Responding to COVID-19 at the grassroots

Context: Democratic decentralization is visible in State’s response to the COVID-19 crisis with revival of the Panchayati Raj in practice.

Kerala’s empowered panchayats

• Panchayat-friendly fiscal system: 1/3rd of Kerala’s plan funds are given to the panchayats as flexible development and maintenance funds

• Kudumbashree system: Self-help groups of women acts as an organised civil society counterpoint to the panchayats, also an effective incubator for women leaders (65% of all women elected to the panchayats are Kudumbashree members)

• Ashraya programme: Use of flexible funds to feed the destitute.

• ‘Buds’ schools: Run free day care centres for the mentally and physically challenged through.

Karnataka’s revival of Panchayati raj in practice

• In COVID crisis the revived Panchayati raj and their village level task force are taking charge of the governance in the absence of departmental staff.
• The primary health center doctor, auxiliary nurse midwives and accredited social health activists are part of the task force.

Challenges with decentralization: 

• End of 5-year term and inability to conduct elections in current circumstances
• States create a powerful framework for democratic decentralisation, but in practice panchayats are tied down through restricted finance and administrative controls.
• Bureaucratic apathy: Centrally deputed officers owe allegiance to their line departments rather than to the elected panchayat body.

Way forward:

• Governments commitment to democratic decentralisation will lead to the vision of village republic by Mahatma Gandhi and a Paradigm shift in governance as it abhors vacuums.