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Question
Answer the question.
Explain the Three-Tier system of Panchayati Raj under the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution of India.
Solution
Under 73rd amendment the Panchayati raj system has the following three-tier structure :
1. Gram Panchayat at village level: The gram panchayat is executive of Gram Sabha. The members of the Gram Panchayat are elected by the Gram Sabha. Every adult member of the village has the right to vote in the panchayat elections. The Gram Panchayat has the following responsibilities :
- To provide clean drinking water in the village and disinfecting the tanks, wells, etc.
- To improve sanitary conditions in the village.
- To ensure better healthcare facilities for the village by opening dispensaries and hospitals.
2. Panchayat Samiti at block level: The members of Panchayat Samiti or Block Development Committee are elected directly by the people through universal adult franchise. The ex-officio member of Panchayat Samiti is MLAs, MPs, SDMs and BDOs of the areas. Besides ex-officio members, the others is elected members. Some seats are kept reserved for SC and ST members. 30% of seats are kept reserved for women candidates. The term of Block Samiti is five years. The functions of Block Samiti are as follows :
- To look after the working of Gram Panchayat.
- To promote scientific and modem agri-cultural practice in the area and to distribute fertilizers, high yield seeds, and scientific equipment to the farmers.
3. Zilla Parishad at district level: The Chairman of Zilla Parishad is elected by the Chairman of Panchayat Samities in the district. The ex-officio members are MLAs, MPs, SDMs, Collector and Deputy Collector. For every state government, there is a financial commission to review the financial condition of these institutions and to review the allocation of funds and grant-in-aid. The functions of Zilla Parishad are as follows :
- To co-ordinate the working of Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis in the district.
- To study the annual budget of the Panchayat Samiti and to approve it.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Discuss three challenges faced by Panchayati Raj institutions in India.
Constitution of India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government. Think over the situation described in the following statements and explain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayats in becoming units of self-government.
a. The government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a huge steel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steel plant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolution that before establishing any big industries in the region, village people must be consulted and their grievances should be redressed.
b. The government has decided that 20 % of all its expenditure would be done through the panchayats.
c. A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building for the village school, the government officials turned down their proposal saying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannot be spent otherwise.
d. The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a part of village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased to exist in government’s books.
e. A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region are depleting fast. They decided to mobilise village youth to do some voluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.
Suppose you are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, what powers would you endow to the village panchayats to function as units of self-government? Mention any five powers and the justification in two lines for each of them for giving those powers.
Read the provisions of the 73rd Amendment. Which of the following concerns does this amendment address?
The following are different justifications given in favour of the local government. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greater significance to a particular rationale than the others. According to you, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayat of Vengaivasal village was based? How?
a. The government can complete the projects with lesser cost with the involvement of the local community.
b. The development plans made by the local people will have greater acceptability than those made by the government officers.
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d. It is difficult for the common people to contact their representatives of the State or the national legislature.
Which of the following according to you involves decentralisation?
Why are other options not sufficient for decentralisation?
A student of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study the role of decentralisation in decision-making about primary education. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questions are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer would you give to each of these questions?
A meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps should be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to the school.
a. How would you decide a suitable day for the meeting? Think who would be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of your choice.
(i) A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii) Day of the village haat
(iii) Sunday
(iv) Naag Panchami/Sankranti
b. What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i) Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii) Religious place in the village.
(iii) Dalit Mohalla
(iv) Upper caste Tola
(v) Village school
c. In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the district collector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken to organise an education rally and what should be its route. The meeting did not discuss the children who never come to school or about girls’ education, or the condition of the school building and the timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as it was held on Sunday.
What do you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’s participation?
d. Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of the meeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Discuss the three-tier system of local self-government in rural areas.
The responsibility of conducting elections for Panchayati Raj institutions resides with the ______.
The top-tier of the Panchayati Raj System operates at the district level. Elaborate on its composition.
