Financial Devolution of Village Panchayats: A case study of Kilakkadu Village Panchayat in Kalrayan Hills in Villupuram District

Abstract

The Village Panchayats are playing a vital role in the providing of basic amenities in rural area of India. After independence in India, both the central as well as the state governments have ensured the importance of these bodies for providing basic amenities to the entire people of the society, particularly in the grass-roots level. Hence the consolidation and reorganization of local bodies have been felt at all times. Scientific consolidation and reorganization of local bodies calls for not only the provision of more efficient structure for .them but also providing them with sufficient finance to discharge their duties efficiently. The 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 is a big step forward in this direction. Accordingly more powers and functions have been assigned to Panchayats. The devolution of functions to Panchayats cannot be considered in isolation of finance required to perform these functions. Increasing functions imply increasing need for resource with regard to selected village Panhayats in Kalrayan Hills in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.