Decentralization in India: A Study of Local Governance at the State Level
Keywords:
Decentralization, India, State governments, local governanceAbstract
This research examines the impact of the Republic of India's unique governmental structure on decentralization, particularly focusing on local governance within individual states. Employing a qualitative approach, the study sourced data from pertinent documents to draw its conclusions. The findings reveal that the Republic of India possesses a quasi-judicial governance system. This results in power being predominantly decentralized from the central government to state governments rather than directly to local administrations, notably the rural districts overseen by Panchayats. Under this framework, state governments wield significant authority in formulating developmental strategies and policies. Furthermore, these state entities have a say in matters of international trade and conflict resolution with the central government. However, the study also identifies a lingering challenge: rural local governments are often undermined, possessing limited efficiency in addressing issues endemic to India's rural landscapes. This limitation arises because the bulk of administrative power remains concentrated at the state level.
References
Arora, N., D. (2010). Political Science for Civil Service Main Examination. New Delhi: TataMcGraw-Hill.
Agrawal, A. (2001). State Formation in Community Spaces? Decentralization of Control over Forests in the Kumaon Himalaya, India. The Journal of Asian Studies, 60(1), 9-44.
Aljazeera. (Apr. 23, 2019). Narendra Modi: The making of a majoritarian leader. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2019/4/28/narendra-modi-the-making-of-a-majoritarian-leader.
AsfawKlaus, A., James, F. S., & Jütting, J. P. (2008). Fiscal Decentralization and Infant Mortality: Empirical Evidence from Rural India. The Journal of Developing Areas, 41(1), 17-35.
Asher, C. B. & Talbot, C. (2006). India Before Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Balaji. (2023). Who Described the Indian Constitution as Quasi Federal?. Retrieved from https://byjusexamprep.com/upsc-exam/who-described-the-indian-constitution-as-quasi-federal
Bangkokbiznews. (2017). Punishment for killing Gujarati cows 'Prison for life'. Retrieved from https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/news/748360. (in Thai)
Baskaran, T. & Feld, L., P. (2013). Fiscal Decentralization and Economic Growth in OECD Countries: Is there a Relationship?. Public Finance Review, 41(4), 421-445.
Bowman, A. O. (2015). State and local government. (Ninth edition). Cengage Learning.
Bowen, H. V., Mancke, E., & Reid, J. G. (2012). Britain's Oceanic Empire: Atlantic and Indian Ocean Worlds, C. 1550–1850. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Charoenmuang, T. (2007). 100 years of Thai local government 1897-1997. (Edition 6). Bangkok: Troch Printing. (in Thai)
Constitution of India. (April 8, 2021). Constitution of India 1950. Retrieved from https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constitution_of_india.
Daimond, L. (2017). Why Decentralize Power in A Democracy? .Retrieved from https://diamond-democracy.stanford.edu/speaking/speeches/why-decentralize-power-democracy
Filippetti, A. & Sacchi, A. (2016). Decentralization and Economic Growth Reconsidered:
The Role of Regional Authority, Environment and Planning: Government and Policy. Sage Journals, 34(8), 1793-1824.
Government of India. (20 July 2022). KnowIndia. Retrieved from KnowIndia: https://knowindia.gov.in/states-uts/
Hardgrave, Jr., R.,L. (1993). The Challenge of ethnic conflict India: The dilemmas of diversity. The Journal of Democracy, 4(4), 54-68.
Hmong. (2018). Slaughter of cattle in India. Retrieved from https://hmong.in.th/wiki/Cattle_slaughter_in_India (in Thai)
Horachaikul, S. (2017). For India: 100 Years of Birth, Indira Gandhi (Part 3/3). Retrieved from https://mgronline.com/daily/detail/9600000128838. (in Thai)
Kulipossa, P. F. (2004). Decentralisation and democracy in developing countries: an overview. Development in Practice. (14)6, 768-779.
Islam, T. & Koichi, F. (2012). Dimension of Decentralization Process and Rural Local Government in India: A Comparison with Bangladesh. Retrieved from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi
=10.1.1.931.3615&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Kaewkunok, S. (2021). From the state to international: The role of state government in Indian foreign policy formulation. Retrieved from https://www.the101.world/indian-states-and-foreign-policy-making/. (in Thai)
Lertsinthitigul, N. (2015). An Influence of conflict between Tamil and Singhalese on the relation of India and Sri Lanka. Humanities, Social Science, and Arts Journal, 8 (1), 818-830. (in Thai)
Luangprapat, W. (2015). Decentralization Concepts. Retrieved from https://www.stou.ac.th/Schoolnew/polsci/UploadedFile/%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%201.pdf (in Thai)
Mektrairat, N. (2011). Direction of local administration in Thailand and foreign countries in comparative perspectives. Spirit Publishing House. (in Thai)
Mukarji, N. (1999) ‘The Third Stratum,’ in S.N. Jha and P.C. Mathur (eds.) (1999). Decentralization and Local Politics: Readings in Indian Government and Politics (2). London: Sage, pp. 70–82.
My India. (n.d.). India Map. Retrieved from https://www.mapsofindia.com/
Leach, S., Stewart, J., & Jones, G. (2018). Centralisation, devolution, and the future of local government in England. London: Routledge.
Prasad, N. (23 August 2022). Gandhian Concept of Decentralization. Retrieved from https://www.gandhiashramsevagram.org/gandhi-articles/gandhian-concept-of-decentralization.php
Rao, C. H. H. (1993). Agricultural Growth and Rural Poverty in India: Emerging Trends and Perspectives. Indian Economic Review, 28(2), 129-140.
Sil, N. P. (2021, April 8,). India-Pakistan Conflict An Overview. Retrieved from https://www.asianstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/india-pakistan-conflict-an-overview.pdf
Stewart, N. (1951). Divide and Rule: British Policy in Indian History. Science and Society, 15(1), 49-57.
Teles, F. (2016). Local Governance and Inter-municipal Cooperation. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK: Imprint: Palgrave Pivot.
Thaiindia.net. (2015). Knowing states in India. Retrieved from https://thaiindia.net/site_content/
know- indianstates.html?limit=150&orderby=id&listall=0&cc=p. (in Thai)
Sheikh, Y. A. (2017). Democratic decentralisation in India: an overview. International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research, 3(7), 196-23.
Soikham, P. (2021). Decentralization in India: A Case study of Panchayat as a local government. Thammasat University. (in Thai)
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Local Administration Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The copyright of all articles published in the Local Administration Journalis owned by the College of Local Administration, Khon Kaen University.
