Chapter 5: Local Self Government: Rural

Question 1

What is the meaning of Local Self Government?

Answer 1

Local Self Governments are institutions comprising locally elected representatives managing the affairs of the locality and providing them with basic amenities. They are known as Panchayats in Rural areas.

Question 2

What is a Local Self Government and a Self Government?

Answer 2

In self-government, the administration of a locality is looked after by the officials appointed by the state. They include patwari, or the policeman or the village chowkidar, and the village postman.

Local self-government consists of elected representatives. They receive government grants for their activities like sanitation, providing elementary education and settling disputes.

Question 3

What are the 8 significances of Local Self Government?

Answer 3

1. These institutions provide the foundations on which the entire democratic structure of the country stands. they make it possible for local people to take interest in their own affairs and groom them well to take on larger responsibilities later.
2. They provide a training ground for local leadership and to gain the necessary experience for undertaking bigger challenges at the state or the national level.
3. Local people know their problems well and are best judges of their own needs.
4. The local institutions encourage self-help and voluntary service and save the state of many unnecessary expenses.
5. These institutions gain the support of the local communities.
6. Through these institutions government can reach ordinary citizens in times of need like national emergencies.
7. They lessen the burden of workload on state and central government machinery.
8. They facilitate the active participation of local people as an individual can evaluate the performance of the elected members.

Question 4

Where and when was the Panchayati Raj system first inaugurated?

Answer 4

The Panchayati Raj system was first inaugurated at Nagaur in Rajasthan on October 2, 1959.

Question 5

When did the Constitution Act first come into force?

Answer 5

24th April 1993

Question 6

Which day is celebrated as Panchayati Diwas?

Answer 6

24th April

Question 7

What were the 5 salient features of the Constitution Act 1992?

Answer 7

1. To provide a three-tier system of Panchayati Raj for all states having a population over 20 lakh,
2. To hold Panchayat elections regularly, every 5 years.
3. To provide reservation of seats for Scheduled castes, Scheduled tribes and women.
4. To constitute state finance commissions every five years to make recommendations on the financial powers of the panchayats.
5. To constitute District Planning Committee to prepare a draft development plan for the district as a whole.

Question 8

When did the three-tier system of local self-government for rural areas come into effect?

Answer 8

April 1993.

Question 9

What are the qualifications for election to local bodies?

Answer 9

1. He must be a citizen of India and not less than 21 years of age
2. He must be a registered voter, in the case of Panchayats, members of the Gram Sabha, in the constituency
3. He should not be a convict of having been disqualified by a Law of the Parliament or an undischarged insolvent.
4. He should not hold any office of profit under the government.

Question 10

What is a Gram Sabha?

Answer 10

The Gram Sabha performs as a general body of the Gram Panchayat. All adult men and women in the village registered as voters are members of the Gram Sabha.

Question 11

What is the composition of the Gram Panchayat?

Answer 11

Sarpanch:
He is the head of the Gram Panchayat

Members:
A village panchayat generally, has 5 to 9 members.
One-third of the seats are reserved for women. Seats are also reserved for Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes in proportion to their population in the village.

Office Bearers:
The Sarpanch and Vice-Sarpanch are honorary members. They are not paid a salary. A paid Secretary to the Panchayat and a treasurer are appointed by the State government.

Question 12

What are the administrative functions of the Gram Panchayat?

Answer 12

• All public works and public welfare functions
• Upkeep of cremation and burial grounds
• Sanitation, health, setting up of health centres and dispensaries.
• Providing primary education
• Arranging irrigation facilities, seeds, fertilisers.
• Registration of births and deaths
• Maintaining records of common village property, their sale and purchase of land grants.

Question 13

What are the social and economic grants of the Gram Panchayat?

Answer 13

These functions are non-obligatory and can be performed according to the funds.

1. Construction of guest houses, libraries, marriage halls, etc.
2. Organising regular village meals, fairs and exhibitions
3. Planting of trees parks, gardens and playgrounds for recreation.
4. Establishing fair price shops, cooperative credit societies.

Question 14

What are Nyaya Panchayats also known as?

Answer 14

Panchayati Adalat

Question 15

What are the functions of the Nyaya Panchayat?

Answer 15

1. They ensure quick and inexpensive justice for the villagers.
2. They can impose a fine of up to Rs. 100.
3. They cannot award a sentence of imprisonment.
4. Lawyers are not allowed to appear before these Panchayats.
5. There is generally no appeal against the decision of these Panchayats.
6. However, under the Panchayats Act, Sub-divisional Magistrates and Sub-Judges of the District are empowered to hear appeals.
7. No person can be a member of the Nyaya Panchayat and the Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat or other local self-governing body at the same time.

Question 16

What are the other names of the Panchayat Samiti (Block Samiti)?

Answer 16

Panchayat Samiti, Kshetra Samiti, Janapada Panchayat and Panchayat Union Council.

Question 17

What is the composition of the Panchayat Simitis?

Answer 17

1. The Sarpanchs of all Panchayats are concerned.
2. Members of Legislative Assembly of the State from the area.
3. Members of the Parliament belonging to the area.
4. Block Development Officers of the block.
5. Co-opted members representing women, Scheduled Castes/Tribes.
6. Representatives of cooperative societies.

Question 18

Who are the office bearers of the Panchayat Samiti?

Answer 18

Chairperson: Elected from amongst its own members

Deputy Chairperson: Elected from amongst its own members

Secretary: A salaried employee appointed by the State authorities through District Administration.

Question 19

What are the functions of the Panchayat Samiti?

Answer 19

1. To supervise and coordinate the working of the Gram Panchayats.
2. To conduct higher education at a block level.
3. To provide hospitals and health services with various facilities at the community level
4. To pay special attention to the development of agriculture through undertaking minor irrigation schemes, distribution of quality seeds and fertilisers.
5. To approve building plans, undertake other development works including roads and bridges within the circle Panchayats.
6. To provide drinking water and execute other community development programmes.
7. To act as a link between the Gram Panchayat and Zila Parishad.

Question 20

What is the Zila Parishad and what is it also known as?

Answer 20

It is at the apex of the Panchayati System. It is at the district level. It is a link between the State Government and the Gram Panchayats.

It is also known as District Development Council, Zila Parishad and Mohkuma Parishad.

Question 21

What is the composition of the Zila Parishad?

Answer 21

The membership varies from 40 to 60 and comprises the Deputy Commissioner of the District, Presidents of all Panchayat Samitis in the district and the Heads of all Government Departments in the district, a representative of each cooperative society, some women and Scheduled Caste members, if not adequately represented, and co-opted members having extraordinary experience and achievements in public service.

Question 22

Who are the office-bearers in the Zila Parishad?

Answer 22

Chairman: presides over the meetings and conducts proceedings. Elected by members amongst themselves.

Deputy Chairperson: Elected by members amongst themselves.

Secretary: A whole-time paid employee of the state government.

Question 23

What are the functions of the Zila Parishad?

Answer 23

1. Overseeing all-around development work of the district under the overall charge of an experienced functionary like the deputy commissioner.
2. The standing committees each have a chairperson and a deputy chairperson holds discussions and takes decisions. Members of the district boards are also included in the Standing Committee.
3. In practice, the working committee functions as the executive body of the district board.
4. Supervision of working of panchayats is carried out
5. In some states, scrutiny of the budget estimates of Panchayat Samitis is done.
6. It cooperates with and coordinates the work of the Panchayat Samitis for undertaking various development works especially minor irrigation works, vocational and industrial schools, village industries, sanitation and public health.
7. It advises the state government on all matters regarding the Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis under their own jurisdiction.

Question 24

What are the achievements of the Panchayati-Raj system?

Answer 24

1. Panchayati Ray system ensures effective coordination between government programmes and those of voluntary agencies.
2. The District Rural Development Agencies in close cooperation with Zila Parishads release funds to Gram Panchayats under the Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana. Its main objective is to create a demand-driven village infrastructure. JGSY is now implemented through Panchayats all over the country. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, provides every rural household 100 days of work in a year which involves unskilled manual work.