Decentralization And Local Government

Abstract

Decentralization has emerged as a prominent issue in the literature of public administration and is regarded as one of the most important political administrative innovations of this century. It has been and continues to be advocated as an important component of policy packages to improve governance in developing countries, especially in the context of disillusionment, which has set in on account of central planning. The centralist regimes find themselves overburdened with complex and widespread socio-economic problems for which they have no answers, as the governments have sought to create more socially equitable patterns of economic growth to meet the basic needs of the poor. In case of India, efforts in this direction have been made since independence. There have been strong voices in favour of decentralization and to have a third tier of governance where local decisions will be taken by the people. The term decentralization is understood differently by different individuals or groups. It is essentially a mechanism through which power is transferred from the central government to the lower levels of government or field organizations.