Grand Trunk Road

This article profiles the Indian Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar’s efforts to have the Panchayati Raj system of local government integrated into mainstream Indian politics. Despite the 73rd amendment of the Indian Constitution, which was passed in 1993 and which formally ushered in Panchayati Raj as part of the Indian system of government, it did not even have a division, leave alone a ministry until 2004. Today, the three-tiered system now has over 2,600,000 representatives. Despite the large numbers of representatives voted in, the 73rd amendment has met with opposition across the board. According to Aiyar, “If we want to move from India prospering to Indians prospering, there is no alternative to Panchayati Raj.”

Article: One man mission
Author: Shankkar Aiyar
Publication: India Today