Advisory panels to run Panchayati Raj institutions in Bihar due to delayed polls

The Panchayati Raj system was established in accordance with the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution and it is a three- tier structure based on direct elections at the village, block and district levels.

The Bihar government has entrusted the job of running the panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) in the state to the advisory committees, headed by the chiefs of elected gram panchayats, zila parishads and gram kucherys even after the expiry of their five-year term on June 15, officials said.

Bihar panchayati raj minister had earlier said that the approved system to run Panchayati Raj institutions will ensure that Central funds don’t remain unutilised.

The new mechanism was necessitated since the panchayat elections could not be held on time due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The state government passed an ordinance to amend the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act 2006 on June 2 to allow continuity of the rural institutions.

Additional chief secretary of the panchayati raj department Amrit Lal Meena said the terms and conditions governing the functioning of the existing PRIs will remain unchanged, while mukhiyas, chairmen of zila parishads and heads of gram kutcherys lead the advisory committees of their respective bodies till the constitution of new committees after fresh elections.

“The government would notify the alternative arrangement for those rural institutions, which do not have elected heads at the time of [the] constitution of the advisory committee. Up mukhiyas, deputy chairmen and up sarpanch of gram kucherys will function as the deputy chief of the advisory committees,” said Meena.

Earlier, panchayati raj minister Samrat Chaudhary had said that the approved system will ensure that Central funds don’t remain unutilised and all elected members continue to function in the interim.

The Panchayati Raj system was established in accordance with the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution and it is a three- tier structure based on direct elections at the village, block and district levels.Exemption from constituting the intermediate tier is given to states with less than 2 million population.

The cabinet chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar also approved the release of ₹456 crore for acquisition of land along the existing Danapur-Bihta road to build a four-lane elevated road under the PM’s package. The national highways authority of India (NHAI) would step in to start the construction once the road construction department (RCD) offered them additional land after the acquisition, officials said.