Municipal Corporations and Municipalities raise their own resources from a variety of sources, as provided for in the respective municipal laws. Their own revenue sources are income from (i) taxes, (ii) fees and fines, and; (iii) earning from municipal enterprises like land, tanks, markets, shops, etc. Besides these bodies receive grants from the State. Property… Continue reading Urban Local Finance: Mechanism, Problems, Way Forward

Parastatals are institutions/organizations, which are wholly or partially owned and managed by the government (either autonomous or quasi-governmental). They may be formed either under specific State enactments or under the Societies Registration Act. These bodies are generally formed for delivery of specific services, implementation of specific schemes or programmes sponsored by the State/Union Government/international donor… Continue reading Parastatals (Autonomous/semi autonomous institutions) and associated problems

Background to PESA PESA is a law enacted by Government of India to cover the “Scheduled Areas”, which are not covered in the 73rd Constitutional amendment. This particular act extends the provisions of Part IX to the Scheduled Areas of the country. PESA brought powers further down to the Gram Sabha level. The Gram Sabha… Continue reading Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996: Background, Important provisions, Associated problems

The Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) was established on 27 May 2004 to specifically look after the implementation of the provisions of the CAA and speed up the process of devolution to PRIs. The Ministry has carried out various capacity-building programmes, conducted research and evaluations, and instituted reward schemes to promote devolution. It has… Continue reading Roadmap to Panchayati Raj: Finance, Empowerment

Unscientific distribution of functions The Panchayati Raj scheme is defective in so far as the distribution of functions between the structures at different levels has not been made along scientific lines. The blending of development and local self-government functions has significantly curtailed the autonomy of the local self-government institutions. Again it has virtually converted them… Continue reading Issues with Panchayati Raj Institutions

Sources of Income of Panchayats Panchayats can discharge their functions efficiently only if they have sufficient financial resources. For resources, Panchayats depend mainly on grants from State Government. They also have taxation powers and have some income from owned or vested assets. They may get a share in the taxes, duties, tolls and fees that… Continue reading Rural Local Finance: Need, Mechanism

The Spirit of Republicanism is a prominent theme of the Swiss Constitution. Another important feature of the Constitution is its federal features. Switzerland is known for its direct democracy. It is hailed as a Dynamic Constitution (features like protection of individual, welfare state et al) Comparison scheme w.r.t Indian Constitution Indian Constitution Swiss Constitution Executive… Continue reading Constitution of Switzerland: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions

Australia’s system of government is founded in the liberal democratic tradition. Based on the values of religious tolerance, freedom of speech and association, and the rule of law, Australia’s institutions and practices of government reflect British and North American models. At the same time, they are uniquely Australian. Australian federation is modeled on the US… Continue reading Constitution of Australia: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions

The Canadian Constitution encompasses a wide set of principles and values that govern key political relations in the Canadian society. Salient Features Constitutional Monarchy It is the central component of Canada’s constitutional framework. The Constitution Act, 1867 states that executive government and authority in Canada is vested in the Canadian Monarchy (which Canada shares with… Continue reading Constitution of Canada: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions

Japan has a Parliamentary system of Government. It has a constitutional Monarchy. King is more like a ‘Rubber stamp’ authority while PM is head of the Cabinet. Election of the PM PM is elected by both the Houses of Japanese Parliament (called Diet) The two houses of the Diet are: House of Representatives; and House… Continue reading Constitution of Japan: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions

Germany is a federation and the residuary powers in Germany lie with the states. The states are referred to as ‘Landers’. It has a Parliamentary form of Government, modeled on the British Parliamentary form. But it is not just a replicate of the system. Germany is called as ‘Chancellor’s Democracy’. Chancellor is the PM. President… Continue reading German Constitution: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions

France is known as ‘Laboratory of Political experiment’. It has a unitary form of government and nature of the government is called as semi-Presidential type It has some features of Parliamentary system and others of Presidential system The French Parliament does not have supremacy even in lawmaking. There is a list for which the legislature… Continue reading French constitution: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions

China is a socialist country. There is supremacy of socialist ideology in China. The Chinese Constitution accepts the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Communist Party of China (CPC) is the largest political party in the world, having millions of local level members. It works on the principle of Democratic Centralism. The full… Continue reading Chinese constitution: Features, Comparison with Indian + other constitutions