length of roads maintained by the District Board and taluk Boards and the Local Fund Department in the year 1923 was 1014 miles of which 150 miles were Trunk roads, 636 miles were district roads and 228 miles were roads other than district roads. The Tiruchirappalli and Srirangam Municipalities had tollgates of their own. There were 12 rent houses and 28 cheries. The rent houses were controlled by the District Board and choultries were maintained by the taluk boards and watersheds were also maintained by taluk boards. By lighting the Kerosene lights they were maintained at the Coleroon Bridge. There were four kerosene lights maintained by the District Boards. Two kerosene lights were added during that year by the District Board in the Coleroon Bridge. 9. MADRAS LOCAL BOARD AMENDMENT ACT 1934 This Act abolished all the Taluk Boards since it was felt that the taluk boards were a stain on the economy of the government. Taluk Boards functions were taken over by the district board. The district boards were bifurcated due to increase in work. However bifurcations were annulled in the year 1938 with the advent of Second World War. Again the nominating system was introduced editor@iaeme.com

5 R. Govindaraj and P. Sabapathy 10. MADRAS ACT XII OF 1946 The act sought to take the village Panchayats away from the control of District Boards. But owing to political changes in the country and the desire to bring in more comprehensive legislation, the Act was allowed to lapse in During this period there were 12 Major Panchayat Boards. The strength of sanctioned District Boards were 52 of which 10 were reserved seats, 4 for Adi Dravidars, 2 for Indian Christians, 2 for Women, the one for Muslim and one for Anglo Indians. The sanctioned strength for Panchayat Boards were 156 as in the previous year of which 144 seats were nonreserved, 12 were reserved for scheduled castes, four for Christians and two for Muslims. The term of office of the members which expired on 1 November 1946 was not extended and the election of members was thereafter postponed by the government. 11. MADRAS VILLAGE PANCHAYAT ACT 1950 The number of Panchayats in the district increased on passing this Act. As a result the income of the District Board dwindled. The needs of the public were attended to by the Panchayats, the District Boards and the government under the National Extension Service Scheme. Important items of work such as education and maintenance of major roads, ferries, studies, hospitals etc. were attended to by the District Board. But there was a lack of sufficient staff and skilled personnel for efficient supervision of its activities. The powers of the President of District Board were delegated to various departmental officers. The Government had to come to its rescue for balancing the deficit budget every year. It was considered that the Panchayats with their meagre income could not execute and manage such major items for work. 12. TAMIL NADU PANCHAYAT ACT OF 1955 This act was passed to Constitute Panchayats at the village level and the Panchayat unions at the block level. The District Boards were abolished and in their place, advisory bodies called District Development Councils were brought in with advisory functions but without executive powers. The significant change brought by this act was the entrustment of production such as agriculture, animal husbandry, co-operation, irrigation, village industries, and maintenance of roads, buildings and water supply among other things to the Elected Local Bodies which were all along performing only municipal functions. There were seven Panchayat Unions formed in Tiruchirappalli. The second batch of Panchayat Unions was inaugurated on 14 April The third batch of Panchayat Union was inaugurated on 2 October Here the growth of local self-government is discussed under the following heads. 1. The power and functions of the village community 2. The constitution of the village community 3. Larger Organisation 13. CLASSIFICATION OF PANCHYAT Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Norms for classification of Village Panchayats) Rules 1999 In exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (4) of section 6 and sub section (1) of section 242 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 (Tamil Nadu - Act 21 of 1994) the Governor of Tamil Nadu hereby makes the following Rules Short title- These Rules may be called the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Norms for Classification of Village Panchayat) Rules Norms for classification of a Village Panchayat A Village Panchayat shall be classified as Grade I Village Panchayat, if (a) such a Village Panchayat is converted as such from town Panchayat; or (b) the annual income of such Village editor@iaeme.com

6 The Origin and Growth of Thanjavur Local Self Government Panchayat exceeds four lakhs rupees; or (c) the population of such Village Panchayat exceeds fifteen thousand. A Village Panchayat which does not fulfil the norms specified in sub Rule (1) shall be classified as Grade II Village Panchayat. (3) Where the position of a Village Panchayat classified under sub Rule (1) or (2) is changed subsequently, such Village Panchayat shall be reclassified, from time to time, according to its position specified in the said sub Rules. Explanation - For the purpose of these Rules, annual income of Village Panchayat means the average income of three years proceeding the financial year in which the notification is to be issued. The annual income shall not include the receipt of loan, time barred deposit and non statutory and development grant allotted to the Village Panchayat concerned. REFERENCES [1] Venjaya, The Madras Government Epigrahist. [2] Nilakanta Satri, K.A., The Cholas, University of Madras, Madras, 1984, p.495. [3] Karashima, Studies on Agraarian Soceieties, Vol.5, Tokyo, 1981, p.14. [4] Venkat Rao., V. and Niru Hazarkia, op.cit., p.1. [5] Nilakanta Satri, K.A., Tamil Kingdoms of South India, The National Information and Publicaion Limited, Bombay, 1948, p.41. [6] Venkat Rao., V. A Hundred Years of Local Self-Government and Administration in Andhara and Madras States , The All India Local Self-Government Institute, Bombay, 1960, p.4. vii. Avasthi, A., Municipal Administration in India, Lakshmi Narain Agarwal, Agra, 1972 p.351. [7] Municipal Directory, In Tamil Nadu Institute of Urban Studies, Coimbatore, 1986, p.4. [8] Avasthi, A., op.cit., p.352. [9] Municipal Directory, In Tamil Nadu Institute of Urban Studies, Coimbatore, 1986, p.6. [10] Avasthi, A., op.cit., p.354. [11] Ibid [12] Jayaraman, K., A Study of Panchayat in Madras., Bombay, 1947, p.21. [13] G.O.No.1007, Department of Local Administration, dated, 20 May [14] G.O.No.1973, Department of Local Administration, dated, 22 January [15] G.O.(Ms) No.62, Rural Development (C-4) Department, dated 31 March editor@iaeme.com