Panoor
Block Panchayat

The Panchayat was a rural governing institution that integrated the centers of authority and legal systems of our country's ancient life. The term "Panchayat" originates from a Sanskrit word denoting the meaning "five." A rural governing body consisting of five members was called a Panchayat. Over time, the number of members in the governing committee increased, while history retained the name "Panchayat." Panchayat is a word used with the exact same meaning across all Indian languages. Serving as the eyes, ears, fragrance, taste, and touch of rural life, these Panchayats existed in India as the "five senses" of social life until the period of British dominance. However, as power and law became part of the concept of the state, authority and the judicial system ceased to be a part of the Panchayats, and gradually the rural influence of the Panchayats weakened.

Following independence, local self-government grew into a universal concept, and in the post-independence society of our country, Panchayats were recreated as a more powerful regional system. Simultaneously, the policies of development blocks were also implemented. Thus, development blocks played an incomparable role in post-independent India's agricultural growth and employment generation within rural areas.

Numerous experiments have been conducted in the field of rural development in India, both before and after independence. The concept of development blocks emerged as a continuation of the pilot project implemented by the Government of India in 1948 after independence. As part of the National Extension Service program, Block Development Offices began to come into existence in our country in October 1952. In the erstwhile Kerala, which was part of Madras State, development blocks were formed under the name "Firkha Development."

In 1954, the Thalassery Firkha Development Office came into existence centered around Thalassery Firkha. The initial form of the Thalassery Block Development Office was solely the Thalassery Firkha. Due to strong public pressure, the operational jurisdictions of Koothuparamba and Mattannur Firkhas were also included as part of the Thalassery Firkha Development Office. Shri Nettur P. Damodaran was the first B.D.O.

In 1956, the Koothuparamba Block was sanctioned, centered around the Koothuparamba and Mattannur Firkhas. In November of that year, the Block Development Office began functioning. Shri A. Achuthan, a freedom fighter and a native of Kasaragod, was the first B.D.O.

As part of planned national development, productive and social activities took place rapidly in the blocks, which influenced regional development. The initial phases focused heavily on agriculture and irrigation. Village Extension Officers (Gramasevaks) struggled hard to convince traditional farmers of chemical fertilizer usage and modern farming methods in the agricultural sector. During that period, the block also undertook numerous irrigation projects. Today, direct agricultural development activities do not fall under the purview of block operations.

A large number of roads were constructed through programs like NREP (National Rural Employment Program, 1980) and RLEGP (Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program, 1988). EAS (Employment Assurance Scheme), JRY (Jawahar Rozgar Yojana), SGRY (Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana), and SGSY (Swarnajayanti Gramin Swarozgar Yojana) were among the past programs of the block. Additionally, the block served as the center for development programs of the central and state governments in areas such as agriculture, animal husbandry, minor irrigation, small-scale industries, family welfare, cooperation, and public works. Many of these have now become the direct responsibilities of the block.

At that time, the Block Development Office did not have constitutional protection or an elected governing body. An advisory committee comprising people's representatives such as Panchayat Presidents, MLAs, and relevant department officials regulated the activities of the block.

During the Indian national independence movement, "Gram Swaraj" (village self-rule) was as much a dream for the Indian populace as "Swaraj." Numerous commissions and studies were conducted to make Gram Swaraj a reality. Against this backdrop, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were passed by Parliament in 1993. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment mandated the formation of Panchayats at the village, district, and intermediate (block) levels. Through this amendment, 34 articles from Article 243, 241A to 243ZG were added to the Constitution. Furthermore, the 11th Schedule (referred to in text as the 41st) detailing the subjects to be handled by Panchayati Raj institutions was also included.

Based on the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act came into force on April 23, 1994. The first election under this act was held in September 1995. Subject to the provisions of the act, the government issued a notification transferring various departmental powers of the government to the Panchayats effective October 2, 1995. With this, a Panchayat was formed at the block level, and for the first time, an elected Block Panchayat governing body with constitutional protection—replacing Block Development Councils (BDCs)—came into existence.

In 1996, the government that came to power in the state initiated steps to make the Panchayati Raj Act more democratic and efficient. A committee chaired by Shri Satyabrata Sen was appointed to study this matter and submit a comprehensive report. Considering the suggestions of this committee, comprehensive amendments were made to the Panchayat Raj Act in 1999.

The state government decided that the formulation of the 9th Five-Year Plan, starting in 1997, should be prepared in a decentralized manner. Appealing to the people of Kerala, who were preparing to undertake a program unprecedented anywhere in the world, the leader of this initiative, Shri E. M. S. Namboodiripad, called upon them to learn from experiences, critically examine activities, evaluate strengths alongside weaknesses, find solutions, and move forward.

In the planning experiments conducted in India up to that point, public participation largely meant the participation of people's representatives. However, a Five-Year Plan was now being democratically and decentralisedly formulated and implemented by sections of the public, including rural residents. The government provided the funds, authority, and bureaucratic machinery necessary to implement the decisions made. The Block Panchayat began utilizing its available resources beneficially through the People's Plan Campaign (Janakeeyasoothranam). Today, by combining state plan allocations with centrally sponsored scheme allocations, the Block Panchayat is able to overcome developmental challenges.

Based on a decade of experience in the field of people's planning, the state government decided in 2010 to redraw the administrative boundaries of Block Panchayats to further strengthen decentralization. It was decided to form the Panoor Block Panchayat by joining 7 village panchayats, including Mokeri, Panniyannur, and Panoor village panchayats, which were part of the Thalassery Block Panchayat.

The Panoor Block Panchayat, established with its headquarters in Panoor town, held its elections in 2011. The first governing body, with Smt. Vasanthakumari Teacher as President, came into existence on November 1, 2010.

Although there were many initial teething troubles as a newly formed Block Panchayat, the first governing body managed to overcome them through social commitment, an excellent operational style, and public support.

Right as the term of the first governing body was ending, the administrative boundaries of the five-year-old Panoor Block Panchayat were redrawn. The Panoor Municipality was newly formed by combining Panoor, Kariyad, and Peringalam panchayats. The remaining panchayat areas of Kathirur, Mokeri, Chokli, and Panniyannur now fall under the jurisdiction of the Panoor Block Panchayat.

Following the panchayat elections, the second governing body of the Panoor Block Panchayat came into existence, and the administration led by Shri K. E. Kunjabdulla assumed office on November 1, 2015. Based on the need for headquarters within the block limits to provide effective service in rural areas, and with government approval, the Panoor block headquarters was shifted from Panoor town to Thazhe Chovva (Thazhe Chompad). As a result of the determined efforts of the second governing body, the Block Panchayat was able to construct its own headquarters building and shift all component institutions into the block complex. Today, the Panoor Block Panchayat office complex is one of the most beautiful Block Panchayat office buildings in Kerala itself. After completing half of the governing body's term, K. E. Kunjabdulla stepped down as President, and Shri N. Anoop assumed office as President. Through stellar performance, the Panoor Block Panchayat has managed to become an indispensable link in developmental activities. The new governing body that came into power in 2020 under the leadership of Smt. A. Shailaja also demonstrated target-oriented and result-oriented developmental activities.

The new governing body that came into existence in 2025 under the leadership of the newly elected Smt. Praseetha N. has already initiated efforts to take development to even greater heights.