Abstract

Decentralization is considered to be the most sought after prescription for ushering in good governance. India embarked on the ambitious decentralization initiatives in 1990s with the passing of landmark 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts to reinforce local democracy by empowering local-self governing institutions at the urban and rural areas. Democratic decentralization enabled self-governing institutions to play a vital role in the provisions of public services, creation and maintenance of public goods, planning and implementation of developmental activities. This paper provides an insightful correlation between decentralization and good governance in the light of local governance experimentation in India. It explores the concept of democratic decentralization and local governance. It shows how the democratic decentralization has paved the way for local governance in India. It situates the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts in the context of local governance in India.

Keywords: Democratic decentralization, Good governance, 73rd Amendment Act, 74th Amendment Act, India