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Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: Date, origin, significance — all you need to know
National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: India celebrates National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 every year to mark the foundation of the Panchayati Raj System — a landmark law which granted constitutional status to its institutions. This law enabled local governments or Gram Panchayats to govern themselves and make decisions on the development of their districts. It is being commemorated today, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, marking the thirty-second anniversary of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.' The 73rd Amendment Act of 1992, which officially took effect on April 24, 1993, granted constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), marking an important milestone in the history of political authority decentralisation at the grassroots level. READ | Ending proxy leadership in panchayati raj is a necessary disruption towards true grassroots democracy It was in reaction to the need for democracy, which was led by a committee headed by Balwantrai Mehta to accomplish this goal. Furthermore, the system of governance of India's villages is also reflected in one of Mahatma Gandhi's major beliefs, with him frequently advocating for the establishment of a Panchayati Raj system. On it, Gandhi stated, with the quote referred to from a 1946 issue of the Harijan magazine. Independence must mean that of the people of India, not of those who are today ruling over them… Independence must begin at the bottom. Thus, every village will be a republic or panchayat having full powers. It follows, therefore, that every village has to be self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs even to the extent of defending itself against the whole world This year, National Panchayati Raj Day 2025 will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lohna Uttar Gramme Panchayat, Jhanjharpur Block, Madhubani District, Bihar. National Panchayati Raj Day programme in Madhubani, Bihar. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2025 It is being marked as a major national programme with a ' whole-of-government ' approach, with the participation of six Union ministries. The Prime Minister will address Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Gramme Sabhas across the country, in addition to presenting the Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025.
News18
24-04-2025
- Politics
- News18
National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: History, Significance, Quotes And Key Facts
Panchayati Raj system is a three-tier structure where local bodies or Gram Panchayats are given the authority to govern themselves and make decisions for community's development. 75th National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: National Panchayati Raj Day is marked every year on April 24 in India. The day is observed to commemorate the historic occasion of April 24, 1993, when the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992, came into force. It celebrates the importance of grassroots democracy, strengthens local governance and helps empower rural communities. The Panchayati Raj system is a three-tier structure where local bodies or Gram Panchayats are given the authority to govern themselves and make decisions for their community's development. National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: History The word Panchayat comes from two words – 'Panch" meaning five and 'Ayat" meaning assembly. It refers to a traditional system where a group of elders from a village would come together to solve problems or settle disputes. These elders formed a local council, and the head of the group was called a Mukhiya, Sarpanch or Pradhan. The system of Panchayati Raj became more structured in 1992 when the Indian Parliament passed a law to give it formal backing. This law was called the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act. It came into effect on April 24, 1993. From that day on, states were encouraged to form village panchayats and give them the power to make decisions and help in local development. The first National Panchayati Raj Day, also called Panchayati Raj Diwas, was celebrated in 2010. It was officially declared by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Since then, April 24 has been observed every year as National Panchayati Raj Day. On this day, the Union government honours gram panchayats for their good work in the past year. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj was created in 2004 which handles all matters related to Panchayati Raj and is led by a cabinet minister. At present, the ministry is headed by Rajiv Ranjan Singh also known as Lalan Singh. National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: Significance National Panchayati Raj Day is an important occasion that reminds us of the value of giving power to people at the village level. It marks the beginning of a system where decisions are made by local representatives. This day also gives a chance for panchayat members from across the country to connect and share their work. The government uses this day to give awards to the best-performing panchayats which encourages others to do better. A strong Panchayati Raj system helps build a strong and self-reliant nation and shows the power of democracy in action. National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: Key Facts The Panchayati Raj system has three levels – Village Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad. The Village Panchayat is the first level. It has around five members that includes a Sarpanch. It reports to the Gram Sabha which includes all adult members of the village. The Panchayat Samiti is the second level. It usually covers 20 to 60 villages. Its head is called the Pradhan and the deputy is the Up-Pradhan. The Zilla Parishad is the top level. It includes members from Panchayat Samitis and government officials. Its main job is to guide and check the work done in the district. Panchayat elections are held every five years to choose new members. 50% of the seats are reserved for women, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). There are currently 666 Zilla Panchayats, 6,687 Panchayat Samitis and 2,55,643 Gram Panchayats in India, as Panchayati Raj is present in almost all states and Union Territories, except Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Delhi. Some tribal and special areas also do not have Panchayati Raj. These include hilly areas of Manipur, Darjeeling in West Bengal, and some scheduled regions. National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: Quotes 'The voice of the people may be said to be God's voice, the voice of the Panchayat." – Mahatma Gandhi 'When the panchayat raj is established, public opinion will do what violence can never do." – Mahatma Gandhi 'Through all-around progress and grassroots level participation, our Govt is working towards making 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday' a reality." –PM Narendra Modi 'Panchayats are effective ways to fulfil the aspirations of people in rural India. They are playing a vital role in India's transformation." – PM Narendra Modi. News18 Lifestyle section covers health, fashion, travel, food, and culture with articles on wellness tips, celebrity style, travel spots, and recipes, focusing on Indian and global trends. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : lifestyle National Panchayati Raj Day Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: April 24, 2025, 07:20 IST News lifestyle National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: History, Significance, Quotes And Key Facts
