The Ashok Mehta Committee was a committee appointed by the Government of India in 1977 to examine the status of Panchayati Raj institutions (PRIs) in India and suggest measures to strengthen them. The committee was named after its chairman, Ashok Mehta, who was a prominent political leader and social activist.
The Ashok Mehta Committee submitted its report in 1978, which made several recommendations for the empowerment and strengthening of PRIs in India. Some of the key recommendations were:
- Establishment of a three-tier system of PRIs, with gram panchayats at the village level, panchayat samitis at the block level, and zilla parishads at the district level.
- Devolution of powers and functions to the PRIs, including preparation and implementation of plans for economic development and social justice, provision of basic services like health and education, and maintenance of local infrastructure.
- Ensuring adequate representation of women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other marginalized groups in the PRIs, and providing them with training and capacity-building support.
- Establishing a system of regular elections to the PRIs, and providing them with financial resources and administrative support to carry out their functions effectively.
The recommendations of the Ashok Mehta Committee were influential in shaping the 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution, which was passed in 1992 and provided a legal framework for the establishment and functioning of PRIs in India. The amendment mandated the establishment of a three-tier system of PRIs and devolution of powers and functions to them, and provided for the reservation of seats for women and marginalized groups in the PRIs.
