New Delhi: Every year, 24 April is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day. It is celebrated to commemorate the passing of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1992.
This annual celebration is done in order to commemorate the historic day on which the Constitution Act (73rd Amendment) passed in 1992. However, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment came into force on April 24, 1993, and hence led to the formation of the Panchayati Raj system in India.
Therefore, the day is commemorated to celebrate the inception of decentralised power. The former prime minister of India Manmohan Singh declared the first National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24, 2010.
In 1957, a Committee was formulated which focused on the evolution of the Panchayati Raj in India.
The committee was headed by Balwantrai Mehta and proposed a decentralised gram panchayat system consisting of Gram Panchayat at the village level, Block Panchayat or Panchayat Samiti at the intermediate level and Zilla Panchayat at the district level.
The Indian Constitution recognises panchayats as a system of self-governance, wherein, the panchayats are responsible for delivering justice and ensuring the development of their villages.
