Rural Local Self-Government

CHAPTER
TOPICS OF THE
Life
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Step Taken for a Better

of Local
S e l f - G o v e r n m e n t

Describe Rural Local Self-Government

the Importance
Self-Governrnent
Bodies in Rural Areas
.Local
Explain the features and functions o . T h eVillage Panchayat
ocalgovernment at the village, block and . S o u r c e s o f Income
district levels.
Importance of the Village Panchayats Biock
or
Appreciate the role played by the local of Panchayat Samiti
.Composition
bodies.
Samiti
Initiate responsibilities to help local .Functions of Block
Samiti
bodies.
Zila Parishad
Achievements of the Panchayati Raj
Government and the
Panchayat Pa
The State
not
The study of Civics helps us to become aware, to develop our villages. Before independence,
the economic

was paid to improve

responsible and law-abiding citizens of our country. much attention
or to
their
remnove

We enjoy many Fundamental Rights in

our condition of the people,
democratic country. We are also expected to backwardness. Poverty, ignorance, superstitions
perform certain Fundamental Duties
the powers and
Cvics also makes us understand Government. The
three of our
functions of the organs
implements
Legislature makes laws. The Executivethe Constitution
the laws. The Judiciary interprets
our Fundamental
and safeguards it. It also protects
Kights from being violated.
to evolve into
The study of Civics helps us

responsible citizens.
in India. Almost
here are nearly 649,481 villages The
Indian population lives in villages.
0%ofthe most of
and cíties. Since
et % lives in towns we need
A scene of a village
live in villages,
people of our country

99
r y and Cvics Class-6
 have been
d
linke with
seidh
s io w a f a i r s

villages
villages

the
M ost
Most
t o w n sa n d c i t i e s
through pucca toad The y
British rule be
in
be transported
tr to the ministrative

lak of
facilities
prevailed

of the
village
can

lorries and
tractors, Post o mafe a ealsed the
x d
trucks,
have been established in most f the goer and decis

lgs Better
Life worked economic upliftmen ment the gvernmen e d tbe Panch

Taken for
a has
n encouragene
co-operatives and given
of villages.
government

Steps the
independence,
conditions industrie like puitry farmie The Village Pe
Aer the s u c h as
improving and
small-scale

M y ona numberofsteps keeping, fishing etc.

b e word Pancha
taken system,
has

abolishing
the
zamindari

Importance
of Local Self-Gover members

year plans,
canals,
five through of a panie
community,
For development
preparing
irrigation here are some

water for
providing
tubewells and river valley projects.implements is
the local people very important. Lo i n g such as

fertilisers
and new
their oblems and they understand and ighting of
seeds, know
Local s ighting of
of their community locality.
better
or
for farming education. education for c
laid spread of local adership that later
bodies develop
on
emphasis is mpulsory for
compulsory
Vlage panchaya
Great
is free and central governments in sharing t
.Primaryeducation country.
the
stateand which thus gets done quicker, b Since villagers
children all o v e r

efforts have
been made
to
ofwork
.In some big villages senior secondary
schools. cheaper
and Functions os
open secondary
Night schools for adults have been
opened
ified Local Self-Governing Bodies in Rura
Centres run by qualified In rural areas, the local self-governm 1. Const
Primary Health roads
opened in many villages. three-tier system. (a) At the lowest levd S
doctors have been
programmes 2 Affore
Many community developmentthe backward- Village Panchayat. (6) At the block levd te
launched to remove
Panchayat Samiti. (c) At the district lne t Const
have been
ness of the village people. taniks
Zila
Zila Parishad.
of the villages Provis
Not only electricity has reached most
but other sources of energy such as solar energy and It is an old system of administration prin Provis
village people the freedom and power to m 6 Sanita
biogas have been also introduced
75 pe
of th
Serva

Zila Patwa
and
Parishad
(at District Level)
Com
tihem
aun

Panchayat Samit
(at Block Level)

Rural Area Post Office

Gram Panchayat
(at Village Level)
iteracy Inatility to read and write from sun
Prevailed Be widespread or current in a Solar energy The energ derived

Zamindari system: The systen of land particular area. DOgas: A gaseous fuel produced
by
holding
collection by landiords.
and revenue of organic wastes noprafta

Cooperative: An organisation run on

basis.

100
Historyand
have been linked with
throughpucca road The neighbouuring r ow afairs. The system did not wk darg
an be transported to the roduce Britishrule because the British imposed Ple e villpe e s
and tractors. Post markets
offices and be dministrative policies. The gvernment of free
blished in most of the da realised
the importance of decenteralisation of Gram Sabha
tment the government has villages
For tand decision making at grass-roots. It has A Gram Shh
arted may be colled e
nd given ouragement to
cott ved the Panchayati Raj system. villagens All major l s g
p
industries like poultry arming, be he Village Panchayat discussed here fir. They de
etc Panchayat The number of thee g
nf Local Self-Government Deword Panchayat literally means a team of
five differ from state to state. All mes
18 years age and aboe are nd
t of a community,
members
s mebes
e is very important.
participation of There are some
basic requirements forhealthy
a
a
village assembly and meets leat tcr sye
Local people such as clean drinking water, cleaning
lems and they nderstand the nee ving,
facilities, primary
Gram Panchayat
of roads, medic
ity or locality. Local self-governina and lighting The members of a Gram Sabha dect s mll
for children, roads for transport, etc.
ocal leadership that later helps the education
provide for these requirements. committee of members to constitute the Grm
governments in sharing the burden Village panchayats
hus gets done quicker, better and Since villagers
are more aware of their local Panchayat

erning Bodies in Rural Areas Functions of a Village Panchayat

1. Construction and maintenance of village
the local self-government isa roads and waterways.
(a) At the lowest level there is 2 Afforestation
at. (b) At the block level there is
3. Construction and repair of village wells andd
i (c) At the district level there is
tanks
4. Provision of lean drinking water.
em of administratj 5. Provision of lights on roads and streets.
freedom and po 6. Sanitation and public health.
7. Supervision of the work
of the government
servants Such as the
Patwari, the Lekhpal,
and to report any
Complaint against
them to the higher
authorities.
8. Supervision of primary schools
9. Management of health centres and
maternity centres.
10. Management of village markets.
11. Management of veterinary hospitals
12. Supply of good seeds and fertilisers.
13. Opening and maintaining libraries.
14. Holding of village fairs.
ipositon

Class-6
History and Cvia
p r o f i ea n d n o - i o s

101
Ciucs
Classd

History and Cics Class6

Hiatoryand
 tperforms various functions such as looking
after health and sanitation,
3. Fees realised from regstration
purchase of cattle.
of sde
providing education,
maintaining, buying and selling village property 4. Income from the sale of public propeny
Representation of men and women of scheduled 5. Government grants
castes, tribes and other backward classes is
necessary
in a
Village Panchayat. Importance of Gram Panchayats
The members of the Gram
elect one of
Panchayat
The village panchayats teach the
their members as cooperate with each other and to gers
Sarpanch or Pradhan who is the sove
head or president of the
Panchayat. In many states
common problems. They gve then the frs
he/she is elected of democracy. The villagers learn how to
directly by the people. deg e
The Panchayat representatives who would serve them the bes,
Secretary
is appointed by
government. He is a permanent employeee who
the
villagers also learn to be self-suficient The v S a t a

maintains the records and the panchayat is the first tier of Pandhayati Raim
register of the work nctions of Blc
done by Panchayat. country.
A Biock Samits

The Nyaya Panchayat We learnt about the village panchayats. The Vllagr Pancha
various problems common to
A
Nyaya Panchayat is meant for resolving minor neighbouring ile
Many village panchayats form Block Samt
a m g a g e s man

disputes and to provide speedy justice. Some Nyaya Panchayat Samiti. Experts in the
Panchayats are elected while others are partly he vllagers im
elected and partly nominated.
These panchayats hear
Composition of Panchayat Samiti o ferilisers, inse
simple cases of both civil and Block Samiti
criminal nature for which beeed of catie
they can impose fine but It is an indirectly
elected body. The Pradha
they do not have the right to send a Exgerts bring
person to jail. Panchas of the Village Panchayats in a blodk
their representatives to the Block Samii
do f the people
Sources of Income Beside
such representatives, there are other harangrs fun
1. Taxes on houses and shops. membes
well. biodk developm
2. Taxes on fairs and markets.
The members elect a chairperson and a tarranges
vi
chairperson. The chairperson looks ater everd personnel for e
work of the Block Samiti. In his absence, he vi
cOnstruction
chairperson takes care of the work of the Bad nd educations
Samiti. The term of a Block Samiti is fve yeas
Dle Parishadd
Other Members of a Block Samit The Zila Parishada
be Panchayati Ra
Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Satha
Members of Vidhan Sabha and VidhanPa
shad from the block
inates
vhle
the acti
Representatives of women, Scheduled district. It is
Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Ba0 Chairman of
Meeting of a Vilage Panchayat
ward classes from the block. Members of L
he distric
The members of castes lagging
Backward dlasses: socaly and economically.
behind Self-sufficient: Able to maintain oneself or
outside aid Members
Parishad fromof
appoint someone to a
Nominate: To officially
position
Bepresentative
 and a vice
elects a president
G r a mS a b h a

The Zila Parishad members.

from among its members
Block Samiti president
loqg yancxa Punctions
of
Samiti supervises
the working
of the
president

Functions
syot. Soaresth ,A Block The main
function of the Zila
Parishad is to
Village P a n c h a y a t s .
villagers. Block Samitis
to help the Panchayats and
see that Village

s ists n6Vstb
experts
engages
many also help
It field of agriculture
work properly. off
in the
Experts better quality
seeds, also has the responsibility
in obtaining the .The Zila Parishad
the villagers and in improving
implementing various programmes.
anditedy bxco fertilisers,
insecticides
and executes

.The Zila Parishad also prepares

as d breed of cattle.
the'Vlke heb about a change
in the outlook development plans
for district.

eyentáws sh Experts bring

of the people
through
education and literacy.
for the
eepentdve bna .t arranges
funds from
block development programmes.
the government
Other Major Functions
of the Zila
Parishad

over the
services of technical
supervision
and control
for the
members ded sdien I t arranges
development plans
in agriculture,
Exercises
Panchayat Samitis.

oervn The duie personnel for health

Advises the state
government
onstruction of
roads and buildings,
Panchayat Samit
d the Bad an i and education, etc. Approves the
budget of the
them.
funds among
pervon tiks aæf and distributes
and inspects primary
Zila Parishad
maintains
The tend ai Parishad is the highest
institution of Establishes,
and secondary schools.

The Zila Parishad inspects hospi-

India. The Zila maintains and
Mendesdithe
ther Vembes Panchayati Raj in the
.Establishes,

and child
weifare centres.

activities of the
Block Samitis in tals, maternity and
ue oon
Coordinates the provides light
ds of roads, parks,
hole district. It is composed
Constructs
Mente
Memtes whole in a district. water supply.
Samitis
Memtes
di u Chairman of all Block
from minor irrigation
works.

fomte
2 Members of Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha .Undertakes

Sad
.Promotes
local industries and arts.
the district. executes
cooperatives.

Sabha and
Vidhan Establishes and
Members of Vidhan
Parishad from the district
women.
Representatives SC, ST and of
103

Hitory and Ciics Class6

 decision makihi
part in
PanchayatiRajhas inpromed the o
Pause and think The through welfare
established by a
ofthe villages actite
Panchayati Raj system
was
When was Panchayats
have been able to
in India.
amerndment

attention of
the government ofi"
wf
constitutional

the amendment passed?

problems
Government and the
Sources of Income The State
Samitis, the sources of income Panchayati Raj
Like those of Block the
from taxes and of India
of has
has strengs
strenghese
of the Zila Parishads are mainly
Constitution
Constitution

Besides, the The

financial grants from the government. Panchayats by giving
Village Panchayats gving them more
mone

income from the property It directs that regular elections to the yaha
Zila Parishad also gets
owned by it. should be held every five years. For this Do
State Election Commission has been formed
Achievements of the Panchayati Raj
government gives financial grants to the Pand
The Panchayati Raj has brought political Raj system. Thirty-three per cent of seas

awareness among rural people. They elect and panchayats are reserved for women.

The state government keeps a strict wad n S

Enrich Your Knowledge
Panchayati Raj system is the oldest system
local government in South Asia. In India it wass
first inaugurated at Nagaur in Rajasthan in
October 1959. Andhra Pradesh was the second
state to establish it. By the constitutional 73rd
Amendment Act, 1992 it was extended to other
states also
working of the Panchayati Raj institutions
of
The collector (District Magistrate) or the D
Commissioner represents the state gomem
at the district level. He coordinates the w d
the government officers of the district and e
Panchayati Raj. The Block Development OHiar
(BDO) does the same work at the block lend

IA Panchayat School senior c r a

APanchayat official heliping a