Local Governments and Local Elites

Abstract. In order to achieve the overall progress of the country with active and effective participation of all sections of society, the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) would bring Panchayats centre-stage and achieve the inclusive growth agenda through inclusive governance. The concept of 'democratic decentralization' in the form of a three-tier administration was introduced in the name of "Panchayat Raj". Horizontally, it is a network of village Panchayats. Vertically, it is an organic growth of Panchayats rising up to national level. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has three broad agenda: Empowerment, Enablement and Accountability. Space based Information Support for Decentralized Planning (SIS-DP) is one of the initiatives taken by Govt. of India with ISRO/DOS for generation and dissemination of spatial information for planning at the grass root level. The boundary layer for villages across different states/district/block is available with line departments. Most of these data exist at a much generalized scale. These boundaries do not overlay exactly with that of ground realities and may not be suitable for accurate analysis in terms of area, shape, position, etc. To deal with this problem, a strategy is adopted, which makes use of High Resolution Satellite Imagery (HRSI) from Indian Remote sensing satellites and cadastral maps at 1:4000 scale integrated with GIS techniques to enhance the accuracy of geo-spatial depiction of Village/Panchayat boundaries. Cadastral maps are used to depict the boundaries of land parcels and other features at the village level. These maps are registered to ortho products of HRSI using Ground Control Points. The cadastral maps are precisely overlaid on ortho-rectified HRSI and each parcel vertex is tagged with the real-world geographical coordinates. Village boundaries are extracted from the geo-referenced village cadastral maps. These boundaries are fine-tuned by considering under lap and overlap of neighboring villages and a mosaic is generated at the subdistrict and district level. Each village is coded with a unique number based on Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Census department codes. Villages are mapped to their respective Panchayat(s) directory and are dissolved in GIS environment based on code/nomenclature to obtain the final Gram Panchayat Layer. The present study attempts to showcase the methodology for deriving precise Village/Panchayat Boundaries using geo-spatial techniques. The final output will immensely help the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development for implementing the developmental programs in tune with 73th and 74th constitutional amendments.

Background: Although anthrax occurs globally, the burden of the disease remains particularly high in Africa. Furthermore, the disease anthrax has significant public health and economic implications. However, sufficient attention has not been given to the geographic distribution of anthrax outbreaks and cases in Lesotho. Therefore, this study investigates the spatial patterns of anthrax outbreaks and cases among livestock in Lesotho from 2005 to 2016. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted to realise the objectives of this study using retrospective data of anthrax outbreaks and cases recorded by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) between 2005 and 2016. Anthrax outbreaks were geo-coded at village level and aggregated at district level. Proportions and 95% CI of anthrax outbreaks and cases by village and district were calculated. Cartographic maps displaying the distribution of anthrax outbreaks and cases at village and district level were constructed. Results: A total of 38 outbreaks were reported over the study period, and they were clustered in the Lowlands districts of Lesotho. Most outbreaks (52.6%, 20/38) in livestock were reported in the Maseru district. The Leribe district reported the lowest proportions of outbreaks (5.3%, 2/38) and cases (0.6%, 3/526). At the village level, 18% (7/38) of outbreaks were in Maseru Urban, followed by Ratau (16%, 6/38) and Mofoka (13%, 5/38). The Maseru district reported the highest (1.3%, 369/29,070) proportion of cases followed by Mafeteng (0.9%, 73/8530). The village with the most cases was Kolo (10.5%, 21/200), followed by Thaba-Chitja (7.7%, 33/430). Conclusion: Anthrax outbreaks and cases exclusively occur in the Lowlands districts of Lesotho, with villages such as Mahobong, Pitseng, Kolo, and Thaba-Chitja having a higher risk of anthrax disease. Findings of the present study have serious public health implications in light of the fact that between 2003 and 2008 Lesotho’s main abattoir was closed; hence, most of the meat in Lesotho was imported and/or sourced from the informal slaughter facilities. Much larger studies are needed to further investigate factors contributing to spatial disparities in anthrax outbreaks and cases observed in this study. Findings of the present study can be used to guide the formulation of a policy on prevention and control of anthrax in Lesotho.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in livestocks has become an epidemic in Mojokerto Regency which has caused significant economic losses, so it is necessary to carry out prevention and control. FMD prevention and control activities at the village and sub-district levels are facilitated by agricultural extension workers through Communication, Information and Education (CIE) counseling activities for breeders. This study aims to determine the role of counseling in prevention and control of FMD and the obstacles it faces. The data collection is based on online questionnaires which were distributed in 63 agriculture extension civil servants in 18 sub-districts in Mojokerto Regency. The research shows that majority of the officers have implemented CIE in all of their target areas. The counseling methods based on information technique used was direct counseling and a combination of direct and indirect counseling. The majority of counseling used printed media that contain specific materials of treatments. This study also measured the acceptance and support of stakeholders at the village level. Obstacles encountered in the field included coordination constraints, terrain and location of stables, negative issues that developed in the community and aggressive cattle conditions.

Introduction. This article analyzes the features of local self-government organization at the city and village levels in Galicia within the Austrian Monarchy (1772–1867). Summary of the main results of the study. It is noted that the majority of the Ukrainian population in Galicia was concentrated in villages. For instance, in the Carpathian region, the rural population accounted for 82 % of the total population. At the beginning of the 19th century, the socio-economic life in Galician villages was characterized by the development of corvée agriculture, the growth of landlessness, and the stratification of the peasantry. The administrative-territorial division in Galicia was distinguished by the fact that the Austrian government did not create a lower tier of the state apparatus and transferred political power in rural areas to the landlords (dominions), thereby strengthening the feudal order. It is argued that significant changes in the organization of local self-government in Galicia within the Austrian Monarchy occurred after the revolution of 1848, which had a significant impact on the awakening of national consciousness among Ukrainians and the development of ideas of local self-government in Western Ukrainian lands. This was also facilitated by Austrian legislation, enacted under the influence of revolutionary ideas. In particular, the law of March 17, 1849, proclaimed the idea: «A free community is the foundation of a free state». A new stage in the development of local self-government was marked by the Austrian law on communities in Galicia (1866), which defined that a community consists of every city, town, and village that has its own local government. The representative body of rural and urban communities in Galicia was the communal council, which «consists of elected members and members who belong to it without election (so-called virilists)». The communal council met as necessary, but not less than once every three months. The right to convene it belonged to the head of the community or his deputy. The head was also required to convene the council if requested by 2/3 of the council members, the eldership, or the district council. He was also obliged to inform the council members about the next meeting. The council was considered competent to make decisions if more than half of the council members were present at the meeting. Conclusion. Thus, the organization of local self-government at the city and village levels in Galicia within the Austrian Monarchy (1772–1867) demonstrates the influence of European traditions on the Western Ukrainian lands. The expansion of the rights of territorial communities in Galician villages was particularly positive, contributing to the development of Ukrainian society. Ukrainians developed democratic traditions of local self-government and always strived for orderly social relations and independent local governance.

The Routledge handbook of international local government

Many government organizations have implemented e-government. The use of information and communication technology in governments business process spreads only in the central and local government but also in the village level. One of the most important issues in e-government implementation is institutional readiness. This paper aims to examine village government readiness through comparative analysis. The study is located in the Pemalang regency, one of the most active regencies in developing e-government in the village level. Semaya and Pegiringan Village was chosen as research loci since they represented successful and un-succesful outcome of e-government initiatives. To address the research objective, a case study was conducted. The data was drawn from in-depth interview, observation on website and business process, and relevant documents. We find that e-government readiness in the village level can be assessed from the following aspects: data system, regulatory framework, institutional arrangement, human resources, technological infrastructure, and strategic thinking of leadership. Some policy implications can be drawn to improve the e-government readiness in village level.

Indonesia is rapidly losing its forests. In some measure this is due to the extensive illegal logging networks operating in heavily forested districts across the archipelago. While the extent of this critical problem is now understood, insufficient attention has been paid to its underlying political and social causes at the district level. Based on fieldwork carried out in Sumatra during 1996-1999, this article examines the emergence and operation of logging networks in one district. This article argues that the roots of illegal logging can be found in the shifting economic and political interests of diverse actors at the district, subdistrict, and village levels. As these actors enter into exchanges and accommodations around logging, they create the de facto institutional arrangements governing timber operations. After examining the impact of political and economic changes on this phenomena, this article concludes that the logging epidemic has complex, multidimensional causes that allow for no easy remedies. Moreover, as many of the dynamics described here will continue to predominate after Indonesia implements new decentralization laws, this ensures that the informal system of exchange and accommodation described here will continue to shape forest outcomes.

Purpose: The aim of the article is to identify and assess the financial situation of local government units in the Lower Silesian and Podkarpackie voivodeships compared to the country. Design/methodology/approach: The article identifies and assesses the financial situation of local government units in Lower Silesian and Podkarpackie voivodeships compared to the country. The empirical material of the article concerns both the entire country and all local government units in the Lower Silesian and Podkarpackie voivodeships. The numerical data come from the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office Local Data Bank in Warsaw and are for the years 2018-2022. The collected and organised empirical material was developed in descriptive, tabular, and graphic form, using the method of comparative analysis. The article also uses basic measures of descriptive statistics, i.e. mean, coefficient of variation, and minimum and maximum values. Additionally, a point assessment was also performed of all diagnostic characteristics illustrating the financial situation of local government units in the Lower Silesian and Podkarpackie voivodeships against the background of the entire country, which is a new approach to the research problem discussed in the article. Findings: The analysis of the collected and processed statistical data confirmed the research hypothesis put forward in the article, which assumes that local government units in Poland are diverse in terms of their financial situation and due to the fact of a higher level of economic development, units in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship are characterised by a better financial situation compared to the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Originality/value: The originality of the work lies in the author's approach to the analysis of the research issues undertaken. The financial situation of the surveyed local government units compared to the country was assessed on a point-by-point basis. The work is addressed primarily to local government officials in the studied voivodeships, responsible for public local government finances, as well as for the conditions, possibilities and directions of further socio economic development of these regions.

The study examines climate change vulnerability in Meghalaya at the district, block, and village levels using the IPCC 2014 framework. A vulnerability index is applied to categorize areas into different vulnerability levels, from very low to very high. At the district level, the analysis identifies notable regional variations in vulnerability, with South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills classified as very high vulnerability, while several other districts-including East Khasi Hills, South West Garo Hills, East Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi, North Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, and East Garo Hills-fall within the high vulnerability category (72.73%). On the block level, a substantial proportion (69.57%) of blocks in Meghalaya are highly vulnerable, with 21.74% falling into the very high vulnerability category. This detailed assessment underscores the urgent need for focused climate adaptation strategies, particularly in high and very high vulnerability areas, to effectively address climate-related risks.

As early as 1964, the Philippines have had national speed limits compliant with internationally accepted best practice and World Health Organization recommendations. However, in a self-assessment reported to the WHO,...

United States of America is a country that has a decentralized management system and federal form of government structure. Management system offers three tiered structure. Federal government is in the first level of administrative unit, states are in the second level of administrative units and local governments are the third level of administrative unit. Local government’s structure and quality varies from state to state. Therefore, each local government unit has its own unique features. Local governments in the USA can be classified in the form of county, municipal, town and village, school districts and special districts. However, sometimes a local government unit that has the same structure is also structured with a different name in another state. In this paper, management structure of USA, local government’s financial structure and its relationship with the central government have been examined.

Agricultural productivity improvements are essential for achieving overall economic growth. The Philippine performance on both counts has been disappointing. Agricultural extension which is one way of improving productivity has undergone substantial change in the last thirteen years through devolution under the Local Government Code of 1991. Whether devolution has improved agricultural extension delivery is a key question. Devolution generally has yielded some positive outcomes: cooperation between local government units (LGUs) and with the private sector and nongovernment organizations (NGOs); recognition of the realities of globalization; and use of modern management and communication. But problems of capacity building, partisan local politics and uncertain lines of financial and decisionmaking accountability between central and local government remain. These general lessons apply to agricultural extension. Moreover, even the best extension service, whether delivered by local or central government, is unlikely to be effective where farmer decisionmaking is unduly influenced by government controls and pricing policies and where security of tenure is weak. Philippines Journal of Public Administration Vol.XLVIII(3) 2004

Local authorities are increasingly facing the challenges of climate change, which requires adaptation of various elements of local government systems, including infrastructure, communities and local economies. Operating in an ever-changing reality, local government units should plan for the necessary sustainable local government investments, with particular attention to structural gaps and financial mismatches. Local government is responsible for ensuring local energy security and thus for 'environmental sustainability'. The overall objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of financing low-emission lowering measures from the Environmental Protection and Water Management Fund in municipalities in Lubusz Province in 2020. The article uses cause-effect relationship analysis (regression models). Investments implemented by local governments generally have a positive impact on the reduction of low emissions, although the results of the study indicate a negative impact of financing investments in alternative energy sources (RES). This may be related to large investment outlays, as well as difficulties in spatial planning, environmental impact and administrative inefficiency.

This paper assesses the challenges posed by Executive Order 138 (EO 138) in devolving functions from national government agencies (NGAs) to Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Philippines. Emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in perceiving LGUs as crucial partners in nation-building, this study presents data-driven evidence of the fiscal inadequacy of LGUs in assuming additional responsibilities. Such inadequacies are reflected in the data pertaining to the average increase due to the Mandana-Garcia Ruling per level of LGU, the increase in spending by LGUs following the downloading of additional funds, and the variation in fund balances across LGUs. Proposing a service delivery-focused approach, this study advocates identifying “universal” services to be delivered by LGUs and “targeted” services based on local needs. A mathematical framework is suggested to determine LGU financial capability, emphasizing the subsidiarity and decentralization principles. This paper calls for the issuance of an Executive Order focusing on this shift in perspective and repealing EO 138, s. 2021, and the formulation of a National Strategic Framework for Local Government Empowerment.

Despite improvements in the transparency of local government budgets in the Republic of Croatia, the situation is still far from satisfactory. Some cities and municipalities performed remarkably well, with a special mention being due to Viskovo, one of 428 municipalities, for having published all the requested budget documents. The leader (as regards the average level of transparency for all local government units located in a county) is the Karlovac County and the least transparent are the Split-Dalmatia, Zadar and Bjelovar-Bilogora counties. Viewed by type of local government units, the most transparent are counties; cities are much less so, and municipalities are mostly non-transparent. The results for all counties, cities and municipalities are also shown on the interactive map. The analysis shows that the budget transparency score of a local government unit is not significantly influenced by its population size or its budget performance. It can therefore be assumed that transparency primarily depends on the local government authorities' political will. National and local government authorities use budget transparency to prove their accountability to citizens and gain their trust. Therefore, the Government and Ministry of Finance should tighten the obligation of local government units to publish key budget documents, including citizens’ guides pertaining to them, within predetermined time limits. They should also penalize those units which do not comply with this obligation. Moreover, they should set a good example of the timely publication of key state budget documents, including citizens’ guides, showing to local government units the importance of budget transparency for the efficient and equitable collection and spending of public funds.