An empirical study on the role of panchayat raj on the rural development of karnataka state

In India poverty remains a chronic condition for almost more than 35% of India’s rural population. A major cause of poverty among India’s rural people, both individuals and communities, is lack of access to productive assets and financial resources. Further, high level of illiteracy, inadequate health care and extremely limited access to social services are common among poor rural people. Both central and state governments have brought out many measures and programmes to eradicate rural poverty. They have failed to achieve the desired objective. In the recent past the studies on rural development have gained momentum among the Indian economists. In the process of achieving rural development the Panchayats are expected to play an important role, since the period of independence. Hence the present study is placed in this context to examine the role of panchayat raj systems in the rural development of Karnataka state and also to suggest suitable measures for the effective functioning of panchayat raj institutions in improving the socio-economic conditions of the rural people. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data has been collected from field survey in the sample of seven districts of Karnataka state. It was found that there were some facilities given by gram panchayats, which have been inadequate like quality of roads and sanitation. But, the rural people in certain districts from the sample have shown their satisfaction with some services like education, providing drinking water and streetlights facilities. As it was seen that due to the successful intervention by panchayat raj institutions in poverty alleviation schemes there are some structural changes in the villages.