Q1.
What might be the reasons that decisions regarding local concerns should be taken locally to the extent possible?
Answer
Five reasons, and the chapter gives all five in Fig. 6.18 under the heading “Why is decentralisation important?”
| Reason | What the chapter says | What it looks like in a village or ward |
|---|---|---|
| Better knowledge | “Local leaders know the area, its needs, and the traditions of the people better than distant officials” | A panchayat member knows which hand-pump dries up in May. No file in the capital contains that |
| More democratic | “People get a chance to be more involved in decisions that affect their daily lives” | You can attend a gram sabha or ward meeting. You cannot attend a meeting of the union cabinet |
| Local discussions | “Local issues (like water supply, roads, or schools) can be discussed and solved by people who face them every day” | The people arguing about the drain are the people the drain floods |
| More accountability | “When leaders are closer to the people, it is easier to question them, ask for answers, and make sure they do their job” | Your councillor lives in the same ward and meets you at the market |
| Stronger local governments | “With power and responsibility, panchayats and municipalities can become lively places where people participate actively and leaders work responsibly” | A body that can actually decide things attracts people who want to decide them well |
And one practical reason from the running text: speed. “Tasks that can be performed locally should be left in the hands of the local people and their representatives. The local municipal body can do it faster.”
Why “to the extent possible” is in the question: because not everything can be decided locally. A village cannot run the currency, sign a treaty or defend a border — “if the country’s defence is at stake, that is the responsibility of the central government.” Decentralisation is a rule about matching the decision to the right level, not a rule that the smallest body should decide everything.
Remember the definition: “‘Decentralisation’ means that power and decision-making are spread out and not concentrated in just one place or one small group. Local problems should be solved locally, and bigger issues can be solved by higher-level governments such as the state or the central government.”