Livelihood pressures, participation fatigue key reasons for low gram sabha attendance: study

Livelihood and occupational pressures are the biggest barriers preventing people from participating in gram sabhas, but a new study commissioned by the Union government found that another key factor behind low engagement is “participation fatigue”, when repeated meetings are held without any visible outcomes. 

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The study, conducted by the National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), Hyderabad, for the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, covered about 7,790 respondents across 400 gram panchayats in 213 districts spanning 26 States and Union Territories.

While the report does not provide a nationwide attendance rate, it found that nearly half of the respondents (47%) attended only one or two meetings in the previous year. Awareness levels were high but uneven. Almost 94% of respondents reported being aware of gram sabha meetings and 83% were aware of their participation rights. However, only 59% understood quorum and procedural requirements, indicating that awareness does not necessarily translate into informed engagement.

Work constraints

Livelihood and occupational pressures emerged as the dominant barrier, with over 55% of respondents citing them as the reason for skipping meetings. A more detailed examination found that most respondents who were unable to attend gram sabha meetings were daily wage labourers or migrants who had moved in search of livelihood.

The report also warned that “participation fatigue” caused by “repeated meetings held without visible outcomes” reduces public interest and dilutes the significance of gram sabha processes.

Lack of transparency

However, it was a lack of transparency that emerged as the top concern, cited by 45% of respondents, ahead of the lack of visible outcomes (42%), repetitive or formal meetings (33%), trust issues (33%), political interference (28%), and weak grievance resolution (16%).

For instance, 87% of respondents said grievances are received during meetings. However, only 14% said grievances are resolved immediately. While 63% said grievances are recorded and followed up later, almost 18% said they are rarely addressed and 5% said they are not addressed at all. The report identified this gap between grievances being heard and being resolved as a factor undermining long-term trust and willingness to continue attending meetings.

The report recommended that the government focus not only on attendance but also on putting in place frameworks that enable stronger local accountability mechanisms to address the barriers identified in the study.