Centralization of Decentralized Governance - Evidence from West Bengal Panchayat

Misra, Jaydev (2008): Centralization of Decentralized Governance - Evidence from West Bengal Panchayat.

Abstract

Democratic decentralization in the state of West Bengal, of its own, are not producing systems that are more effective or more accountable to local needs and interests. The formal mechanisms matter less than the informal institutions that underpin local political economies. And the understanding of it by the poor may have been reflected in the ballot box of last Panchayat election held in 2008. If 'only alternative of the left is better left', then the left strategy of democratic decentralization must have to be replaced by alternative model with more accountability, less corruption and abolition of those clientilsm.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Democratic decentralization, participation, access, control, sustainable development, clientelism
• Subjects: R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R58 - Regional Development Planning and Policy; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R0 - General

References

References

Bandopadhayay, Debabrata (2003), “The Caucus and Masses, the Westt Begal Panchayat Amendment Act 2003”, Economic and Political Weekly, November 15, Vol 38, No 46.

Bardhan, P. and D. Mookherjee (1999), `Relative Capture of Local and National Governments: An Essay in the Political Economy of Decentralization’, Working Paper, Institute for Economic Development, Boston University.

Bardhan, P. and D. Mookherjee (2004), `Pro-Poor Targeting and Accountability of Local Governments in West Bengal’, Working Paper, Institute for Economic Development, Boston University.

Besley, T., R. Pande and V. Rao (2004), `Participatory Democracy in Action: Survey Evidence From South India’, Working Paper, World Bank.

Blair, Harry. (2000). “Participation and Accountability at the Periphery: Democratic Local Governance in Six Countries,” World Development. (28): 1, pp.21-39.

Crook, Richard C. and Alan Sturla Sverrisson. (2001). “Decentralisation and poverty-alleviation in developing countries: a comparative analysis or, is West Bengal unique?” IDS Working Paper 130. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies.

Datta, Prabhat. (2001). “Panchayat, Rural Development and Local Autonomy – The West Bengal Experience”. Dasgupta and Co. Kolkata.

Dreze, Jean and Amartya Sen. (1996). India: Economic Development and Social Opportunity. Oxford University Press. New Delhi.

Foster, A. and M. Rosenzweig (2001), `Democratization, Decentralization and the Distribution of Local Public Goods in a Poor Rural Economy’, Mimeo, Brown University.

Government of West Bengal. (2008). “Annual Administrative Report, 2006-07, Department of Panchayat and Rural Development.

Johnson, Craig and Daniel Start (2001). “Rights, Claims and Capture: Understanding the Politics of Pro-Poor Policy,” ODI Working Paper 145. London: Overseas Development Institute.

Kohli Atul, (1991). “Democracy and Discontent, India’s Growing Crisis of Governibility”, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, USA.

Lienten G. K. (1996) “Development, Devolution and Democracy – Village Discorse in West Bengal”, New Delhi, Sage.

Rao, G. Bhaskara. (2000). “Strengthening of Panchayats: Beyond Contractor’s Role,” Paper presented at the Workshop on Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Natural Resource Management, 2 and 3 February, New Delhi.

Sengupta Bhabani. (1979). “CPI-M, Promishes, Prospects, Problems”. Yong Asia Publications, New Delhi

Sengupta Debjani and Dilip Ghosh. (2004), “West Bengal: State and People: Development and People’s Choice – A Case Studies in North 24-Parganas”, Occasional Paper, State Institute of Panchayat and Rural D