SAHAYI-Centre for Collective Learning and Action

Devolution Of Power In Primary Education

For over 7 years now, Sahayi has been deeply involved in efforts at strengthening the local self-governance institutions in Kerala. In this endeavour Sahayi worked in collaboration with PRIA and NCRSOs.

This report is an attempt of our effort in analyzing the realities at the panchayat level in Kerala on the devolution of power in the formal primary education.

We were able to complete the study on time because of the cooperation and support provided by several people. First of all we express our sincere thanks to LSG team at PRIA and the leaders of the NCRSOs for their timely support and guidance for completing the study.

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Panchayat Finances A Case Study Of Kerala

Local governance through panchayats has been embedded in the Indian administrative system from time immemorial. From a five member team representing the elders of the village to the present three tier structure, tremendous changes have taken place in the panchayat structure. Since independence, many Commissions were appointed, studies conducted and recommendations made to make the panchayats more viable and responsive people's bodies. Notable among them are the Ashok Mehta Commission and the Balawant Rai Mehta Commission. This led to a realisation of the need for drafting a Bill to give Constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions. The constitution had hitherto devoted not more than three to four lines to the matter of establishing village panchayats. (Article 40 of the Directive Principles of State Policy). The basis for the Bill had been the shortcomings of the panchayat like lack of regular elections, prolonged supper sessions, inadequate representation of weaker sections, insufficient devolution of power, inadequate financial support and constitutional obligation on the part of state governments to empower PRIs.

The fisher folk movement in Kerala

The fisher folk movement in Kerala is the story of the struggle of one million marginalised people for their livelihood. It has been a struggle for the 'conservation of fish and the survival of fisher folk.' The fisher folk that eke out a miserable existence in 222 impoverished villages in the south west coast of India, have been continuing their struggle for existence for over a quarter of the century.

Fisherman all over the world have indeed been fighting for fishing property rights over ocean space and fish stock conservation. In most countries in the developed world and in some developing countries they have been successful in protecting their rights. However, it is the industrial fisheries and not the artisanal fishermen who have benefited. The fish stock property rights, the catch quotas, the income guarantee schemes and the more recent co-management systems - all have been achieved by participants in industrial fisheries. There are few recorded campaigns of artisanal fishermen which have been successful.

Fishermen’s Struggle against mechanised fishing in Kerala

The fisherfolk movement against mechanised fishing in Kerala depicts the struggle of marginalised artisinal fishing community for their right and control over their traditional livelihood resource.

This movement stands out as a prolonged and sustained struggle by traditional fisherfolk, supported by a wide coalition of voluntary organisations, religious groups, environmental groups, academic and policy institutions, media etc.

GS-WS report

Through the enactment of the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendments, the national government took a step to initiate a three tier system of governance, with the main objective of ensuring economic development and social justice. Following this foot step, the sate government in Kerala brought in the new Panchaythraj and Municipalities Acts during April/May 1994 thus paving the way to form Local Self Governance bodies in Kerala which came into force on 2nd October 1995..

Kudumbasree

The Kudumbasree project has already earned international acclaim and awards. However, the structures as well as the members of Kudumbasree need to be further strengthened for cementing the solidarity among women and facilitating their creative entry into the social, economic and political arenas. This calls for orderly and vigilant initiatives and programs at all the stages, starting from the formation of the NHGs.

Men headed and women headed panchts

This is a part of an all India study on the new panchayat system as conceived in the 73 rd Constitutional Amendment. In Kerala although we had a fairly developed panchayat system, the State legislature passed the new Panchayat Act keeping the spirit and better of the Amendment.

The salient features of the system are:

The three tier system of Panchayat: Grama Panchayat; Block Panchayat and District Panchayat.
Introduction of the Grama sabha.
Reservation of one third seats for women in all the three tiers.
Periodical election to the panchayats in five year intervals.
Decentralisation of the authority to the panchayats.
Appointment of a State Election Commission to conduct the election to the local bodies.
Formation of a Finance Commission to advice on the allocation of funds to local bodies from the budget of the State.

NREGA study final

The scheme was officially landed by the Chief Minister on 6^th of February 2006 by an inaugural function at Pattambi in Palakkad district. Soon after Sahayi conducted studies and discussion with the functionaries in three selected blocks and 15 GPs each in the Wayanad and Palakkad district. Thereafter block level seminars were conducted in these districts for elected representatives, voluntary organizations and citizen leaders. A number of sensitization and orientation programmes were also conducted for voluntary organizations, social workers and Saksharatha Preraks (field workers of literacy mission-non convention education). IEC materials were prepared and distributed widely. Assistance were given to needy Panchayat to identify and prepare micro projects .Three rounds of detailed studies were conducted in five GPs from two block Panchayats in Wayanad district on the implementation of the scheme as part of all India study with the technical and financial support of PRIA ,New Delhi. The results of the studies were shared at all India level under the auspices of PRIA, which was attended by Sri Raghuvanisi Prasad, Union Minister for Panchayat Raj. Sahayi also shared the findings at the state level in the state level seminars attended by state Ministers and senior bureaucrats. The problems and issues identified and suggestions for solution and for better implementation of the scheme were brought to the notice of government by communicating copies of the study report to the different authorities of the State Government and all the Members of the state legislature.