Can gram sabhas be the watchdog?

Corruption has grown to an alarming proportion in India. Its proliferation and lack of an effective means to investigate, prove and prosecute the corrupt have further aggravated the situation. Corruption refers to ‘abuse’ (or misuse) of ‘public power’ (public office, public role or public duties and resources) for ‘private gain’ (personal gain, private profit, or private benefit). It implies taking more than what is one’s legitimate due. Amartya Sen refers it to any act which betrays public trust. It is a known fact that our country could have developed much faster and better hadn’t we to have rampant corruption. However the paradox involved is that with increasing emphasis on development through policies, programmes and schemes, further opportunities are created for corruption. 

The involvement of huge machinery for implementation, the hierarchy, paper work, system of files etc result in abundant exploitation and corruption. With decentralisation and devolving of power to the grassroots bodies, there is also simultaneous increase in corruption at this level, which is alarming. Mahatma Gandhi had great faith in Panchayat. To quote him “The best, quickest and most efficient way, is to build up from bottom.  This does not require brave resolution. It requires brave, corporate, intelligent work.’ But these bodies don’t seem to be passing the test of time. 

There are various grey areas for corruption at Panchayat level. And to check these tendencies, there is a need of vigilant Gram Sabhas (GS). By constant observation, questioning, inspecting, and by supervising the budget, expenditure, policies, and programmes implemented by the Panchayat, GS can act as a watchdog against corruption. Larger and qualitative participation by the people can develop GS into purposeful institutions and could be entrusted with responsible work of economic planning and social audit.  Studies conducted in different states to assess the functioning of GS have shown positive results.

 In Madhya Pradesh, GS are so powerful that they exercise control over institutions and functionaries in all social sectors transferred to Gram Panchayat. In Karnataka, there exists a system of social audit called Jamabandi where officers and the members including the general public can participate in an open system of audits and Jamabandi report has to be placed before the GS. The Kerala experiment made a big impact on resource mobilization and people's participation in planning.

Study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of GS in checking corruption at the grassroots in Goa. From the 890 respondents, 660 (74%) agreed that Gram Sabha can be effective in weeding out corruption. The study reflected that the grey areas for corruption include while issuing of licenses, issuing of No Objection Certificates (NOC), granting Occupancy, issuing various other certificates, construction activities or maintenance and repair work undertaken by the Panchayat, while implementing of centre/state funded developmental schemes etc. The study reflected that granting of NOC and FOC to Mega Projects was the most lucrative means for illegal income for the Panchayat officials. 

Many a times these projects flout the rules and regulation with regards to pollution check, parking lots, sanitation issues, etc. They therefore are willing to pay huge bribes to Panchayat authorities to get their irregularities legalised. Misappropriating money which flows in the form of state/centrally sponsored schemes is a common feature all over the country, and Goa is not an exception to it. Large number of construction/maintenance activities is taken up by the Panchayats, false tenders are filled, schemes are floated, and false beneficiary list is made. 

It was observed that the elected representatives at the grassroots try to evade their duties at GS. The most common way adopted by the elected representatives is to remain absent at GS to avoid answering any controversial question, or out of fear of their illegalities being pointed out.  To change the venue and the time of the GS as ‘less the people, less would be the accountability’, giving less publicity to GS, or if possible on some pretext or the other, not convening the GS are the other tricks followed. The elected representatives quite often use or provoke the use of abusive language, insults and agitate the gathering so that the GS can be called off soon or can be adjourned. There are also instances where files are misplaced so that the illegalities are not exposed. 

GS members also have techniques to make their representatives answerable. The normal technique followed by members is to load the representatives with questions and queries. The smaller size of the villages in Goa, social affinity, and peer pressure also act as an important bench mark for the elected representatives to perform. Religious and moral appeals have also been in vogue in making the representatives answerable in GS. For instance, villagers from Bandora, Sattari taluka, brought a coconut on the table of the Sarpanch and asked him to vow that they (elected representatives) did not accept money. Villagers from Benaulim, in their Gram Sabha, got down on their knees and asked God to forgive their elected representatives for their wrong doings. Mobilizing women is also a strategy often used in Goa. It is observed that the persistency with which women have been following the village matters, the authorities have been forced to be answerable. There are also some novel ways followed by the GS members. One of such practices is to confine the Panchayat members till they agree to the GS i.e. irate Sao Jose de Areal locals confined the Panchayat members in the Panchayat Hall when GS was in process, as they wanted the final occupancy certificate given to a mega Project to be cancelled. 

Though the findings of the study were mixture of hope and apathy, there is an upward swing in the overall participation at GS in Goa. There is every possibility that increasing participation may result in motivating people to take up important ends like social justice and fight against corruption. Therefore Gram Sabhas are envisaged to play an important role in weeding corruption at grassroots in Goa. What is expected from our local representatives is that they work with honesty, dedication and commitment towards development of their village. 

(The author is Associate Professor at Govt College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Khandola)