The Reality of Panchayat Devolution: A Tale of Three States (Punjab, Haryana & Himachal Pradesh)


 The erstwhile state of Punjab was historically bifurcated into three distinct states: Punjab, Haryana (1966), and Himachal Pradesh (1971). Since then, significant socio-economic changes have transformed this region.

Over three decades ago, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) mandated that Panchayats be established and nourished as effective, self-governing institutions. Today, these three states are governed by three different major political parties (INC, AAP, and BJP). This provides a unique opportunity to compare their actual political will to empower rural local governments. Have these institutions truly become autonomous hubs of decentralized planning and development? Let us look at the grassroots evidence.

Measuring the Health of Panchayats (2024 Study)

To assess the reality of power devolution, we turn to the 2024 study, ‘Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States’, conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) for the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

The study measures the "health" of Panchayats using a Devolution Index across six critical dimensions. Note that the "Framework" dimension covers mandatory constitutional provisions (which should inherently score 100%), while the others evaluate enabling provisions.

Here is the comparative reality check of how these three states perform:

Devolution DimensionHaryanaHimachal Pradesh (HP)Punjab
D1: Framework (Mandatory: Elections, Reservations, SEC, SFC)73.30%62.22%47.26%
D2: Functions (Activity mapping, scheme implementation)16.82%23.01%31.97%
D3: Finances (Commission grants, own funds, budgets)40.38%48.41%36.36%
D4: Functionaries (Infrastructure, e-connectivity, staff)38.48%70.06%8.20%
D5: Capacity Building (Training for officials/elected reps)35.35%83.68%26.34%
D6: Accountability (Audits, Gram Sabha, transparency)41.93%39.41%24.87%
Composite Index (Overall Devolution)39.33%53.17%29.34%

(Note: The National Average for Overall Devolution is 43.89%)

Analyzing the Disconnect

The Failure of Mandatory Provisions

It is astonishing—and pathetic—that none of the three states have achieved 100% in the Framework dimension. This means that mandatory, compulsory constitutional requirements laid out by the CAA are still being ignored or only partially implemented across the board.

A Dismal Resource Gap

When we look at Functions and Finances, the picture is equally grim. None of the states have crossed even the 50% mark for financial devolution. Furthermore, Punjab's staggering low score of 8.20% in Functionaries indicates that its Panchayats lack even the most basic physical infrastructure and personnel required to operate as autonomous bodies.

Why is Himachal Pradesh Leading?

When looking at the overall composite index, Himachal Pradesh (53.17%) is the only state among the three to surpass the national average of 43.89%. Haryana (39.33%) and Punjab (29.34%) fall significantly behind.

HP’s relative success can be attributed to two main factors:

  1. Political Will: The party in power has demonstrated a greater willingness to decentralize.

  2. Grassroots Collectiveness: The rural populace in HP has actively generated a demand for power through their Panchayats.

In Haryana and Punjab, this political will is visibly missing.

The Way Forward

Even after 30 years of the CAA, the composite indexes reveal that true self-governance in the countryside is still largely a mirage. To make Panchayats genuinely effective, elected representatives across all states must organize, unite, and actively assert their constitutional right to empowerment.

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Himachal Pradesh Leads: HP is the only state in the erstwhile Punjab region to surpass the national average for Panchayat devolution, driven by stronger political will and grassroots demand.

  • Constitutional Violations: All three states (Punjab, Haryana, HP) are failing to 100% implement the mandatory, compulsory provisions of the 73rd Amendment (Framework).

  • Severe Resource Crunch: Punjab suffers from an abysmal lack of infrastructure and staff (8.20% in Functionaries), severely crippling its local governance.

  • The Need for Assertion: Without an organized push from elected grassroots representatives, state governments remain hesitant to transfer actual power and funds to Panchayats.

Dr. Mahi Pal

Vice President

Mission 7374 Foundation

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