Federalism And Local Government In India

This book is about multi-level governance. That implies that federalism is not just two tier system but a three tier system. Therefore the book contends that the studies on federalism should include the third tier of local government and local government and decentralisation studies should conduct their studies within the ambit of federal government institutions and relations and processes. Besides this the book is also written with the conviction that within Indian polity and its contemporary political economy the State governments can do enormously more to further the cause of local government than the distant Union government can. Three reasons attest to this: a) The constitution privileges the State governments to carry out decentralization further to the local people b) In the present scenario of liberalized market economy it is the States which are locus of economic growth and development c) many observers of Indian polity too confirm that there is a shift towards the States and regions in determining even national electoral fortunes. While the above reasons strengthen federalism these three reasons are also sufficient to reconsider the relationship between federalism and local government in today's India. Does the constitutional sanction, more economic freedom and more recognition of states role within the Union-do these lead to making the lives of ordinary people better at the ground level? Does federalism mean more powers functions and resources to local governments too? These are some of the questions this book attempts to address.