An Analysis Of The Participation Of Tribes In The Oorukoottam: A Study In The Kuttampuzha Grama Panchayat Of Ernakulam District

Abstract

With the 73^rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution, the Panchayati Raj Institutions got autonomy in decision making in the areas of revenue mobilisation, plan formulation and its execution. Grama Sabha has become an institution of local democracy in which people can raise their concerns, lead discussions and finalise projects etc. Along with the general population, tribes in the country have a say in decision-making at the panchayat level. Kerala, the state which got international acclaim in its move towards decentralised decision making, offered the tribes a platform to participate in policy making spaces through Grama Sabha and Oorukoottams. However, it is doubtful whether tribes in the state are well aware of the process involved in decision making and whether they sincerely engage in the process of their own development. It is in this context that the present study takes into account the current status of tribal participation in these institutions and to what extent tribes could make a difference in preparing local development projects in the study area. The study is conducted at Kuttampuzha Grama Panchayat in the Ernakulam District of Kerala.