(1) It will exercise general supervision over the working of the
panchayets and the affairs of the village group.
(2) It will devise ways and means of the better performance of the
functions of panchayets; and it will be directly responsible for the
education and sanitation of the district capital.
(3) It will devise means for the improvement of agriculture and
cottage industries.
(4) It will supervise the sanitation of the villages included in each
village-group: and will be directly responsible for the sanitation of
the district council.
(5) It will start such industrial and business concerns as may be best
suited to further the resources of the district.
(6) It will employ chowkidars and peace-officers for the villages.
(7) It will have sole charge of the district police.
(8) Each district assembly will elect its own President and will
appoint sub-committees for the discussion of different subjects.
(9) For the provision of cheap capital, each district assembly will
open a bank: this bank will have branches in each village-group.
(10) The district assemblies will have power to raise by taxation the
money necessary for its requirements.
(11) The present local and district boards will be abolished.
(12) Necessary laws will have to be passed to place the primary and
district assemblies on a legal basis.
This out-line of work is very closely connected with Indian socialism.
This is what we now call Swaraj or self-government of the villages.
These institutions did actually exist in our country from very ancient
times; they grew and developed with our growth, and they have a
peculiar harmony with the genius of our national character. Chitta
Ranjan has therefore proposed only reversion to our older social
institutions. But life among us now is not so simple as it was before;
it has become complex, difficult and intricate. Hence what was
inchoate requires to be put into a system. The panchayet was a natural
out-growth of our ancient village community! It consisted of those
five persons who naturally and easily emerged into prominence by their
qualities of character and intellect. The authority of the panchayet
lasted only so long as the community at large tacitly accepted their
authority. Now the question arises, "Will the Government entrust so
much power to us?" Again there are the Anglo-Indian papers crying
themselves hoarse, "No no, there is so much of anarchism in the land,
it will lead to fearful abuses if the people are entrusted with any
large share of power." But the real fact is just the opposite, if the
people are given opportunities of serving their country on a larger
scale, the so-called anarchism will die out of itself. Of this Chitta
Ranjan says in his address:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account