National Panchayati Raj Day April 24th

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in partnership with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, marked the National Panchayati Raj Day.
• The Prime Minister inaugurated an integrated e-GramSwaraj and GeM portal for public procurement at the Panchayat level.
  • The objective of eGramSwaraj–GeM Integration is to enable the Panchayats to procure their goods and services through GeM leveraging the eGramSwaraj platform.

About National Panchayati Raj Day

• National Panchayati Raj Day is observed on 24^th April every year to commemorate the 73rd constitutional amendment that came into effect on the same day in 1993.
  • The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010.

About 73^rd constitutional amendment

• 73^rd amendment accorded panchayats a constitutional status as the third tier of local self-governance in India.
  • Although some states such as Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal had already recognized panchayats as local self-governance institutions, the 73rd and 74th amendments made this a pan-India phenomenon.
• This Act added a new chapter into the Constitution called ‘Part IX: The Panchayats’.
• This Act made the Panchayati Raj institutions in the country constitutional bodies.
• Under Article 243-B, it has become compulsory for every state to establish panchayats in their territories.
• Article 243-G makes it mandatory for the state governments to devolve powers, responsibilities and authority to the panchayats.
• The gram panchayats have a fixed tenure of 5 years.
• State election commissions have been provided with the mechanism to conduct independent elections to the village panchayats.
• Article 243-D gives provisions for the due representation of women and SC/STs.
• The State Finance Commission should also evaluate the financial position of the panchayats every five years.