All Chapters March 18, 2022

Chapter 1 Panchayati Raj System in India: History and Legal Framework
Mahatma Gandhi has always wanted to create a self-sufficient village Panchayat as a model for local
autonomy. The Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) was introduced to India as a decentralized form of
administration and was given the legal status by the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution.
The Panchayati Organization (PRI) is responsible for economic development, strengthening social
justice, and implementing central and state government programs, including the 29 subjects listed in
the 11th Schedule of the Constitution.
In line with the above amendments, the GoI enacted the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas
(PESA) Act in 1996 to cover the "scheduled areas" that were not previously covered in Part IX of the
73rd Amendment. The PESA Act has brought the powers down towards the Gram Sabha. The gram
panchayats take care of developing rural areas by enabling direct participation of elected
representatives in developmental activities. The Central Finance Commission and State Finance
Commission give significant financial aid through grants for such rural development activities executed
by the panchayats. The gram panchayats play an important role in the implementation of various
government programs focused on rural development. This unit shall discuss the above topics in detail.
Objectives of the Chapter

The primary objectives of this chapter are as follows;
To provide insight into the Panchayati Raj System in India from the Gandhian perspective.
To introduce the salient features of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.
To create a better understanding of the PESA Act 1996.
To develop knowledge about how Gram Panchayats utilize the Central and State Finance
Commission Grants for rural development.
To give an overall view regarding the role of Gram Panchayats on various rural development
schemes.
Chapter Structure
1.1 Panchayati Raj System in India: An Introduction Management
1.2. Legal Framework for Panchayati Raj System
1.3. Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996
1.4. Utilization of Central & State Finance Commission Grants by GPs
1.5. Role of Panchayats in Implementing the Rural Development Schemes
302 Panchayati Raj 1 MGNCRE

1.1. Panchayati Raj System in India: An Introduction
"I have not pictured a poverty-stricken India containing ignorant millions. I have pictured to myself an
India continually progressing along the lines best suited to her genius. I do not, however, picture it as a
third class or even a first-class copy of the dying civilization of the West."
- Mahatma Gandhi
The Panchayati Raj system was introduced by the 73 rd Constitutional Amendment in 1993. It is a system
of local self-government of villages in rural India. The Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) ensure the
achievement of such local self-government. These Institutions aim "to bring economic development in
rural India, strengthen social justice, and implement various rural-based Central and State Government
Schemes, including those 29 subjects listed in the 11th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.”
Panchayati raj institutions activate local village governments, which play an important role in the
development of villages, especially in the areas of primary education, health, agricultural development,
women and children development, and women's participation in local sel-government. Before
discussing the present Panchayati Raj system exists in India in detail, it would be better to understand it
from the Gandhian perspective as discussed below;
Gandhian Perspective of Panchayati Raj

The concept of Panchayat Raj is not new to India. Since Vedic times, the villages were the basic units for
local self-administration. It is the oldest system of local self-government in India. Mahatma Gandhi's
Gram Swaraj (village self-governance) also means such a decentralized form of Government in which
each village would be responsible for its affairs. Ever since Gandhi returned from South Africa to India in
1915, he emphasized revitalizing the village panchayat system and bringing village Swaraj into the
country. Gandhiji firmly believed that the real India lives in her seven hundred thousand and odd villages
and that India has no future unless these villages play their role in the country's day-to-day life. His
scheme of Village Swaraj included all sorts of village activities that could make each village self-
governing and self-contained as far as the essential needs of the inhabitants were concerned.
Gandhiji believed that the vast network of such "little republics" would peacefully cooperate for their
mutual benefits, enabling the country to progress towards its ultimate goal of growth smoothly. In his
opinion, a non-violent rural economy based on Khadi and other village industries, the village sanitation,
hygiene, diet and health, medical relief, primary education, arts and crafts, cooperative cattle farming,
other village cooperatives and Shanti Sena were some of the primary means by which the Indian villages
could achieve the all-round development. An individual worker trained and disciplined for initiating and
helping forward such a broad-based movement would be its fulcrum.
Need for Village Movement

Gandhiji felt that the villagers have suffered from neglect by the people who had chosen city life after
taking the benefit of education. He viewed establishing village movement as an attempt to develop a
healthy contract with the villages by inducing those who have the spirit of service to settle in them and
find self-expression in the service of villagers."1(Gandhi, 1959, p.3)
He believed that only those who have faith in themselves and their mission could serve the villagers in a
manner acceptable to them and would influence their lives, and those who have gone to villages merely
to earn money without the incentive of service would not be helpful. He calls everyone to make a
beginning by making their villages cleaner by their labour and to remove rural illiteracy to the extent of

their ability. He firmly believed that if the worker's life is clean, methodical and industrious, infection will
spread in the village too in which he is working.
The villages he dreamt of will not have an army of BAs and MAs who could speak English like Englishmen
but would not have employment or have clerical jobs where they could not use what they have learned
in their schools and colleges. However, they will not have illiterates either. No one would be idle for
want of work. Everyone will be usefully occupied in labour and having nourishing food, good houses,
sufficient Khadi for covering their body, better knowledge and practice of hygiene and sanitation.
Panchayats in Pre-Independence Day

Panchayat has its ancient flavour. The word 'Panchayat' is a combination of two words, 'Panch' + 'ayat',
which means 'five' + 'assembly'. Traditionally these panchayats consisted of five respected elders chosen
by the local community. The leader of the panchayat was called sarpanch, mukhiya or pradhan. Their
main job was to settle disputes between individuals/villages. Gandhiji blames that the revenue
collection method of the British Government had ruthlessly destroyed these ancient republics, and he
strongly recommended their revival. He favours these panchayats trying civil cases but strongly objected
to trying criminal cases, including rape. He suggested the following rules and guidelines for its revival;
(Gandhi, 1959, p.6-7).
1. Every panchayat should be set up only upon the written sanction of a Provincial Congress
Committee;
2. A panchayat should be elected by a public meeting called for the purpose by the beat of drums.
3. The Tahsil Committee should recommend it;
4. Panchayats should have no power to try criminal suits, including rapes;
5. It may be allowed to try civil suits if the parties concerned refer it to panchayat;
6. No one is compelled to refer any matter to panchayat;
7. No panchayat shall have any authority to impose fines. They shall sanction only impartial civil
decrees based on moral authority which the parties involved may willingly obey;
8. No social or other boycotts should be there;
9. Every village panchayat should attend to (a) education of boys and girls, (b) village sanitation, (c)
medical needs, (d) upkeep and cleanliness of village wells or ponds, (e) The uplift of and daily wants
of the so-called untouchables.
10. If a panchayat fails without cause to attend to the requirements of the 9th clause mentioned above
within six months of its election, another panchayat should be elected in its place, disbanding the
current panchayat. The same applies if the panchayat fails to retain the villagers' goodwill or stands
self-condemned for any other reasons appearing sufficient to the Provincial Congress Committee.
Panchayats in Independent India

Gandhiji wanted independence to start at the bottom. He wanted every village to be self-sustained and
capable of managing its affairs in any situation. Being self-sustained does not mean avoiding help or
taking help from the neighbours, but he insisted that such exchange of support should be a free and
voluntary play of common interests. It would be a highly cultured society in which every man and
woman knows what he/she wants to get and also they are aware that no one should want anything that
others cannot have with equal labour.
Their life will not be a pyramid with an apex sustained by the bottom. Instead, it will be a structure
composed of numerous villages as ever-widening, never ascending oceanic circles whose centre will be
the individual ready to sacrifice his life for the village's sake, humbly. He will be a god-fearing individual

who is willing to follow truth and non-violence. Every religion must enjoy its full and equal place, and no
one will be superior or inferior to the other. Also, there is no room for machines to replace human
labour that would concentrate powers in a few hands. The powers enjoyed by zamindars, capitalists and
the rajas can sway so long as the ordinary people do not realize their strength. Once the panchayat raj is
established and the people non-cooperate with the evil of zamindari or capitalism, it would die of
inanition, and finally, public opinion will do what violence can never do.
Village Swaraj
The village republic is independent of its neighbours for its vital needs, and therefore their first concern
will be to grow its food crops and cotton for its cloth. The village should have a reserve for its cattle,
recreation and playground for adults and children. If there is still more land available, then it will grow
valuable money crops, excluding ganja, tobacco, opium, and the like. The village will maintain a village
school, theatre, public hall, and controlled wells and tanks to ensure water supply. Education should be
compulsory up to the final primary course. Also, there will be a mandatory service of village guards
selected on a rotation basis from the register maintained in the village.
Non-violence with its technique of Satyagraha and non-cooperation will be the sanction of the village
community. Gandhiji believed that there would be a perfect democracy based upon individual freedom,
and the individual will be the architect of his Government. Further, the law of non-violence rules the
individual and his Government. He and his village can defy the might of a world. The individual will suffer
death in defence of his village and its honour. Constructing such a model village may be the work of a
lifetime. Any lover of genuine democracy and village life can take up a village, treat it as his world and
will find good results in the end.
Ideal Village: According to Gandhiji, an ideal village must have cottages with sufficient light and
ventilation. All materials required for the construction of such cottages should be available within a
radius of five miles. These cottages have a courtyard where the people could plant vegetables for
domestic use and house their cattle. The villages have perfect lanes and streets which are free from all
avoidable dust. It will have the required number of wells that are accessible to all. The ideal villages will
have houses of worship for all, a common meeting place, common grazing land for their cattle, a
cooperative dairy, primary and secondary schools to inculcate industrial education, and above all, it will
have panchayats for settling disputes. It will produce its grains, vegetables, fruits and cotton for making
its own Khadi.
Non-Violent Rural Economy: According to Gandhi, exploitation is the essence of violence, and the rural
economy he had conceived eschews exploitation altogether. He believes that handicrafts exclude
exploitation and slavery while the large scale machinery concentrates wealth in the hands of few lords
and makes others their slaves. Even if the lord creates ideal working conditions for his workers, it is not
less than any exploitation and a form of violence. Therefore, Gandhi preferred rural cottage industries to
large scale industries.
He firmly believed that we could not build non-violence on a factory civilization, but we can make it on
self-contained villages. Suppose a man does no actual violence while doing his work and earning money
for his livelihood, but who always consumed envy at other people's wealth or prosperity, he is not non-
violent. When a farmer is content to own only that much land he can till using his labour, he cannot
exploit others. He also suggested that to become non-violent, one should be rural minded; and to
become rural minded, one must have faith in the charkha (spinning wheel).

All-Round Village Development through Nai-Talim: Gandhiji wanted the villages developed to have a
high degree of skill so that the articles produced by them could command a ready market outside. There
will be village poets, village artists, and village architects, and these villages will not have any dearth of
knowledge or talent essential for rural life. He prescribed an integrated Scheme of Nai Talim to
reconstruct our villages permanently. It is a beautiful blend of four items called craft, art, health and
education. Also, he regarded the industry as the medium for instruction.
He cautioned that the entire Scheme of Nai Talim would become a structure on sand if there is no solid
foundation of economic equality. In his view, economic equality does not mean possession of an equal
amount of worldly goods by everyone; instead, it means everyone has a proper house to live in,
sufficient and balanced food to eat, and adequate Khadi to cover himself. It also means that the savage
inequality that obtains today will be removed by purely non-violence means.
Village Sanitation: Gandhiji viewed sanitation as the first problem a village worker should solve because
it is the most neglected of all difficulties that baffle the workers, spoil their health, and breed disease. In
his view, a village worker ignorant of village sanitation methods, who is not a successful scavenger,
cannot fit himself for village service. He liked the village worker to clean the lanes and streets regularly.
The village worker should segregate from the heaps the portions valid for producing manure, directly
turning into wealth and portions he could bury. He directed the village workers to clean village
tanks/wells, keep them clean, and get rid of dung-heaps.
Gandhiji warned that it needs a heroic effort to eradicate the age-old practice of insanitation. He
suggested that, for example, if he becomes a voluntary Bhangi (sweeper), he would begin sweeping
village streets, collecting night soil and turning it into manure. He would also explain to others the value
of sanitation, the significant injury caused by its neglect, how they can contribute towards sanitation
work, and will continue his work till the end whether the villagers follow him or not.
Village Charkha / Khadi

Nai Talim Nature Cure
Sanitation For Village Economy
Revival of
Village Hygiene Village and Other
Rural Industries
Rural Education Village Tanning
Equal Right to Shanti Dals Cooperative

Lok Seva Sangh
Women Cattle Farming
Fig 1.1. Gandhian Perspective of Panchayati Raj or Village Swaraj

Treatment of Wastes: Gandhi suggested that every bone picked up is the valuable raw material from
which we can make valuable articles or get it crushed into rich manure. He suggested turning rags and
waste paper into paper, and when the excreta of animals and humans mixed with refuse turn into a
valuable commodity, golden manure. This night soil turned manure could be used to increase the
productivity of the soil which received it and could cause the saving of millions of rupees. He suggested
that the preparation of this manure itself was a village industry. However, unlike other industries, this
could not give tangible results unless the crores of India cooperated in receiving them, thus making India
prosperous. He believed that the organic manure ever enriches, never impoverishes the soil. In his view,
the judicious use of waste keeps surroundings clean, and cleanliness is only next to godliness. It
promotes health. He was confident that given the willing cooperation of the masses of India, this
country could not only drive out the problem of food grain shortage but can also provide the country
with more than required.
Rural Education: Gandhi viewed that uplifting millions of rural people without the new or primary
education would not be possible. Therefore, he insisted that the village worker master it and become a
primary teacher for the village children. He also suggested that if needed, he will undertake the
responsibility of adult education also. Thus the village worker will teach the children as well as their
parents in the rural area.
Rights to Woman: A woman is a man's better half. Gandhiji said that as long as she enjoys equal rights
as that a man enjoys, the birth of a girl receives a similar welcome as that of the birth of a boy, and so
long we should know that India has partial paralysis. In his view, suppression of women is nothing but a
denial of ahimsa. Therefore, he suggested that every village worker regard every woman in the village as
his mother, daughter, and sister as the case may be and look upon them with due respect. Only such a
worker, who respects women, he believed, will command the confidence of the village people.
Rural Health: Gandhi believed that unhealthy people could not win Swaraj. Therefore he prescribed that
every village worker be familiar with the general principles of health. While commenting on medical
reliefs as a part of village work, Gandhi says medicine men receive free medicines from distributors as
donations and indiscriminately supply them to villagers as the laziest service and even mischievous one.
Also, a villager who gets such aid free of charge will undermine his self-respect, which should disdain to
receive anything for nothing.
In his opinion, a better but rare type of medical relief would be the one, who knows the nature of
diseases, ready to visit villagers day or night, telling the patients why they have the complaints and how
to avoid them. By practicing the rules of personal hygiene, domestic and public sanitation and taking
due care of diet and exercise, villagers will not get any illness or disease and therefore, there is no need
for a doctor, hakims or vaidyas.
Nature Cure: Gandhiji suggested that the treatment of villagers should be as cheapest as possible. The
ideal cure is that the treatment is given within the village using the village equipment, and one can
procure the equipment from outside the village, only if it was not available in his village. In his
perception, a man taking free medicine from the hospital accepts charity, while the man taking nature
cure never begs. Anyone can take a natural cure by eliminating poisons from the system and take
precautions against falling ill in the future. For example, a proper diet and a balanced diet are necessary.
Producing enough vegetables, fruits, and milk in the villages is an essential part of the nature cure
scheme. Therefore time spent on these activities should not be considered a waste.

Rural Language: Gandhi blamed that our infatuation for English has made us unfaithful to regional
languages. Therefore he strongly recommended that there should be a national language (Rashtra
bhasha) common to unite the nation. Among the Hindi-Hindustani and Urdu, it could be anything that
both Hindu and Muslims could understand. Thus, he expected the village worker to love his language
and have equal regard for all other Indian languages.
Revival of Village Industries: Gandhi suggested the volunteers visit the nearest villages to inform and
motivate the village craftsmen and artists to find a ready market for their produces in the towns and
cities. He wanted this task to be undertaken by men and women of all castes and creeds, of all parties
and faiths, as it could align with the true economics of our country.
He also thought that the revival process is possible only when there is no more exploitation in the
village. In his view, large-scale industrialization and mass production will lead to the villagers'
exploitation (passive or active) as a byproduct of competition and marketing problems. Hence the village
should be self-contained, manufacturing products mainly for self-use. He did not object to even villagers
using modern machines and tools to make and afford to use, provided they could not exploit others.
Other Rural Industries: In his view, rural industries other than Khadi, such as hand grinding, hand
pounding, soap making, paper making, matchmaking, tanning, and oil pressing, take only a certain
number of hands, and there is no much scope for voluntary labour in them. These industries cannot
exist without Khadi, and Khadi will lose its dignity without them. The village economy cannot be
complete without these essential village industries.
Gandhiji suggested that we should make it a point of honour to use only village articles whenever and
wherever possible. Given the demand, we can get most of the goods that we require from our villages.
When we have become village minded, we will not want imitations of the West or machine-made
products, but we will develop an authentic national taste in keeping with the vision of a new India where
starvation, pauperism and idleness will be unknown.
Besides, Gandhiji also wanted the government ministry to survey the villages to prepare a list of goods
such as Ghani pressed oil and cakes, and tadgud, which the villagers could produce locally with little or
no help from outsiders start producing them accordingly. The goods may be either consumed by the
village people or sold outside. Thus he had hoped that if we take enough care, the dead or dying villages
will hum with life and vibrantly exhibit their supplying capacity for most of their wants themselves and
to the surrounding cities and towns of India.
Village Tanning: The tanning profession in India is as ancient as the country itself. Village tanning, one of
the most valuable and indispensable industries engaged a million people in its purview, has kept them
into hereditary untouchability. Gandhiji mentions that it is deplorable when labour began to be despised
and therefore neglected. It is estimated that Rs. Nine crores worth of rawhide India exports annually and
imports an equal value of finished leather goods in return. It means not only the material drain but also
the intellectual drain. It also indicates the training opportunities in tanning that we have lost due to such
exporting. Tanning has 100 per cent work for swadeshi lovers and a scope for harnessing technical skills.
It serves the Harijans, villagers and middle-class intelligentsia who search for employment and directly
having touch with the villagers.

Fig 1.2. Village Tanning has the Potential to give huge Employment to Village People
Charkha in the Villages: Gandhi viewed that the charkha supplemented the agriculture of the villagers
and gave them dignity. In his opinion, it was a friend and solace of the widow, kept the villagers from
idleness. It included all the anterior and posterior industries, such as ginning, carding, warping, sizing,
dyeing, and weaving. These, in turn, kept the village carpenter and the blacksmith busy. The charkha
enabled our villages’ self-contained, abolished distinctions between Hindus and Muslims and between
high and low.
When the charkha disappeared in the village activities, all the other allied village industries, such as the
oil press, hand pound rice, and gud making, disappeared and were not replaced by any other alternative
industries. As a result, the villages lost their varied occupations and creative talent and what little wealth
they could bring. Therefore, to revive the villages to core ability, the essential thing to be done is the
revival of the charkha and its entire means. The ideal is undoubtedly for every village to spin and weave
for itself, just as today most villages grow corn for themselves. Every village should maintain enough
stock of cotton and spin and weave without shortage of material.
The Government should supply cotton or cotton seeds as and when required by the villagers. Also, it can
provide the manufacturing tools at a cost price and recover the cost price in easy installments for up to
five years or more. The Government should also inform the weavers about the fixed date by which they
should complete the Khadar manufacture required for their village use. It should supply them with
instructors wherever necessary and undertake to buy surplus stock of Khaddar if available. Thus they
can effectively handle cloth shortage or surplus at minimum overhead charges and without much fuss.
Cooperative Cattle Farms: It is an uneconomical and challenging task for an individual farmer with
fragmented landholding and a small income to keep the cattle wealth in his home and maintain them
scientifically. In this context, Gandhiji prescribed adopting cooperative cattle farming as it has the
followings merits; (Gandhi, 1959, p.33)
1. Cattles foul the air and dirty the surroundings. Under the collective system, no farmer needs to keep
cattle at his home. Also, the farmers will get additional land for cultivation as the space used for
cattle is free.

2. More the number of cattle a farmer has, life become more difficult for him to maintain them at
home. Consequently, he is obliged to sell the calves and kill the male buffaloes. Cooperative cattle
farming avoid such inhuman activities.
3. Collective cattle farming make the veterinary treatment of animals’ easy and cost-effective, which is
difficult for an individual farmer.
4. One selected bull can serve several cows under the collective system. This is impossible otherwise
except for charity.
5. Common grazing ground for the animal will be available under the cooperative system, which is not
available with individual farmers.
6. The expenses on fodder will be comparatively far less under the collective system.
7. The sale of milk at a reasonable price is possible, and there will be no need for the farmer tempted
to adulterate as an individual farmer does.
8. Individually, carrying out tests of the fitness of every head of cattle is too expensive, but this could
be quickly done under collective farming and would thus make it easier to improve the breed.
9. The strongest argument in favour of cooperative farming is that individual cattle maintenance
makes the conditions of farmers and cattle pitiable, while collective farming makes it better and
beneficial.
Gandhi also firmly believed that we could not derive the full benefits of agriculture until we adopt
cooperative farming. It is a better idea for a hundred families to collectively cultivate their lands and
divide the income from there than divide them into a hundred portions. What applies to land equally
applies to cattle. In individual farming, the personal effort has led to selfishness and inhumanity,
whereas the collective farming, these evils are not found. He also believed that the Goseva Sangh could
also supply valuable aid to the limitless cattle wealth of India suffering from criminal neglect.
Village Exhibitions: To motivate others to go for the revival of their villages, Gandhiji suggests using
exhibitions as a medium of education and not as a Tamasha or a source of income. For him, the
exhibitions conducted should never become the advertising medium for traders. No sales, including
Khadi, should be allowed there. Gandhiji suggested arranging two models of villages in the exhibition:
one the village existing today and the other an improved one. The improved village will be clean
everywhere. Its houses, roads, surroundings, and fields all will be clean. Books, pictures and charts
should be there to show what rural industries give increased income and how. He also suggested that
the exhibition must show how to conduct the various village industries. It should also demonstrate how
to make or obtain the needed instruments for running the village industry. The exhibition must contain
the following items; (Gandhi, 1959, p.36).
a. The Ideal diet for the village
b. Comparison of village industry and machine industry
c. Model lessons for rearing animals
d. Art section
e. Model of village latrine
f. Farmyard manure vs chemical manure
g. Utilization of hides and bones of animals
h. Village music, musical instruments, village dramas
i. Village games, akhadas and other forms of exercises.
j. The scheme of Nai Talim
k. Village medicine
l. Village maternity home

The list shown above is only indicative and not exhaustive. The above list did not have charkha and other
village industries as they are part and parcel of the village economy. Without them, the exhibition will
be useless.
To Do Activity
Design an exhibition model of consisting an ordinary village and a village after revival as suggested by Gandhiji. Make requ
Lok Sevak Sangh: On January 29 1948, a day before Gandhiji’s assassination, he drafted a constitution
for the Lok Seva Sangh (Association of Servants of People) into which they wanted the Indian National
Congress to dissolve itself. As drawn by Gandhiji, the qualifications for its members were as follows;
(Gandhi, 1959, p.37)
1. The village worker should be a habitual wearer of Khadi made from self-spun yarn or certified
by the AISA and must be a teetotaler. If the worker is a Hindu, he must have abjured
untouchability in any shape or form in his person or his family. He must maintain inter-
communal unity, equal respect for all religions, and give equal opportunity and status to all
irrespective of race, creed or sex.
2. He should come in personal contact with every villager within his jurisdiction.
3. He should enroll and train workers from amongst the villagers and register all these trainees.
4. He should maintain a daily record of his work.
5. He shall organize the villages to make them self-contained and self-supporting through their
agriculture and handicrafts.
6. He should educate the village folk in sanitation and hygiene and take all measures to prevent
ill health and disease.
7. He should organize the education of the village folk from birth to death along the lines of Nai
Talim, following the policy laid down by the Hindustani Talimi Sangh.
Samagra Gramaseva: A Samagra Gramsevak (village worker) must be familiar to everyone living in the
village and should render their service as much as he can do. That does not mean that he will handle all
works single-handedly. Instead, the worker will show them the way of helping themselves and procure
for them such help and materials as they require. He will train up his helpers and win over the villagers
seeking and following his advice.
Village Factions: Gandhi calls the village people to give up parties and factions. When power politics
enter over villages with less thought of village welfare and more of using them for increasing the power
of their parties, it becomes a hindrance to the progress of the villages rather than a help. He suggested
that as much as possible, we must use local service, get rid of outside work and if we are free from the
taint of power politics, we are not likely to go wrong.
Shanti Dals in Villages: A man's character gets little or no stress in large volunteer corps, where their
physique is the chief factor. The contrary must obtain in non-violent bodies that character or soul force
must mean everything, and physique must take second place. It is rare to find many such persons in a
village. Therefore he prescribed the non-violent corps to be essentially small if they are to be efficient.
These brigades may be scattered all over. They may be one each for a village or a mohalla. The members
must know one another well. Each corps will select its head. Though everyone is doing the same work,

and all members in the brigade will have the same status, there must be one person under whose
discipline all must unite and work. These corps may not require all physical training given in akhadas, but
a specific part will be necessary. All members must have implicit faith in God, and without it, these
peace brigades will be lifeless.
The Modern System of Panchayati Raj

In India, Bihar first adopted the Panchayat Raj System by enacting the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act of 1947.
Table 1.1 Basic Data on Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)

S.No Description Status
1 Number of PRIs in the country 2,60,512
2 Number of Village Panchayats 2,53, 268
3 Number of Intermediate Panchayats 6,614
4 Number of District Panchayats 630
5 Number of Elected Members of PRIs 31.00 lakh (approx.)
6 Number of Elected Women Representatives 13.75 lakh (approx.)
Source: Sl.No.1, 2, 3 & 4 http://lgdirectory.gov.in Report Generated on 18/04/2019 04:50:37 pm
Sl. No. 5&6 MoPR Compilation (as on 27.3.2018)
It was a continued legacy of local self-government started by Lord Ripon in the British era. Post-
Independence, Rajasthan introduced the panchayat system in India first, on October 2, 1959. The
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957), appointed by the Government of India to study and suggest
measures to improve the Community Development Programme (1952) and the National Extension
Service (1953), recommended the formation of modern Panchayati Raj system in India.
1.2. Legal Framework for Panchayati Raj System

"India is poor because villages of India are poor...Panchayats should be given greater powers, for we want
villagers to have greater measure of swaraj in their own villages."
- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Political decentralization generally means establishing solid and vibrant institutions where people take
direct participation in the administration of local governments. As decision making, is closer to the
people, political decentralization aims at bringing decision-makers together and assigning effective
accountability to their administrative decisions. Panchayat Raj, introduced in India through the 73 rd and
74th Constitution Amendment Act 1992, is a synonym of democratic decentralization. The Indian
Government has appointed several committees to recommend establishing the Panchayat Raj System to
implement local self-government in India. This unit discusses the important committees set up and the
essential Acts enacted in this connection, such as 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Act 1992.
Important Committees
The committees related to Panchayati Raj System set up by the Government of India and their important
recommendations are as follows;
Table 1.2 Committees on Panchayati Raj Institutions in India
Committees Important Recommendations
Balwant Balwant Rai Mehta was an Indian politician who served as the second Chief Minister
Rai Mehta of Gujarat State, and who pioneered the concept of the Panchayati Raj in India and
Committee therefore known as the 'Father of Panchayati Raj'. After studying the performance of
(1957) Community Development Programme (1952) and the National Extension Service

(1953), this Committee recommended establishing three-tier PR system in India. The
District Collector the Chairman of the Zila Parishad.
The Ashok Mehta Committee was appointed in 1977 to suggest measures to revive
Ashok and strengthen India's declining Panchayati Raj system. This Committee
Mehta recommended replacing the existing three-tier PR system with a two-tier system
Committee consisting of Mandal Panchayat (a group of villages) at the village level and Zila
(1977) Parishad at the district level. Zila Parishad was responsible for planning at the district
level. It also suggested for social audit of PRIs by a district level agency.
The Committee observed that the development could not reach the grassroots level
GVK Rao due to bureaucratic setbacks. It recommended making Zila Parishad of the district
Committee the basic unit of planning and democratic decentralization. It also suggested creating
(1985) the District Development Commissioner (DDC) post. He will be the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the Zila Parishad.
The Government of India appointed the LM Singhvi Committee in 1986 with the
primary objective to recommend steps to revitalize the Panchayati Raj Systems. It
LM Singhvi recommended reorganizing villages to make the gram panchayat more viable. It
Committee suggested providing more finance to village panchayats. It also suggested setting up
(1986) Judicial Tribunals in states to adjudicate matters relating to the elections to the PRIs.
73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992

The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 has added Part IX (The Panchayats) consisting of 16
Articles and the Eleventh Schedule consisting of 29 functional items of the panchayats to the
Constitution. This Amendment made provisions in Article 40 of the Constitution (Directive Principles of
State Policy which directs the state to organize the village panchayats)to give them powers and
authority to function as self-government.
Article 243A envisaged the Gram Sabha as the foundation of the PR System that functions at the village
level and performs such functions as the State Legislature may provide. The Act has two parts. The
compulsory provisions (such as creating the new Panchayati Raj systems) come under the state laws,
and the voluntary provisions come under the discretion of the state government.
Salient Features of the Act

Gram Sabha: The Gram Sabha is the primary body of the Panchayati Raj system in India. Article 243 (b)
defines it as a village assembly consisting of all the registered voters within the panchayat area through
which village inhabitants participate directly in local self-government administration. The Gram Sabha
will exercise powers and perform such functions as provided determined by the state legislature. The
chief of administration of Zila Parishad is an officer of the IAS cadre, and also he will be the chief officer
of the Panchayat Raj at the district level.
73rd Amendment, 1992 73rd Amendment, 1992

(Rural Area: Population > 20 Lakh) (Rural Area: Population < 20 Lakh)

Gram Panchayat at Village Level Gram Panchayat at Village Level
Panchayat Samitis at Block Level Zila Parishads at District Level
Two Tier
Three Tier
Zila Parishads at District Level
Fig 1.3 Three-tier and Two-tier Panchayati Raj System as per 73rd Amendment, 1992
Establishing Three Tier Setup: The Act provides a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in the states (at the
village, intermediate and district level). States with a population of fewer than 20 lakhs may not
constitute the intermediate level. As per the 1991 census, Goa, Sikkim, all the North Eastern States and
UTs fall under this category.
Election of Members and Chairperson: The representatives of all levels of Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRIs) are elected directly. The chairpersons to the block level and the district level bodies are elected
indirectly from among the elected members of PRIs. The election process to the PRIs is independent of
the state government’s will.
Reservation of Seats: The Act has transformed representative democracy into participatory democracy.
It made provisions for reservation for SC and ST at all the three tiers of PRIs in proportion to their
population on a rotation basis. Women representatives get one-third of the total number of seats
elected and in the offices of the chairperson available in the PRIs. However, the state legislatures can
decide on seats in any panchayat or office of chairperson favouring backward classes.
Tenure of the Office: The Act provides all Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) a five-year term of office.
However, often the dissolution of the panchayat may occur for valid reasons before the completion of
its term. In case of dissolution of the panchayat before the expiry of its complete term, the Act
mandates to conduct the panchayat election within six months from the date of dissolution, and it also
requires the PRIs to complete the remaining term, provided the remaining period is not less than six
months. The Act requires constituting the panchayat before the expiry of its tenure of five years.
Disqualification: Any person disqualified as mentioned below cannot contest in the panchayat elections
conducted for PRIs either;
If a law of state enacted for conducting the State Legislature Elections and in force, for the time
being, disqualifies a person;
Any law enacted by the state legislature disqualifies a person;
They are not eligible to contest in a panchayat election. However, one cannot disqualify a person
because his age is less than 25 years, as the eligible age for contesting or voting in PR elections is 21
years. The state legislature concerned should appoint an authority to decide all questions referred to
him relating to the disqualification of a candidate.
To Do Activity
Visit a local panchayat office where a woman has been selected as the president. Try to understand
ntages and limitations of being a woman president. ObservMeGNiCfRE they could do the administrative duties without interference o
uch challenges amicably.
Panchayati
1
Role of State Election Commission: The State Election Commission is responsible for conducting the
panchayat institutions' elections. It is fully responsible for preparing electoral rolls and taking care of
direction, superintendence and control of the panchayat elections. If required, the state legislature can
make special provisions concerning all matters relating to the panchayat elections. The removal process
of the State Election Commissioner for any reason should follow the process similar to the removal of a
High Court Judge from his office.
Powers and Functions: The state government by law may endow the PR institutions with such powers
and authority as they may be required to function as local self-government institutions freely. It may
contain provisions for the work of PRIs related to the preparation of plans for economic development
and social justice. They are assigned the responsibility of implementing schemes for economic
development and social justice in rural areas. Further, the PRIs have to execute activities related to
those 29 matters listed in the 11th Schedule of the Constitution.
Source of Finance: The state legislature may authorize a panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate
taxes, duties, tolls and fees within their area limit. It may also assign the PRIs a specific portion of taxes,
duties, tolls, and fees levied and collected. The state can make provisions for grants-in-aid to the
panchayats from the consolidated funds of the state. It shall also make provision for the Constitution of
funds for crediting or debiting all money transactions of the panchayats.
Panchayat Finance Commissions: The Amendment suggested the states that within one year from the
commencement of the Act, to constitute a State Finance Commission. This commission shall review the
Panchayats' financial position and make recommendations to the Governor regarding the financial
powers of the Panchayats. The Act also made provisions to constitute the District Planning Committee
(DPC) to prepare a draft development plan for the district.
Finance and Audit: The state finance committee is responsible for reviewing the financial position of the
panchayats. It shall provide recommendations for the necessary steps to be taken to supplement the
resources to the panchayat. Similarly, the state legislature makes necessary provisions for the
maintenance and audit of the panchayat accounts regularly.
Exempted Areas: This Act applies to all the States of India except Nagaland, Meghalaya, and, Mizoram.
It also applies to all Union Territories other than Delhi. Part IX of the Constitution empowers the
President and the Governor to modify the provisions for implementing this Act in any Union Territory
and Scheduled Area, respectively. The areas exempted from implementation of this Act are as follows;
Certain scheduled areas and tribal areas in the states

Hill areas of Manipur for which a District Council
exists
Hill areas of Darjeeling in West Bengal for which Gorkha Hill Council exists
Continuance of Existing Law: The Panchayati Raj Act 1992 came into effect on April 24 1993. All the
states in India were allowed to continue their existing state laws to panchayat until the expiry of one
302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

year from this date. Panchayats that existed immediately before the commencement of the Act were
allowed to continue till the expiry of their remaining term unless the concerned state legislature
dissolves them.
Limitation for Court Interference: The Act prevents the courts from interfering in the electoral issues of
panchayats. In Panchayati Raj elections, the Court cannot question the legal validity of provisions made
towards the delimitation of constituencies and allotment of seats to constituencies. Only the authority
authorized by the state legislature can receive the issues related to panchayat elections in the form of
an election petition and take necessary action upon them.
74thConstitutional Amendment Act of 1992

With the ever-increasing population growth in the country, the process and speed of urbanization in
India also have overgrown. Such uncontrolled urbanization has brought the vital need for local self-
governance in urban areas too. The Constitution (74thAmendment) Act, 1992 has added and
constitutionally recognized the formation of the Urban Local Bodies in India.
Salient Features of the Act

Urban Local Bodies: There are three types of urban local bodies created in India such as,
To create Nagar Panchayats for a transitional area. A transitional area is that area that is in
transition from rural to urban.
Municipal Councils for smaller urban areas and
Municipal Corporations for larger urban areas
To classify an area into 'transitional', 'smaller' or 'larger', authorities consider various criteria such as the
size of the area, population density, revenue generated, percentage of people employed in non-
agricultural activities, and economic importance the area, and such other factors.
74th Amendment, 1992 (Panchayati Raj System for Urban Areas)
Nagar Panchayats for Transitional Areas
Local Self Government for Urban Areas

Municipal Councils for Smaller Urban Areas
Municipal Corporations for Larger Urban Areas
Fig 1.4 Three Categories of Urban Local Body Institutions as per 74th Amendment
Election of Office Bearers: The Amendment makes provisions for conducting direct elections and
selecting suitable candidates from the territorial constituencies in the said municipal area known as
‘Wards’.

Reservation of Seats: The Amendment makes provisions for reservation for SC and ST people on
rotation basis at all urban local body institutions in proportion to their population percentage in the
municipal area. The SC/ST shall get one-third of the total number of panchayat seats available.
Tenure of the Office: The Act provides all urban local body institutions a five-year term of office.
Disqualification: Any person disqualified as mentioned below shall also not be eligible to contest in the
urban body elections either;
If a law of state enacted for conducting the State Legislature Elections and in force, for the time
being, disqualifies a person;
Any law enacted by the state legislature disqualifies a person;
They are not eligible to contest in a municipal election. However, one cannot disqualify a person
because his age is less than 25 years, as the eligible age for contesting or voting in PR elections is 21
years. An authority determined by the state legislature concerned shall receive all questions referred to
him relating to the disqualification of a candidate and shall decide thereupon.
Powers and Functions: The state legislature may confer the municipalities with such powers and
authority as they may be required to function as local self-government institutions freely. It may contain
provisions for the work of municipalities related to the preparation of plans for economic development
and social justice. The municipalities are responsible for implementing the schemes of economic
development and social justice in the municipal areas. Besides, they are also responsible for executing
the eighteen matters listed in the 12 th Schedule of the Constitution (Article 243 W). There are various
committees available in urban local bodies to execute the activities entrusted to municipal institutions.
Source of Finance: The state legislature may authorize a municipality to levy, collect and appropriate
such taxes, duties, tolls and fees within their area limit following such procedure and limits. It may also
assign the municipalities a specific portion of taxes, duties, tolls, and fees levied and collected. The state
can make provisions for grants-in-aid to the municipalities from the consolidated fund of the state. It
shall also provide the Constitution of funds for crediting all money received or making withdrawals by
the municipalities. The municipality shall receive financial support from the following sources.
Local body grants recommended by the Central Finance Commission

Funds for implementation of the centrally sponsored schemes
Funds that the state governments may release on the recommendations of the State Finance
Commissions
Exempted Areas: If the municipal services are already being provided by industrial establishment in that
area, the Governor has the authority to issue notification in preventing the creation of any municipality
in an industrial township. If any town comes up around the army stations, the management boards for
these towns are separately established and controlled by the Defence Department known as
Cantonment Boards. Hence, the municipality provisions do not apply to the town areas belonging to
cantonment areas.
Continuance of Existing Law: The 74th Amendment of the Panchayati Raj Act 1992 came into effect on
June 1, 1993. All the states in India were allowed to continue their existing municipal laws until the
expiry of one year from this date.

Committee for Planning: A District Planning Committee is constituted at the district level in every state
to integrate the municipalities' development plans and prepare the Draft Development Plan for the
district. Similarly, there are Metropolitan Planning Committees available to prepare the development
plan for the metropolitan areas.
Finance Commission: The Finance Commission constituted under the Act reviews the municipalities'
financial position and makes recommendations to the Governor. The Governor shall initiate all
recommendations made by the commission under this Article and submit the same with an explanatory
memorandum as to the action taken thereon before the state legislature.
Ward Committees: The state legislature makes legal provisions for the Constitution of the ward
committee and composition of the territorial area of the ward committee. A municipality member
representing a ward within the territorial area shall also be a member of that Committee. If the
Committee consists of (i) one ward, the member representing that ward in the municipality, and (ii) in
the case where there are two or more wards, the committee chairperson shall be one of the members
representing such wards.
Role of State Election Commission: The State Election Commission is responsible for conducting the
elections for the municipal institutions too. It is fully responsible for the preparation of electoral rolls,
direction, superintendence and control of the elections of all urban local bodies.
Municipal Administration: The State Legislature makes provisions for representation of persons having
special knowledge or experience such as Members of Lok Sabha (MPs), Members of the Legislative
Assembly (MLAs), Members of the Councils of States (MCs), Members of Legislative Councils (MLCs) and
Chairpersons of the Committees, in the municipal administration.
The Local Self-Government in India is the third stratum of Government, the first two being the Central
and the State Governments. The 73 rd and74thConstitutional Amendments 1992 constitute a new chapter
in democratic decentralization in the country. Thanks to these Amendments, now the responsibility for
making decisions regarding activities at the grassroots level which affect people's lives directly would
rest upon the elected members of the people themselves. By conducting regular elections to local
government bodies mandatory, these institutions have been given their due place in the democratic
setup of our country.
1.3. Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996

Traditionally, a village means a habitation or habitations or a hamlet or hamlet group comprising a
community and managing its affairs through their custom and traditions. In terms of Article 243(g), Part
IX of the Constitution of India, the respective State Government shall specify a village by public
notification to be a village and includes a group of villages so specified. According to Article 243 (d), a
panchayat comprises three tiers at the village level, intermediate level and district level. A village
becomes a jurisdiction of a Village Panchayat, which is the lowest tier of the Panchayat System in India.
The Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996 is an act enacted by the Government of
India to cover the "Scheduled Areas" not covered earlier in the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Part IX.
It entrusted the Gram Sabhas with wide-ranging powers starting from getting consulted on land
acquisition, having authority to own minor forest produces and granting a lease of minor minerals in
scheduled areas.

PESA became operative under a new economic policy regime in which all frontiers of the Indian
economy was made open for foreign direct investment (FDI). The mining sector in the scheduled areas
was too opened to the MNCs and other Indian Corporations to exploit mineral resources at throwaway
prices. PESA mandates that every Gram Sabha shall preserve the traditions, culture and customs of the
tribal people, their community resources, and typical mode of dispute resolution. The Tribal Autonomy
and Tribal Self-Governance are the two main pillars on which the emphasis of the PESA Act rests.
Presently, there are 10 States fully covered under the PESA Act. In some States, PESA could not cover all
districts. These are known as partially covered areas.
Objectives of PESA Act

The primary objectives of the PESA Act 1996 are as follows;
1. To include the constitutional provisions to the scheduled areas (Part IX).

2. To engage the tribal population in the culture of the local self-government.
3. To ensure democratic and participatory village governance in scheduled areas.
4. To preserve and safeguard the traditions and customs of tribal people.
5. To empower PRIs with powers and authorities conducive to tribal areas.
6. To prevent powers of lower-level panchayats absorbed by the higher-level institutions.
Powers to Gram Sabha

The PESA Act exclusively empowers a Gram Sabha,
To approve plans, projects and programmes for social and economic development.
To identify persons as beneficiaries under poverty alleviation and other programmes, and
To issue a certificate of the utilization of funds by a Panchayat for the plans, programmes and
projects.
Powers of Panchayats
The PESA Act 1996 provided the Panchayats with the following powers;
1. To be consulted on matters of land acquisition and resettlement
2. To grant prospecting license for mining lease for minor minerals and concessions for such activities
3. To take care of planning and management of minor water bodies
4. To enforce prohibition or to regulate or restrict the sale and consumption of any intoxicant items
5. To possess the ownership of minor forest produces
6. To prevent alienation of land and to restore any unlawfully alienated land of a scheduled tribe
7. To manage village markets
8. To exercise control over money lending practices in tribal areas to tribal people
Benefits of PESA Act

The benefits of PESA to the people of a scheduled area as follows;
Reduced poverty and out-migration and improved income and livelihoods as the people will have
better control and management of public and natural resources.
It aimed at minimized exploitation of tribal population by controlling money lending, consumption
and sale of liquor and regulating the village markets.

PESA helps promote cultural heritage by preserving the traditions, customs, and cultural identity of
the tribal population.
PESA applies only to Scheduled Areas and through such Panchayat laws as are confined to PESA. The
general provisions of reservation for women as per the 73rd Amendment apply to PESA Panchayats.
1.4. Utilization of Central & State Finance Commission Grants by GPs

“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went”
- Dave Ramsey
The Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India are the leading local self-government units and a mark of
decentralized administration. A significant portion of Part IX of the Constitution (Articles 243C, D, E, G
and K) deals with the structural empowerment of these PRIs. From the autonomy and efficiency point of
view, the real strength of these institutions rests on their financial position and their capacity to
generate their resources. Usually, Gram Panchayats in India receive funds from the following sources;
The Union Government Grants based on the recommendations of the Central Finance Commission
(Article 280).
Devolution from the State Government as recommended by the State Finance Commission (Article
243-I).
Loans and grants from the State Government.
Scheme-specific allocation under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Additional Central
Assistance.
Own resources (tax and non-tax)
Own Resources of Gram Panchayats

Article 243 H of the constitution declares that the State Legislature may, by law, authorize a gram
panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate taxes, tolls, duties and fees following such procedure and
subject to such conditions/ limits. Similarly, it can also assign to a Panchayat such taxes, tolls, duties and
fees collected by the states for such purposes subject to such conditions/ limits. Further, the states may
provide grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the State's Consolidated Fund and make necessary
provisions on behalf of panchayats for crediting the money received and debiting the money spent as
specified by the law.
State Panchayati Raj Acts have entrusted broader taxation powers to Gram Panchayats. The power to
levy and collect octroi, house/property tax, land tax/cess, profession tax, taxes/tolls on vehicles, license
fees, entertainment tax/fees, tax on non-agriculture land, fee on registration of cattle, water rate/tax,
sanitation/drainage/conservancy tax, lighting rate/tax, education cess and tax on fairs and festivals
come under the jurisdiction of the Village Panchayats.

Fig 1.5 Digambarpur Gram Panchayat of West Bengal became the best among 2.5 lakh
other Gram Panchayats from across India
In terms of tax collection, the Gram Panchayats are in a better position than the block and district level
panchayats as the latter are dependent only on tolls, fees and non-tax revenue for generating internal
resources, while the gram panchayats can levy and collect their taxes and duties.
However we should note that across India, the internal resource generation at the Panchayat level is
generally weak. The weakness is partly due to a thin tax domain and partly due to Panchayats'
reluctance in collecting tax. Many states have not given adequate attention to the financial
empowerment of the Panchayats due to their tight fiscal position. For instance, Kerala, Karnataka, and
Tamil Nadu are progressive in PRI empowerment, but even their Panchayats depend heavily on the
grants of Central and State Finance Commissions. Also, they are heavily dependent on grants from the
Union and State Governments. Though there is a provision for grants from the Union and State
Government transfers to a Panchayat, the generation of own resources by the PRIs are the soul behind
their financial stability.
Central Finance Commission

As per the descriptions given in Nirdpr.Org.In, Grants from the Central Finance Commission (CFC) are
one important source of finance for the panchayats. The Central Finance Commission or the Finance
Commission aims to provide recommendations on the distribution of tax revenues between the central
and the state governments and amongst the states themselves. It is constituted for five years by the
President of India under Article 280 of the Constitution. The First Finance Commission came into being
in 1951. Currently, the tenure of the 14th Finance Commission is in progress (Chairman Dr Y.V. Reddy).
The Central Finance Commission consists of a Chairman and four other members appointed by the
President of India. The Commission intends to rectify the vertical imbalance between the Centre and the
States' taxation powers and expenditure responsibilities and equalize all public services across the States
(Nirdpr.Org.In).
14th Finance Commission Grant for PRIs
In Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) Grant is an untied grant
given to the Gram Panchayats by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, based on the
recommendations of the FFC. The grant supports and strengthens the delivery of essential civic services.
The total size of FFC grants recommended to Gram Panchayats is Rs.2 00,292.00 crore for the award

period 2015-2020.As per the recommendations of the FFC, among the three-tier Panchayats, only duly
constituted Gram Panchayats will get the grant. The grant consists of two parts: (i) Basic Grant (ii)
Performance Grant. In the case of Gram Panchayats, 90% of the Grant is Basic Grant. The residual 10% is
Performance Grant which the GPs can access only after attaining prescribed performance criteria
(Nirdpr.Org.In).
Criteria for Availing the Basic Grant
The Basic Grant as recommended by the FFC is disbursed only among the duly constituted Gram
Panchayats without any share for other tiers of the PRIs. Gram Panchayats shall utilize this fund for
improving essential services through the preparation and implementation of a need-based local
development plan. The distribution of Basic Grant follows the formula prescribed by the respective State
Finance Commission to distribute resources. However, in the absence of the State Finance Commission's
formula, the share of each Gram Panchayat would be distributed using 90 per cent weightage for the
population and a weightage of 10 per cent for the geographical area. The Basic Grants would be
disbursed every year in two installments throughout 2015-2020 (Nirdpr.Org.In).
Criteria for Availing the Performance Grant
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, GoI, through its letter No.N11011/4/2017-FD, dated 29.09.2017, had
prescribed the specific criteria for disbursal of Performance Grant (PG) to Gram Panchayats during 2017-
18 to 2019-20. All GPs have to mandatorily fulfill the following conditions to avail the Performance Grant
(Nirdpr.Org.In);
Table 1.3. Mandatorily Criteria for GPs for Receiving the Performance Grant
S.No Mandatory Criteria Weightage
Submission of Audited Accounts that relate to year not earlier than two years
1 preceding the year in which the Gram Panchayat seeks to claim Performance Mandatory
Grant.
Show increase in Own Source Revenues (OSR) over the preceding years
2 Mandatory
reflected in the audited accounts.
Completion of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) of year of
3 Mandatory
Performance Grant disbursal and upload on PlanPlus portal.
Display of sector wise Fourteenth Finance Commission Expenditure in
4 Mandatory
Dashboard/Website URL of MoPR of previous year of Performance Grant claim
Evaluation of those Gram Panchayats that have satisfied all the above four criteria will be carried out as
per the following scoring system (Nirdpr.Org.In);
Table 1.4. System of Evaluation of the GPs that Satisfied the above 4 Criteria
S.No Criteria (During the Financial Year) Weightage

I Increase in Own Source Revenue (OSR) quantum Score
a. > 0 % up to 10% 05
b. > 10 % up to 25% 10
c. > 25 % up to 50% 15
d. > 50 % 20
% of OSR quantum generated w.r.t. FFC Basic grant amount of
ii
previous financial year to the PG claim year as per audited accounts
a. > 0 % up to 10% 15
b. > 10 % up to 20% 20

c. > 20 % up to 30% 30
d. > 30 % 40
Open defecation free (ODF) status of the Gram Panchayat in the
iii.
previous financial year to PG claim year*
a. Yes 30
b. No 0
*Sustainability of ODF status from next year will be criteria for GPs
having become ODF in the year
Immunization in the GP in the previous financial year to PG claim
iv.
year: Full immunization (Children 0-2 year of age)
a. Yes 10
b. No 0
v. Total Maximum Score ( i + ii + iii + iv ) 100
Distribution of the Performance Grant among the GPs
The Performance Grant based on the above criteria will be distributed among the Gram Panchayats as
shown below;
Table 1.5. System of Performance Grant Distribution based on the above Criteria
S.No Score as per Performance Criteria Quantum of PG Eligible for

1 Up to 49 % 50 % of the PG Allocation
2 50 % up to 60 % 70 % of the PG Allocation
3 61 % up to 70 % 80 % of the PG Allocation
4 71 % and above 100 % of the PG Allocation
Any undistributed amount, after the above allocations including those of ineligible GPs, will be re-
distributed only amongst GPs scoring 50 or above proportionately on the basis of weighted average of
the score obtained by the GP with respect to the overall weightage (Nirdpr.Org.In).
Activities Carried out using the FFC Grant

As recommended by the FFC, the grants provided shall support and strengthen the delivery of essential
civic services, including water supply, sanitation, seepage management, sewage and solid management,
storm water drainage, community assets maintenance, and roads footpaths, street-lighting, burial and
cremation grounds. The Technical and Administrative Support and any other essential service within the
functions assigned to them under relevant legislations may also use the grant. Further, the costs for
technical and administrative support towards O&M and capital expenditure are also permitted and
should not exceed 10% of the allocation to a Gram Panchayat, and the expenditure can be incurred only
by the local body concerned (Nirdpr.Org.In).
To Do Activity
Visit the Gram Panchayat in your village. Discuss with the office bearers of the GP to know about the various taxes, tolls, duti
302 P collection procedures, challenges in collection and how they manage such challenges.
22
anchayati Raj
15th Finance Commission Grant for PRIs
The Fifteenth Finance Commission (FFC) is a constitutional body formed by the President of India to
suggest centre-state financial relations. The 15th Finance Commission (Chairman: Mr N. K. Singh) was
required to submit two reports. The Commission tabled the first report, consisting of recommendations
for the financial year 2020-21, in the Parliament on February 1, 2020. The final report of the FFC with
recommendations for the 2021-26 periods will be submitted by October 30, 2020 (www.prsindia.org).
Key Recommendations of the First Report of FFC (2020-21)

The key recommendations of FFC are as follows;
Devolution State Share in Central Tax Income: The FFC has decreased states' share in the Centre's taxes
from 42% during the 2015-20 to 41% for 2020-21. The 1% decrease is to provide for Jammu and
Kashmir's newly formed union territories and Ladakh from the central Government's resources.
Income distance: Income distance is the State's income from the State with the highest income. A
state's income has shown the average per capita GSDP during the three years between 2015-16 and
2017-18. The Commission suggested giving a higher share to the states with lower per capita income to
maintain equity.
Demographic performance: As mandated in Terms of Reference, the Commission has used only 2011
population data for making its recommendations. The FFC has introduced the Demographic
Performance Criterion to reward the efforts made by states in controlling their population. The FFC
computes the Demographic Performance using the reciprocal of the total fertility ratio of each State
population to all state population by taking 1971 population data as a basic scale. States with a lower
fertility ratio shall score high on demographic performance. The total fertility ratio in a year means the
total number of children birth each woman gives if she were to live to the end of her child-bearing years
and giving birth to children in alignment with her age-specific fertility rates that prevail.
Forests and Ecology: The forest and ecology value means the share of the dense forest of each State to
the dense aggregate forests of all the states.
Tax effort: The tax effort criterion intends to reward the states with higher tax collection efficiency. It
represents the ratio of the average per capita own tax revenue to the average per capita State GDP
during 2014-15 and 2016-17.
Grants-in-Aid
In 2020-21, the states shall receive grants such as (a). Revenue deficit grants, (b). Grants to local bodies,
and (c). Disaster management grants. The Commission has also proposed to provide sector-specific
performance grants. The FFC shall provide state-specific grants in the final report.
Revenue deficit grants: In 2020-21, the FFC estimated that 14 states should receive an aggregate
revenue deficit of Rs 74,340 crore post-devolution. Accordingly, the Commission has recommended
revenue deficit grants for these states.

Special Grants to 3 States: For Karnataka, Mizoram, and Telangana, the Commission has estimated that
the sum of devolution and revenue deficit grants to decline in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20.
Accordingly, the Commission has recommended special grants to these states aggregating to Rs 6,764
crore.
Sector-Specific Grants: The FFC has recommended a grant of Rs 7,375 crore for nutrition in 2020-21.
The FFC, in its final report, shall provide sector-specific grants for the sectors covering nutrition, health,
pre-primary education, judiciary, rural connectivity, railways, police training, and housing.
Performance-based Grants: The FFC Guidelines for performance-based grants (PG) include: (a)
implementation of agricultural reforms, (b) development of aspirational districts and blocks, (c) power
sector reforms, (d) enhancing trade including exports, (e) incentives for education, and (f) promotion of
domestic and international tourism. The FFC shall provide the grant amount in the final report.
Disaster Risk Management: The FFC has recommended setting up National and State Disaster
Management Funds (NDMF and SDMF) to promote local-level mitigation activities. The Commission has
recommended retaining the existing cost-sharing patterns between the Centre and States to fund the
SDMF (new) and the SDRF (existing).The Center-State cost-sharing pattern would be (a) for all states
75:25 and (b) for the north-eastern and Himalayan states 90:10. The FFC has allocated State Disaster
Risk Management Funds of Rs 28,983 crore for 2020-21, out of which the share of the Union is Rs 22,184
crore. The National Disaster, Risk Management Funds has been allocated Rs 12,390 crore.
Grants to Local Bodies: For the year 2020-21, the FFC has fixed the total grants of Rs. Ninety thousand
crores to local bodies, of which the rural local bodies (RLBs) shall receive Rs 60,750 crores (67.5%) and
the urban local bodies (ULBs) shall receive Rs 29,250 crore (32.5%). From the total grant, this allocation
is 4.31% of the divisible pool. The increased grants for local bodies in 2019-20 amounted to 3.54% of the
divisible pool (Rs 87,352 crore). The FFC has suggested dividing the grants between the states based on
population and area in the ratio 90:10. All the three tiers of Panchayat- Village, Block, and District shall
receive a share in this grant.
State Finance Commission

Article 243(I) of the Indian Constitution prescribes the State Finance Commission's setting to review the
Panchayats' financial position and make relevant recommendations. As per the said provision, the
Governor of a State shall, within one year from the commencement of the Seventy-third Amendment
Act, 1992, and after that at the expiration of every fifth year, constitute the State Finance Commission
(SFC). The constitution of the State Finance Commissions ensures the Devolution of funds to the
Panchayats and Municipalities.
Functions of the State Finance Commission

As defined in the Articles 243 (I) and 243 (Y) of the Indian Constitution, the State Finance Commission
shall be responsible for the following functions;
To recommend distributing grants between the State and the local bodies (Panchayats and
Municipalities) from the net proceeds of the taxes, tolls, duties and fees leviable by the State.
To recommend the taxes, duties, tolls, and fees assigned as or appropriated by the local bodies.
To recommend the grants-in-aid to be given to the local bodies from the Consolidated Fund of the
State.

To recommend the measures needed to improve the financial position of the local bodies;
To guide any other matter referred to the Commission by the Governor in the interest of sound
finance of the local bodies.
Control and Regulation on SFC

There is no apex body to regulate and determine the procedure of the State Finance Commission. The
State Finance Commission can determine their internal procedures and exercise such powers in
performing their functions as the State legislature may by State law confer on them. However, the State
Finance Commission cannot act on their recommendation independently. It is a Constitutional body that
lays down specific recommendations against specified tasks. The State Governor shall cause every
recommendation made by the State Finance Commission. He shall also lay an explanatory memorandum
on the action taken thereon before the State Legislature.
Disbursal of SFC Grants among Panchayats

As recommended by the State Finance Commission, as accepted by the legislature, and as acted upon by
the State Government, Panchayats of a State shall receive grants generally known as State Finance
Commission grants, based on the formula as recommended by the SFC. Most of the financial resources
received by the Panchayats are schematic or tied in nature. i.e., the resources can be utilized strictly for
specific activities and follow strict scheme guidelines. (i.e. bound with terms and conditions which affect
the discretion of Panchayats). State Finance Commission grants, on the other hand, usually are un-tied
and thus can be used for taking up works as per local needs. Hence, it provides natural flexibility to the
Panchayats in terms of the nature of utilization.
State Finance Commission Grant for Panchayats should not be tied in nature. So it is likely that the
Panchayat should utilize this grant to bridge critical shortfalls in their resources and take up activities
that they could not implement using conditional or schematic funds. The exact nature of conditions
attached to the SFC grant depends on specific SFC recommendations and the State Government's policy.
The concept and practice of taxation by local government institutions have not progressed much in India
since the early days of British rule. Most of the revenue accrual of the gram panchayats comes from the
taxation of property and profession. Some minor supplements are coming from non-tax receipts, such
as property rent and fees for services. Realizing fiscal decentralization requires that finances should
match expenditure assignments related to the transferred activities. It needs a two-fold approach (i) The
demarcation of a fiscal domain (tax and non-tax) for PRIs to tap resources directly, and (ii). The
Devolution of funds from the Union and State Governments. It is high time that a national consensus is
arrived for broadening and deepening the revenue base of local governments. The Government should
take a comprehensive exercise in this sector on a priority basis. The exercise will have to look into the
aspects such as the potential for taxation, fixation of realistic tax rates, widening of tax base and
improved tax collection.
1.5. Role of Panchayats in Implementing the Rural Development Schemes

“Almost half of the population of the world lives in rural regions and mostly in a state of poverty. Such
inequalities in human development have been one of the primary reasons for unrest and in some parts
of the world, even in violence”
- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

Rural Development is a continuous the process which aims at improving the socio-economic conditions
of people living in the rural areas. Panchayati Raj Institutions are highly concerned about the
implementation of rural development programmes launched by central and State Government in India
rather than the administration of local areas. This unit shares some insights about some most crucial
rural development schemes implemented in India, namely 1. Education for All, 2. Health for All, 3.
Housing for All, 4. Antyodaya and 5. NSAP and the role of gram panchayats in their successful
implementation.
1. Education for All

There is much discrimination in our society in the name of caste, religion and gender. Discriminations
prevail in terms of educational opportunities also. People living in the rural areas belonging to the
scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, other backward classes and minority communities face educational
discrimination severely. Overcoming these discriminations will lead to gradual improvement in human
resources at an accelerated pace and lead to human capital development. The Government of India has
introduced the Right to Education Act 2009 and many such other schemes to overcome such
discriminations;
Right to Education Act 2009

The crux of the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 is that 'every child between 6 to 14 years has the right
to receive free and compulsory education.' The main features of the Act are as follows;
To take necessary steps to provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of
6 to 14 years.
To give pre-primary education for all children of 5 years.
Children aged 6 to 14 years, never enrolled in school/ dropped out of school before completing the
eighth standard, needs to be enrolled in their age-appropriate class and, if necessary, provided with
special supplementary education.
Maintain specific student-teacher ratio and improve the quality of education
To prevent physical or emotional abuse of children in any manner.
Ensure education for children with special needs.
Education for All: Thailand Resolution

As per the resolution made in the world conference on education held in Jomtien, in Thailand, Education
for All refers to providing education to all people from 3 to 45 years old. The four primary areas of
Education for All are 1. Pre Primary Education (3-6 years, through Anganwadi and others), 2. Primary
Education (6-9 years, through primary school, Government approved madrasa and Shishu Shiksha
Kendra: Alternative Education), 3. Upper Primary Education (10-14 years, through registered High
Schools, upper primary schools and Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra: Alternative Education), and 4. Adult
Education (15-45 years, through adult literacy centre, literacy mission and mass education). The primary
objectives of this scheme are as follows;
To enroll all children to the nearest school on attaining six years of age.
To retain every child in school until the child attains eight years of schooling.
Increase the quality of education and remove gender and other social discrimination in education.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme aims to provide education for all children between the
ages of 6 to 14 years. The programme objectives are as follows;
To ensure good quality education for
every child from 6 to 14 years.
Inclusive education for differentially abled
children or children with special needs in
the same educational institution and other
children.
To ensure Education for All by assigning a
high priority to educate the girls, children
of SC/ST and other backward classes.
All children are brought to school,
retained in school and provided value-
based good quality education and
complete education.
To provide free of cost textbooks to all
children and special aids and tools for
differentially abled children.
To constitute Mother’s Committee on Education.
Set up a cluster resource centre in the Gram Panchayat area to increase regular communication
between the school and Village Education Committee.
To register all children in the village to develop a children database and prepare a village education
plan using this information.
Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Programme

The primary objectives of the Mid-Day-Meal Programme since April 2008 are as follows;
To make students attracted towards school, ensure their regular attendance and ensure the
nutrition of children.
To provide supplementary nutrition to all children from Classes 1 to 8.
To provide mid-day-meal to all children studying in grades 1 to 8 in all Government, Government
aided schools, schools run by the Panchayat and Municipalities, Madrasa educational institutions,
and child labour schools.
Role of Gram Panchayat in Implementing the MDM Programme

The primary responsibilities of gram panchayat in implementing the MDM Programme are as follows:
Apart from the necessary school infrastructure availability, the GP shall also monitor the regular rice
supply, the availability of funds and the areas where assistance Gram Panchayat and Panchayat
Samiti shall be helpful.
Monitor the quality of food. Apart from this, the gram panchayat shall supervise the entire process
of preparing food and distributing it among children.
Gram Panchayat member shall be the President of the School Management Committee and
supervise the mid-day meal activities every day and approve the income-expenditure statement
during the monthly meeting of the School Management Committee.
Role of Gram Panchayat in Adult Education

Older people who were not able to finish their conventional education, and due to their present age,
cannot be brought back under the conventional education system; the education given to them can be
called adult education. They can be given various types of education through adult education, such as
making them literate, provide them primary education, or skill enhancement, vocational education.
Apart from this, with science and entertainment, the adult learning experience could be improved.
Currently, Saakshar Bharat Mission is imparting adult learning in the country.
Anganwadi Centres
An Anganwadi Center is a type of rural child care centre in India. The Indian Government started them in
1975 as a part of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme to combat child hunger and
malnutrition. Generally, there is one Anganwadi Centre for every 600 to 1000 population. There shall be
one Anganwadi Centre if an area has at least 300 people in the Scheduled Caste and Tribal inhabited
areas and 40 children in the age group of 0 to 6. The Centre and State equally share the food expenses
for severely malnourished children (6-72 months) Rs.4.50 each, ii. Normal children (6-72 months) Rs.
3.00 each and iii. Pregnant & lactating mothers Rs. 3.50 each.
A Gram Panchayat Member (Women member preferred) shall act as the President of Anganwadi level
Monitoring and Support Committee, and with the support of other committee members, she will ensure
the proper functioning of the Anganwadi Centre.
2. Health for All

The Government of India introduced the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 for providing
accessible, affordable and quality health care services to the rural people of our country. The mission
aimed to reduce maternal and child mortality and provide better access to health services, especially
vulnerable sections.
There are four kinds of interventions in the

health sector, namely 1. Prevention, 2.
Promotion, 3. Cure, and 4. Rehabilitation. The
primary responsibility of the Gram Panchayat is
for preventive, promotive and rehabilitative
health care. Gram Panchayats can generate
awareness about the importance of good health,
healthy living methods, and prevention from
contracting communicable or non-
communicable diseases. They can also facilitate
information dissemination about the health care
and curative services amongst people and how
they can avail these services. Gram Panchayats
can also strengthen healthcare services delivery
by supporting and coordinating with the health
institutions and functionaries at the village level.
Roles and Responsibilities of GPs in respect to health

The roles of Gram Panchayat as local self-government in respect of works related to Public Health,
sanitation and safe drinking water are as follows;

To understand the status of health and nutrition of the area based on collected data.
To take measures to generate awareness about health among the people.
To ensure registration of every pregnant woman in the health centre.
To ensure full immunization of every mother & child of the area.
To take steps to ensure quality nutrition for all children.
To ensure the construction of latrines in each
household.
To take steps to develop and maintain the drainage system of the
area. To take steps to develop and maintain health institutions of the
area. To ensure access to safe drinking water for the entire
household.
To ensure the registration of every birth and death in the village.
To prevent and control vector-borne diseases.
To eradicate diarrhea, TB, Leprosy, Malaria, Dengue, HIV and AIDS in the area.
To prepare perspective and annual plan to ensure economic development and social justice as local
self-government.
To provide essential services to its citizen as local self-government.
To implement all the poverty alleviation, income generation, developmental schemes properly.
To ensure participation of people in event-related to health and give them proper health awareness.
To make all the Standing Committees, including the Education and Public Health Standing-
Committee, active and vibrant.
To make Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committee more active and vibrant.
To make all the VHSNCs more active and influential.
Ensure that the local sub-registrar appropriately registers all birth and death (natural/accidental /
murder or suicide) within the gram panchayat area.
The most important job of the President and Vice President of the Gram Panchayat as office bearer is to
lead the Gram Panchayat in an appropriate manner towards ensuring the above public-health related
tasks.
Roles and Responsibilities of Standing Committee of GP in respect of health

Health and Family Welfare are critical roles the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution has assigned to the
Gram Panchayats to perform. The Gram Panchayat forms the standing committees to promote good
health practices amongst people and ensure good service delivery from the health facilities and
functionaries at the village level. Generally, a Standing Committee on Education and Public Health would
need to perform the following roles;
To hold a meeting of the Standing Committee and discuss health matters regularly.
To collect and analyze data and information on Health, Nutrition & sanitation in the Gram Panchayat
area and maintain public health.
Coordinate with the Health Sub-Centres and Anganwadi Centres in the Gram Panchayat area,
linkage & coordination among the ASHAs, ANMs, AWWs and Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition
Committee/s (VHSNC).
To facilitate the preparation of comprehensive health plans for the entire Gram Panchayat area
(both the Annual Action Plan and Perspective Plan for five years) and ensure implementation and
monitoring of the planned activities.
To provide support in health service delivery institutions like the Anganwadi, Sub Centre, PHC, and
monitor the health service delivery in the Gram Panchayat area.

All Standing Committee members must participate in the meetings regularly and actively participate in
preparing the annual plan and budget of the Standing Committee on Education and Public Health.
3. Housing for All

The Government has taken several initiatives for providing support to the economically weaker sections
of the society for the construction of their houses. Housing for All is the commitment of the Government
of India to provide every houseless and household living in dilapidated houses to have a pucca house by
the end of 2022. This year the nation shall complete its 75 years of independence. There are two specific
schemes for the said purpose, namely the i. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), and the ii.
Rural Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme (RHISS).
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G)

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G) provides a pucca house with basic amenities to all
homeless households and households living in kutcha and dilapidated houses by 2022. All the
households having no house or living in a kutcha or dilapidated house are eligible for PMAY-G. The
households belonging to SC, ST and Minority Communities shall receive priority under this scheme. The
beneficiaries are selected as follows;
Beneficiaries are selected using housing deprivation parameters in the Socio-Economic Caste Census
(SECC) 2011, verified by Gram Sabha.
Using the SECC data, households living in 0, 1 and 2 kutcha wall and kutcha roof houses are
segregated and targeted.
The authorities shall prepare a permanent waitlist. Different priority lists satisfying the principle of
prioritization is also generated for SC/ST and Minorities for each Ward.
Verification of selected beneficiaries is to be done by the Gram Sabha, and
The State should share a ready list of households for covering in the coming years.
Assistance under PMAY-G

The scheme offers financial assistance of
Rs. 1.20 lakh per unit in plains and Rs. 1.30 lakh
per unit in hilly States (Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), difficult
areas and the districts covered under Integrated
Action Plan (IAP) for the construction purpose.
The Central and the State Governments share
the cost of unit assistance in 60:40 ratio in plains
and 90:10 in the North Eastern and Himalayan
States (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and
Uttarakhand). The beneficiary shall receive the
entire sanctioned amount in two or three
installments but not at a time. As per the
guidelines, the fund is directly transferred from
the state level to the beneficiary's bank account
or post office account electronically. Also,
The beneficiary is entitled to 90 to 95 person-days on unskilled labour from MGNREGS.

The beneficiaries shall receive assistance for constructing toilets from Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or
MGNREGS or any other funding source.
The beneficiaries shall also receive support for piped water supply, electricity, and gas connection
under suitable schemes.
Also, a bank loan up to Rs. 70000/- shall be facilitated if so desired by the beneficiary.
To Do Activity
Visit the house of a beneficiary in your area who has got his/ her house constructed through PMAY (G). Check the quality
Construction of Pucca House under PMAY-G

A Pucca house under PMAY-G means a house that can withstand normal wear and tear due to use and
natural forces, including climatic conditions, with reasonable maintenance for at least 30 years. The
nature of construction may differ according to the geographical condition of the area. The following is
the procedure for construction of houses under PMAY-G;
The minimum size of the house should be 25 Sq. Mtr. including a dedicated area for cooking and
bathing and a toilet.
The beneficiary himself or herself shall construct the house (or) get the house constructed under
his/her supervision. The beneficiaries shall not engage a contractor or any other agency for this
purpose.
He/she shall complete the construction within 12 months from the date of sanction.
If a beneficiary is old or infirm or a person with a disability and cannot get the house constructed
independently, such a house shall come as a part of mason training.
If some beneficiaries are still left out, the Gram Panchayat or some ground functionaries shall
construct a house for them.
The house design should be according to the local conditions.
There is a provision for Audit and Social Audit in PMAY (G). During Social Audit, all the aspects of the
scheme, such as selection of beneficiary, quality of the materials used, and work progress, including
timely completion of work, can be reviewed. It can take place throughout the year. There is provision for
receiving allegations/ complaints at Gram Panchayat, Intermediate Panchayat, Block, District and State
Levels and redressal thereof with priority.
Rural Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme (RHISS)

The purpose of the Rural Housing Interest
Subsidy Scheme (RHISS) is to provide cheap and
easy access to institutional loans to the
households living in rural areas not covered under
PMAY-G for construction/modification of their
dwelling houses. Any rural household which does
not appear/figure on the Permanent Wait List for
PMAY-G will be considered eligible for assistance
under RHISS. The beneficiaries are eligible for a
housing loan of Rs. 2.00 lakh for the maximum
loan tenure of 20 years.
The rate of interest subsidy is 3%. They can apply for a housing loan with any Primary Lending
Institutions (PLI), including the scheduled commercial banks, Housing Finance Corporations, RRBs, SCBs,
UCBs, and NBFCs. All such constructions will be geo-referenced, time and date stamped and captured on
AwaaSoft through AwaasApp. The Gram Panchayat has a pivotal role to play in the implementation of
this scheme because all the households requiring housing support may not get such support as per the
eligibility criteria of PMAY-G. Therefore, wide publicity for the scheme of RHISS should be made in the
Gram Panchayat area so that any intending person can take advantage of this scheme.
5. Mission Antyodaya
Antyodaya means the development of
those who are the poorest among the poor in
society. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR)
and the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD),
Government of India, launched the Antyodaya
campaign on November 9, 2017. Mission
Antyodaya Framework lists specific parameters
for capturing villages' real-time economic and
human development data and using GPs to plan
and monitor development.
Objectives of Mission Antyodaya

The Mission Antyodaya aims to eradicate poverty from 50,000 extremely backwards GPs in India on a
cluster basis in 1000 days and focus interventions on infrastructure development, economic and
livelihood development, Health, Nutrition & sanitation, and women empowerment. These 50,000 GPs
created shall act as the 'Schools of Excellence' for developing all the 2.5 lakh GPs in India. Mission
Antyodaya is enforced only in rural areas.
Schemes Attached to Mission Antyodaya

Both the state and central level schemes are attached to Mission Antyodaya as given below;
In all States, there are schemes for education, health, livelihood generation, women empowerment
and infrastructure development. All such schemes come under the purview of Antyodaya.
The central government schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, Housing for All (PMAY-G), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak

Yojana, National Social Assistance Programme and Integrated Watershed Management Programme
are coming under the purview of Antyodaya.
Benchmark in Mission Antyodaya Framework

In Mission Antyodaya Framework, the benchmark contains the elements of a developed G.P. Antyodaya
uses this benchmark for assessing the GPs to ensure that all the GPs are equally developed. The scheme
uses 48 benchmarks in 4 sections, namely, 1. Infrastructure development 2. Economic Development and
Livelihood 3. Health, Nutrition and Sanitation, and 4. Women Empowerment, for this purpose. Based on
these rankings, the GPs, districts, and States are ranked. This ranking allows the States to decide their
action plan and guides the Central Government to focus more.
Mission Antyodaya has given a particular focus on women and weaker sections in the ranking
benchmark. If the GP is doing well on providing livelihood to women, it will score better on women
empowerment and livelihood benchmarks. If it is not doing, the concerned authorities will come to
know which benchmarks need special attention.
Role of GP towards Mission Antyodaya

The elected representatives of GP are responsible for feeding reliable data in the Mission Antyodaya
Survey. Since Mission Antyodaya is not a scheme, a GP does not get any money under it. Mission
Antyodaya has to be fulfilled by optimum utilization of resources provided under different schemes of
the State and Central Governments.
By using the Mission Antyodaya Framework, a GP can understand what essential infrastructure
development is needed for a GP to take care of its population. During work, the Mission Antyodaya Data
may help a GP tracking the development and proceed further. Mission Antyodaya uses two types of
evidence, namely (i). The verified data of GP in Mission Antyodaya Questionnaire (used for GP survey)
and (ii). The image captured with geotagging. Such pieces of evidence are much helpful in developing
GPDP also. From the Local Government Directory (LGD) of Mission Antyodaya Framework, a GP can get
baseline evidence regarding infrastructure, health, education, women empowerment and sanitation.
Based on this evidence, it can decide what kind of projects is needed to create purposeful GPDP and
reduce rural poverty to a large extent.
6. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) comprises six (6) different programmes, namely, 1.
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), 2. Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension
Scheme (IGNWPS), 3. Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), 4. National Family
Benefit Scheme (NFBS), 5. Annapurna Scheme and 6. Rural Insurance Schemes.
i. Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): This scheme is meant for a person above
the age of 60 years and living below the poverty line as per database generated from Socioeconomic
and Caste Census-2011, is eligible for pension assistance under IGNOAPS. He/she should not be a
beneficiary of any other old-age pension scheme. The amount of Central assistance of monthly pension
is Rs. 200/- for 60-79 years and Rs. 500 for the persons above 79 years old. The State Government also
provides additional assistance above this pension.
ii. Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): This Scheme is meant for a widow with
age between 40-79 years living below the poverty line as per the database generated from Socio-
economic and Caste Census-2011, is eligible for IGNWPS. She should not be a beneficiary of any other

pension scheme. The amount of Central Assistance of monthly pension is Rs. 200/- for 40-79 years. The
said amount of Central assistance will be raised to Rs.500/- per month for the beneficiaries above 79.
The State Government also provides additional assistance above this pension.
iii. Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): This Scheme focuses on the people
living below the poverty level as per the Socio-economic and Caste Census-2011.It covers all people of
the age group 18-79 years and living with 80% or more disability, or multidimensional/multiple
disabilities (a minimum of 40% disability but total disability 80% or more) is considered eligible for
getting benefit under IGNDPS. The amount of Central Assistance of monthly pension is Rs.200/- for 18-
79 years. The Central share will be raised to Rs 500/- per month for the beneficiaries above 79. The State
Government also provides additional assistance above this pension.
iv. National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS): If the principal bread earner of a family dies, the bereaved
family will get one-time financial assistance through National Family Benefit Scheme under the National
Social Assistance Programme. Free application form will be available from the Gram Panchayat office.
The filled up application form should have to be submitted to the Gram Panchayat official concerned.
Any Registered Medical Practitioner or the Gram Panchayat can issue a death certificate of the principal
bread earner of the family for this scheme. The beneficiaries shall receive the NSAP pension amount
directly in their Bank or Post office Account. The criteria for getting the assistance of NFBS are as
follows;
The deceased person (female or male) must be the principal bread earner of the
family. During death, the age of the principal bread earner must be between 18 to 60
years.
The beneficiary families shall not enjoy assistance from any other family benefit scheme of any
other department.
This assistance is available only for natural or accidental death.
No benefit will be available from the scheme in case of suicidal death.
v. Annapurna Yojana: Annapurna Yojana aims at providing food security to meet the requirement of
those senior citizens who, though eligible, have remained uncovered under NOAPS. Any destitute above
65 years of age, having a little or no regular means of subsistence from his/her source of income or
through financial support from family members or other sources, are eligible for benefit under this
scheme. The applicant should not receive a pension under NOAPS or State Pension Scheme. The
beneficiaries shall receive 10 kgs of food grains per month free of cost. The State Food and Civil Supplies
Department executes the scheme.
vi. Rural Insurance Schemes: There are three types of insurance schemes, namely 1. Aam Admi Bima
Yojana, 2. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and 3. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana.
(a). Aam Admi Bima Yojana: It is a group insurance scheme initiated with the assistance of both the
central and the state government and through the Life Insurance Corporation of India for the 'Landless
Agricultural Laborers’ in the rural areas. The legal heir or nominee of the beneficiary will get Rs. 30000/-
(Rupees Thirty Thousand) in case of natural death, and will get Rs. 75000/-(Rupees Seventy Five
Thousand) in case of accidental death. Presently two separate programmes, viz., Pradhan Mantri Jeevan
Jyoti Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, have replaced the Aam Admi Bima Yojana.
Hence, this scheme does not take any new registration now. However, the beneficiaries of Aam Admi
3
302 Panchayati MGNC
Bima Yojana between 51 to 59 years of age may continue with the scheme as covered beneficiaries.
3
302 Panchayati MGNC
(b). Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY): The national-level insurance scheme Pradhan
Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana offers life insurance cover for death due to any reason. It is a Term Life
Insurance Scheme, renewable annually. Anyone in the age group between 18 to 50, having a savings
bank account, can join as a beneficiary. If a beneficiary holds multiple saving bank accounts in one or
different banks, he/she shall be eligible to join the scheme using any one of those accounts. Rs.2 lakhs is
payable on a subscriber's death due to any reason. The premium payable is Rs.330/- per annum. The
bank/post office will deduct the premium from the account holder's savings bank account through the
'auto debit' facility in one installment. The LIC and other Life Insurance companies implement the
scheme in collaboration with participating Banks.
(c). Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
provides one-year coverage of the Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, renewable annually. It protects
against death or disability due to accidents. In case of accidental death or total and irrecoverable loss of
both eyes/ loss of sight in one eye and loss of use of hand or foot/ loss of both hands or feet, the
beneficiary or nominee shall receive Rs.2 lakh. If the total and irrecoverable loss of sight of one eye or
one hand or foot is lost, the beneficiary shall receive Rs. 1.00 lakh. The premium payable is Rs.12/- per
annum per member. The bank/post office will deduct the premium from the account holder's savings
bank account through the 'auto debit' facility in one installment.
All individuals in the age group of 18 to 70, having a savings bank account in participating banks, can
join this scheme. If a beneficiary holds multiple saving bank accounts in one or different banks, he/she
shall be eligible to join the scheme using any one of those accounts. The Public Sector General Insurance
Companies like LIC and other General Insurance companies execute the scheme in collaboration with
the participating Banks.
The Gram Panchayat can play a critical role in the implementation of both these schemes, namely the
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY),
by awareness generation, facilitation for enrolment of the intending beneficiaries in collaboration with
Life Insurance Corporation, other insurance companies and banks and settlement of claims.
Role of Gram Panchayat in the Implementation of NSAP

The Gram Panchayat has to play a critical role in the implementation of the schemes under the National
Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) as listed below;
The GP shall identify the beneficiaries as per the NSAP guidelines.
Cross verification of existing data as per available census data or approved beneficiary list of the
previous year.
It shall submit the proposal for addition and deletion in the list with reasons to the authorized
officer of the Special Verification Team.
The GP shall also take the necessary action as per compliance with inclusion/deletion.
Further, the GP is also responsible for awareness generation among people on eligibility, the scale of
assistance through publicity of the scheme and extending support in conducting a social audit. Though
some development has taken place, its gains have not yet reached every family in rural India. There
remains a vast majority of the rural poor and the landless labourers for whom more significant efforts
will require to create employment opportunities and providing assistance in income-generating to
enable them to cross the poverty line. Effective participation of the rural poor themselves is critical to
achieving it.
3
302 Panchayati MGNC
Also, experience indicates, though the Government initiatives discussed above have reduced the
incidence of poverty significantly, many of the programmes still could not yield desired results, mainly
due to a lack of participation from the rural people. A well-organized institutional support is lacking,
particularly at the grass-roots level. Thus the Panchayats have to take several measures to ensure that
the benefits of these particular schemes reach the intended poor instead of the intermediaries. Target
beneficiaries belonging to SC/ST and other weaker sections have to be given priority in the development
efforts so that the benefits of planned investment can go to the relatively backward sections of the
community.
Chapter Summary
Panchayati Raj is a system in which the villagers take direct participation in local administration. Since
Vedic times, the villages were the basic units for local self-administration. Mahatma Gandhi's Gram
Swaraj means a decentralized form of Government in which each village would be responsible for its
affairs. Gandhiji believed that the overall development of the village is possible through the scheme of
Nai Talim. An individual worker trained and disciplined for initiating and helping forward such a broad-
based movement would be its fulcrum.
The history of the modern Panchayati Raj system in India starts with introducing the 73rd Amendment
to the constitution, making provisions for setting up a three-tier Panchayati Raj System in rural areas.
The 74th Amendment made provisions for setting up three categories of Urban Local Bodies in
municipal areas. The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 has added Part IX (The Panchayats)
consisting of 16 Articles and the Eleventh Schedule consisting of 29 functional items of the panchayats.
Article 243A envisaged the Gram Sabha as the foundation of the PR System. The Act has two parts, the
compulsory provisions added to the state laws and the voluntary provisions added to the discretion of
the state government. The Act establishes the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in the states, whereas
the states with fewer than 20 lakhs may not constitute the intermediate level. The Constitution
(74thAmendment) Act, 1992 has added and constitutionally recognized the formation of the Urban
Local Bodies. It paved the way for establishing (i) Nagar Panchayats for a transitional area, (ii) Municipal
Councils in smaller urban areas and (iii) Municipal Corporations in larger urban areas.
The PESA Act 1996 is an Act enacted by the central Government to cover the "Scheduled Areas", not
covered earlier by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, Part IX. The PESA Act brought the powers
further down to the Gram Sabha level. The advent of PESA 1996 was a welcome event that conferred
relatively greater autonomy to Gram Sabhas in scheduled areas. However, the Government has not
seriously attempted the implementation of PESA where these centralized structures and laws that
contradict the progressive provisions of PESA dominate.
The Central Finance Commission or the Finance Commission provides recommendations on the
distribution of tax revenues between the States and the Centre and amongst the states themselves. It is
constituted for five years by the President of India under Article 280 of the Constitution. Currently, the
tenure of the 14th Finance Commission is in progress. The 15th Finance Commission was required to
submit two reports. The FFC has recommended that states with lower per capita income receive a
higher share to maintain equity. The FFC has also given due weightage for demographic performance,
forest and ecology and tax efforts for deciding the quantum of grants for states/U.T.s.
The Government of India has been launching various socio-economic development programmes for
developing rural areas. The Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009, for instance, aims to provide free and
compulsory education to all children between the 6 to 14 age group. The National Rural Health Mission

(NRHM), launched in 2005, aims to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to rural areas.
This scheme is the commitment of the GoI with an objective that by 2022 when the nation completes 75
years of independence, every houseless and household living in dilapidated houses to have a pucca
house. There are two specific schemes for the said purpose, namely the i. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-
Gramin (PMAY-G), and the ii. Rural Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme (RHISS).
The central government scheme Antyodaya aims at developing people who are the poorest among the
poor in society. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), in association with the Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD), Government of India, launched this campaign on November 9, 2017. The Mission
Antyodaya aims to eradicate poverty from 50,000 extremely backwards GPs in India on a cluster basis in
1000 days and focus interventions on infrastructure development, economic and livelihood
development, health, nutrition & sanitation, and women empowerment. These 50,000 GPs shall act as
'Schools of Excellence' to develop all the 2.5 lakh GPs in India. Mission Antyodaya is enforced only in
rural areas. The role of gram panchayat, it’s standing committees and their elected representatives in
implementing all these schemes are critical.
Model Questions
1. Elaborate the characteristics of an Ideal Swaraj Village as described by Gandhiji.

2. Enumerate the salient features of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, which caused the
establishment of the modern Panchayati Raj System in India.
3. What is the need for bringing the 74th Constitutional Amendment? Evaluate whether the Act has
achieved its objectives. If not, give the reasons with suitable solutions.
4. List out the provisions available in Sections 41 and 42 of the PESA Act 1996 regarding land
acquisition in scheduled areas.
5. Examine the critical recommendations given by the Fifteenth Finance Commission (FFC) with
particular reference to the local body institutions.
6. Examine the role of gram panchayats in the effective implementation of Education for All in rural
areas.
7. Discuss the role and responsibilities of gram panchayats and their standing Committee in
implementing Health for All in Indian villages.
References
1. Gandhi, M.K. (1959). Panchayat Raj. (1st ed.). Ahmedabad, India: Navajivan Press.
2. National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. (2020). Model learning materials for
elected representatives of gram panchayats (Book-3). Hyderabad, India: NIRDPR.
3. Maheshwari, S.R. (2015). Local Government in India. (15th ed.). Agra, India: Lakshmi Narayan
Agarwal.
4. Ministry of Panchayati Raj. (2019). Basic statistics of panchayati raj institutions. Retrieved from
https://www.panchayat.gov.in/documents/20126/0/Statistical+handbook_MoPR+02082019.pdf/49
88ca1b-4971-1f3b-54e7-980228eb47f9?t=1564729098415

Chapter 2 Gram Panchayat and Panchayat Samitis
A Gram Panchayat is a primary institution of local self-government in India. A Gram Sabha works as the
general body of the Gram Panchayat and the Panchayat Samiti is an intermediate level intuition working
at block levels. These Gram Panchayats may establish different standing committees and assign different
responsibilities to them so that the rural areas get overall development. The Gram Panchayat performs
functions related to all 29 areas transferred from 11th schedule of the constitution through 73rd
Amendment and also delivers various obligatory, regulatory, discretionary and complimentary functions.
This chapter discusses the structure of Gram panchayats, its standing committees, the roles and
responsibilities of various office bearers and employees, finance, budget and financial management of a
Gram Panchayat.

The primary objectives of this chapter are as follows;
To introduce the salient features of Gram Sabha, Gram Panchayat and Gram Samiti and discuss
their respective functions in creating self-sustained village republics.
To develop an understanding about the Gram Panchayat and its standing committees with
reference to establishing an efficient local self-government.
To give the readers an exposure to the roles and responsibilities of the elected representatives
of the gram Panchayat and its employees.
To create a ground level understanding about the sources of finance, budgets and office
management of a Gram Panchayat.
2.1 Gram Sabha, Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti: An Introduction Management
2.2. Structure and Functions of the Gram Panchayat and its Standing Committees
2.3 Roles and Responsibilities of PRIs as the Institutions of Local Self-Government
2.4. Meetings - Office Administration and Own Resources of Panchayats
2.5. Budget - Financial Management and Audit of Panchayat Accounts Schemes

2.1. Gram Sabha, Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti: An Introduction
“To me gram sabha signifies village democracy. Let us not have only representative government from
the village up to Delhi. One place, at least let there be a direct government, direct democracy… the
relationship between panchayat and gram sabha should be that of cabinet and assembly.”
- Jayaprakash Narain
Gram Sabha
A Gram Panchayat is a primary institution of local self-government in India. It is a democratic structure
and a political institution acting as the cabinet of the villages. A Gram Sabha works as the general body
of the Gram Panchayat and the Panchayat Samiti is an intermediate level intuition working towards
village development in a development block. It is known as the "panchayat of panchayats". This unit
discusses the role of these institutions in bringing overall development to rural areas.
The Gram Sabha is the bottom level statutory body in the Panchayati Raj (PR) system that the 73 rd
constitutional amendment Article 242(A) mentions. It is genuinely the bedrock of the PR System. It is
through this Gram Sabha that a representative is made accountable to the villagers. The constitution
states that a Gram Sabha may exercise such powers and perform other functions in villages as the state
legislature may legally entrust it.
The Gram Sabha is an organ of decentralized democracy that facilitates the direct participation of
people in local governance. All adult residents of the village shall be members of the Gram Sabha, and
the membership is not restricted only to the elected representatives. All states have invariably made
provisions for the establishment of Gram Sabha as an assembly of villagers, but the functions entrusted
to this body vary from state to state.
Members of the Gram Sabha

In some states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal, the Gram Sabha members include all those voters of village electoral roll. States like Bihar,
Karnataka, and Rajasthan include all village residents as members irrespective of their voting eligibility.
Thus the membership range of the Gram Sabha across the country differs between 250 and 5000.
Meetings of the Gram Sabha
2.1. Chief Ministers of Telangana & Tamilnadu attending Gram Sabha Meetings
A Gram Sabha must compulsorily meet as many times as prescribed in the governing law of the
concerned state. The frequency of meetings conducted in different states is listed below for reference;
West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh – Once a year

Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Kerala,
Karnataka, Tamilnadu – Twice a year
Bihar and Assam – Four times in a year
Functions of the Gram Sabha
The constitution has entrusted an indicative list of functions to the local bodies, but the precise
functions may vary from state to state. The general functions entrusted on a Gram Sabha are as follows;
1. To examine the annual statements of accounts and audit reports.
2. To consider the proposals for new taxation or enhancement of the existing taxes.
3. To select schemes, beneficiaries and locations.
4. To mobilize the voluntary labour and contributions in kind or cash for the community welfare
programmes.
5. To assist the implementation of various development schemes.
6. To undertake the programmes for adult education and family welfare in the village.
7. To consider the last year's audit note and replies made to it.
8. To consider the development budget prepared by the Gram Panchayat.
9. To scrutinize the existing schemes and all other activities of the Panchayat.
10. To clarify the panchayat activity, income and expenditure, seek clarifications from sarpanch and
panches of the Gram Panchayat.
The Gram Sabha in India has not been a glaring success, but still, it has the potential to emerge as a
powerful forum of participatory democracy. The effectiveness of Gram Sabha crucially depends on the
regularity in conducting its meetings.
Gram Sabha and Panchayat
Some view the Gram Sabha as the parent body and the Gram Panchayat as its executive committee,
while some others view that both these bodies should operate as two separate entities that should
function independently of one another. However, the fact is that the Gram Sabha cannot enlist the
interest of the local people if it lacks the power to control the Panchayat, which is the executive body.
Thus it is desirable to bring the Panchayat within the control of Gram Sabha without harming its
effectiveness.
The head of the Gram Sabha (sarpanch) has a critical role in making it an effective body without fanning
confrontations. The following are some critical weaknesses of the Gram Sabha. Firstly, the Gram Sabha
is not taken seriously by the panchayats and by the people themselves. They take it only as a
recommendatory, advisory and suggestive body and not more than that. The Gram Sabha can perform
certain essential functions like considering accounts and audit reports of Gram Panchayats and
implementing development programmes, but they hardly get such functions from the Gram Panchayat.
Out of the 9622 panchayat presidents elected in 27 districts across Tamilnadu 5421 (56 %) were
women and 1817 (19 %) were youth aged between 21 and 35

Gram Panchayat
The Panchayat Raj (PR) system in India has three tiers: At the village level, the Gram Panchayats, at the
block level, the Nagar Palika, and at the district level, the Zila Parishad. The state of Rajasthan started
the first Gram Panchayat in the country. It established the first Gram Panchayat at Nagur village on 2nd
October 1959. The failed attempts of the panchayats to deal with local matters at the national level
caused the re-introduction of Panchayats in 1992. The purpose of their re-introduction was to fulfil their
previously assigned goals and duties as the organizations of local self-governance. As of now, there are
about 2.50 Lakh panchayats in India.
The Gram Panchayat is a basic unit of local self-government functioning at the village level. It is a
political institution acting democratically as the village's cabinet. The Gram Sabha acts as the general
body of the Gram Panchayat. It elects the members of the Gram Panchayat and caters to a population of
about 2000. Such a small population, particularly with widespread illiteracy in rural India, cannot provide
the type of leadership required for the adequate performance of a panchayat. The financial sources
available with a Gram Panchayat are also limited. Thus it would be better to entrust only a limited
number of activities to the Gram Panchayat, preferably related to civic facilities. The upper-level
institutions should perform all other developmental activities.
Functions of Gram Panchayat

The panchayats are assigned all functions which a local government can perform. They are the
instruments for the execution of the community development programme in rural areas. They also act
as the agent of the state government for performing certain specific tasks assigned to it. The functions
of a Gram Panchayat shall be i. obligatory functions and ii. Discretionary functions. The obligatory
functions are those which a panchayat shall perform compulsorily, while the discretionary functions are
left for their choice to perform or ignore or shall have to perform if the state government directs so.
However, the states concerned may classify the functions of a Gram Panchayat as obligatory and
discretionary as per their local needs and priorities.
Obligatory Functions
Inter alia, the obligatory functions of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
1. To construct, repair and maintain public wells/ ponds/tanks and supply of water for domestic
use.
2. To construct and maintain water sources for bathing/ washing and drinking by cattle and
maintaining its purity.
3. To construct/ maintain public streets, Gram Panchayat roads, latrines, drains, culverts, and
bridges.
4. To light the village streets and other public places.
5. To clean the roads, drains, bunds, tanks, wells and other public places.
6. To regulate the disposal of dead bodies, carcasses and other offensive materials and disposal of
unclaimed corpses and carcasses.
7. To remove obstructions and projections in public streets, places and sites.
8. Development of agriculture, cottage industries, credit/multipurpose cooperatives and
arrangements for cooperative management of lands.
9. To maintain public buildings, ancient and historical monuments other than those declared by
the parliament or under a law enacted to be of national importance.
10. To maintain the cattle records, improve their breeding and the general care of the livestock.
11. To register births, deaths and marriages.
12. To inoculate, vaccinate and enforce other preventive measures against contagious diseases.

13. To regulate buildings; regulation and control over shows, shops, eating and other entertainment
houses, vendors of drinks, sweetmeats, fruits, and milk.
14. To maintain the grazing lands and forest lands vesting to or under the control of the Panchayat.
Soon all Villages in Telangana will have Cemented Roads under MGNREGA Scheme
Discretionary Functions
Inter alia, the discretionary functions of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
1. To plant and nurse of trees on roadsides and other places.
2. To construct and maintain playgrounds, clubs, gymnasia, libraries, reading rooms and parks.
3. To construct and maintain slaughterhouses.
4. To run community centres.
5. To manage and control public ferries, agricultural and industrial shows and public festivals.
6. To promote social and moral welfare, including prohibition, removal of untouchability,
eradication of corruption and measures to discourage litigation and encourage arbitration.
7. To construct and maintain houses for the conservancy staff of the Panchayat.
8. To promote cooperative farming.
11th Schedule Subjects Transferred

The state legislatures have enacted laws to endow powers and authority to the Panchayats to enable
local government functions. The 11th schedule enshrines the distribution of specific powers between
the State legislature and the Panchayats. These 29 subjects are listed below:
1. Agriculture, including agricultural extension.

2. Land improvement/ /land consolidation and soil conservation and implementation of land reforms
3. Water management, minor irrigation and watershed development.
4. Animal husbandry/dairying and poultry.
5. Fisheries.
6. Social forestry and farm forestry.
7. Minor forest produce.
8. Small scale industries and food processing industries.
9. Khadi, village and cottage industries.
10. Rural housing.
11. Drinking water.
12. Fuel and fodder.
13. Roads/bridges/culverts/ferries/waterways and other means of communication.

14. Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity.
15. Non-conventional energy sources.
16. Poverty alleviation programme.
17. Education, including primary and secondary schools.
18. Technical training and vocational education.
19. Adult and non-formal education.
20. Libraries.
21. Cultural activities.
22. Markets and fairs.
23. Health and sanitation, maintenance of hospitals, primary health centres and dispensaries.
24. Family welfare.
25. Women and child development.
26. Social welfare, including the welfare of the disabled and mentally retarded.
27. Welfare of the weaker sections, particularly the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
28. Public distribution system.
29. Maintenance of community assets.
Also, the state legislature has authorized the Panchayats to levy and collect various local taxes, duties
and charges from the people. It also provides grants in aids to the Panchayats from the Consolidated
Funds of the states. For example, Ganga Devi Palli is a real smart village in many aspects, located about
20 Km from Warangal Town. The village, which has 360 households with a total population of around
1,400, has many achievements to boast about, as indicated by a board at the village gram panchayat
office -- 100 % prohibition, 100% house tax collection, 100% literacy, 100% school-going children, 100 %
construction of toilets, 100% in small savings among others.
All lanes and by lanes in Ganga Devi Palli Village in Telangana have Cement
Concrete (CC) roads with well laid sewerage lines
Sources of Revenue
To perform the above said functions, the Panchayat can use the following sources of revenue. A Gram
Panchayat is empowered to impose the following taxes;
1. Tax on buildings.
2. Lighting tax.

3. Water charges/drainage fee.
4. Tax on profession or trade.
5. Tax on vehicles and pack animals.
6. Fee charged on cart stand and Tonga stand.
7. Taxes collected on other animals used for riding.
8. Registration fees collected for animals sold within the panchayat area.
9. Collection of fees for the use of rest houses/slaughterhouses.
10. Tax for private latrines and sanitary cess to construct or maintain public latrines and remove and
dispose of refuse.
Challenges before the Gram Panchayats

The significant challenges faced by Gram Panchayats are as follows;
1. Lack of resources: Lack of adequate finance affects the effective functioning. Many panchayats could
not take up any development programmes in rural areas because of this lack of resources.
2. Lack of secretarial assistance: In the absence of trained and whole-time secretaries, the panchayats
do not function continuously. There is some activity on the day the Panchayat meets, but for the
remaining period, it remains dormant.
3. Lack of adequate powers: The panchayats also do not enjoy adequate powers in the sphere of local
administration. Their powers and authorities are minimal, and state governments do not share
powers with local institutions.
4. Lack of cooperation from revenue and police agencies: Despite provisions in the legislation,
wholehearted cooperation and support from revenue and police agencies have not always been
forthcoming. In many cases, the panchayats could not execute their decisions for want of timely
police assistance.
5. Lack of guidance and supervision: Continuous guidance and supervision have not been available to
the panchayats.
6. Apathy on the part of panchas: The panchas do not evince any substantial interest in the functioning
of the panchayats. They instead leave virtually everything to be done by the sarpanch.
7. Group factions: The introduction of Panchayati Raj has brought in its train, among others, cliques
and factions in the village life. The bitterness arising out of elections vitiates the atmosphere of the
village and the rival groups that exist hinder the smooth functioning of these institutions.
8. Complexity of rules and procedures: Complicated rules and procedures scare many sarpanch and
panches from involving themselves fully in the work of the panchayats. Some sarpanch invites
trouble for them by committing mistakes without any malafide intention.
9. Lack of timely action against defaulters: Generally speaking, action against defaulters has displayed
the consequences of losing faith in the institutions and the work of Panchayati raj.
10. Proximity of the Panchayati Samiti: The proximity of a robust executive body like the Panchayat
Samiti has eroded the initiative of the panchayats, particularly in the field of development.

11. Importance of sarpanch: The sarpanch as a Panchayat Samiti member has assumed overriding
importance and has overshadowed the Panchayat as an institution. He has assumed to himself all
the powers that essentially belong to the Panchayat.
Remedial Measures
The remedial measures to strengthen the functions of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
1. Finances of the panchayats should be augmented.
2. There should be clear enunciation of the powers and functions of the panchayats.
3. The panchayats should get efficient and regular secretarial assistance.
4. Rules and procedures should be simple to understand and easy to observe.
5. Rules should be subversive more significant interests and should not work as a handicap in the
smooth working in the Panchayat.
6. The revenue and police agencies must ensure their cooperation.
7. Several difficulties and problems arise due to a lack of cooperation and assistance from the revenue
and police agencies at the local level.
8. The government departments that have dealt with the panchayats should develop a sense of
oneness and consider developing these institutions as a part of their responsibility.
9. The Gram Panchayats should prevent any mistake or irregularity from occurring, and bona fide
mistakes should be dealt with sympathetically.
10. Strict and deterrent action should be taken against defaulters, regardless of whether they are civil
servants or elective representatives.
11. The sarpanch should be relieved of the duty of maintaining accounts and handling cash. Some of the
sarpanch brought about their downfall because they mishandled the financial affairs more through
ignorance than by any mala fide intention.
12. The Gram Sabha should be made active to play an influential role.
13. The Gram Panchayats should make vigorous efforts to educate people.
14. They should step up efforts to spread primary education and stress adult literacy and social
education programmes.
State Control over Panchayats

The state governments wield broader direction, control and regulation on the Panchayats. The state
government can delimit and alter its jurisdiction to effect mergers and even extinguish it.
It controls the Panchayat in almost every aspect of its work, such as the appointment of staff,
records management, financial administration, and election.
If a panchayat fails to carry out a task which it is obliged to undertake, the state government can get
it done by an official appointed for this purpose and realize the expenditure from the panchayat
funds.
The state government may call for necessary reports and records. It may suspend a resolution of the
Gram Panchayat if it considers that the implementation of the resolution may spell danger to public
life, health or property. Also, it may suspend or remove a panch or a sarpanch under certain
conditions.
It can even supersede a panchayat if the latter is consistently negligent of its duties. The device of
grants-in-aid to the Panchayat also enables the state government to exercise control over its
activities.
Panchayat Samiti
The Panchayat Samiti or Taluk Panchayat is the intermediate tier in the Panchayati Raj System of rural
local governance in India. The Panchayat Samitis work for the villages of the Tehsil/Mandal that together

are called a development block. It is known as the "Panchayat of panchayats." Its term of office ranges
from three to five years as defined by the concerned state. Its term is generally co-terminates with that
of the Panchayat. There were 6614 Panchayat Samitis in India as of March 2018.
Composition
There is no uniform composition of a panchayat Samiti among various states in India. Broadly speaking,
a panchayat Samiti consists of ex-officio, associate and co-opted members. The sarpanch of the
panchayats in the Samiti area shall be the ex-officio member of the Panchayat Samiti. The MLAs and
MPs elected from the Samiti area are also members but without voting right, therefore called associate
members. Also, there are provisions to co-opt a specified number of women and persons from
scheduled castes and scheduled tribes as Samiti members. Several states provide representation to the
cooperative societies operating in the area and persons possessing experience in public life, public
administration and rural development as co-opted members.
Election of the President

The members of the Panchayat Samiti elect the President of Panchayat Samiti in all states. Only in
Rajasthan, the President's Electoral College comprises all panchayat Samiti members and all panchas of
the village and Nagar panchayats falling within the area. The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes
people are given due seat reservation (including the president seats) in the total number of seats
available in the Panchayats, in proportion to their population to the total population. The President of
the panchayat Samiti can be removed from his office by a no-confidence vote of the Panchayat Samiti
passed with a special majority.
The office of the President is of utmost importance in the setup. The President has the power to
convene a meeting of the Panchayat Samiti and to preside over it. The President exercises
administrative control over the block development officer to implement the Samiti or its Standing
Committee resolutions. He has access to all the records of the Panchayat Samiti. He is empowered to
demote, suspend or dismiss any staff member whose jurisdiction is less than the whole block. He
initiates the character-roll of the Block Development Officer (BDO). In emergency cases, after consulting
the BDO, the President can direct the execution of any work that generally requires approval of the
Samiti or any of its standing committees.
Members of the Legislature and Samiti

There are provisions for the active association of Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members
of Parliament (MPs) with the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in all states. Their knowledge about the
national / state level legislatures shall bring considerable value to the functions of PRIs. Also, this
enables the MPs/ MLAs to maintain their close touch with their constituency people, which is beneficial
for both the people and these elected representatives.
However, this association of MLAs and MPs in the functions of PRIs has certain drawbacks also. For
example, often, the politicians come to dominate the Panchayat Raj bodies, thus stifling the initiative of
the other members. Such unwanted dominations retard the healthy development of PRIs. Another
issue is that the MLAs and MPs can hardly get sufficient time to attend the affairs of PRIs as they are
already shouldering extensive responsibilities. Considering these drawbacks, the Committee on
Panchayat Raj Election made the following recommendations;

MLAs and MPs cannot become the elected members or heads of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat
Samiti or Zila Parishad.
Members of the Parliament (upper house) and the state legislature should not be given any
ex-officio status in any tier of the PR system.
Members of the lower house of state legislature should be ex-officio associate members,
without any voting right, or to hold the office of the Panchayat Samitis, which are wholly in
his constituency.
A Member of Parliament shall act as an associate member of only one Panchayat Samiti in
which he is a resident.
Functions of a Panchayat Samiti

The Panchayat Samiti is the pivot of the panchayat raj system of rural local government. The principal
executive body in all the states (except Maharashtra and Gujarat) is responsible for implementing
community development programmes. Its responsibilities extend to agriculture, animal husbandry,
fisheries, health, rural sanitation, communication, social education, cooperation, cottage, small scale
industries. Besides the Panchayat, Samiti acts as an agent of the state government to perform tasks
specifically assigned.
Also, the Panchayat Samiti exercises supervision and control over panchayats within its jurisdiction and,
what is more, it provides necessary technical and financial assistance to them. Finally, it scrutinizes the
budgets of the panchayats of the area under its control and makes suggestions to them in some states,
including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat. At the same time, it has the requisite authority to sanction
budgets of the panchayats in Assam, Orissa, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. The functions of a Panchayat
Samiti shall come under two broad heads, namely (a). Functions related to civic amenities and (b).
Functions of development.
Functions Related to Civic Amenities

The functions entrusted to the panchayat Samiti which are related to civic amenities are as follows;
1. To construct and upkeep of roads within the jurisdiction of the Samiti but other than purely
Gram Panchayat roads.
2. To supply drinking water.
3. To open drains and soakage of pits.
4. To establish primary health centres and maternity centres.
5. To provide medical and health services.
6. To provide primary schools and to establish adult education centres and adult literacy centres.
7. To assist village roads which serve as feeders.
8. To establish and popularize libraries.
9. To establish youth organizations, Mahila Mandals, and farmers club.
10. To encourage physical and cultural activities.
Functions of Development
The Panchayat Samiti implements several community development programmes in its area. Its functions
extend to agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, cottage industries, and cooperatives. The
development functions performed by a Panchayat Samiti are as follows;
1. To execute all programmes under community development. To multiply and distribute

improved seeds.

2. To procure, distribute and popularize improved manure and fertilizers. To ensure the
reclamation of land and conserve soil.
3. To provide credit for agriculture purposes.
4. To provide irrigation facilities by renovating and sinking wells, repairing and digging tanks and
maintaining minor irrigation sources and supply channels.
5. To plant trees and grow village forests.
6. To introduce improved breed of cattle, sheep and poultry.
7. To introduce improved fodder.
8. To prevent and cure disease among cattle.
9. To promote dairying and milk supply. To open and develop cooperative societies in various
fields.
10. To develop cottage, village and small scale industries.
11. To establish and maintain the production cum training centres.
Committees
A Panchayat Samiti appoints several committees to assist it in the performance of its functions. These
committees are statutory in origin and are of standing nature. Generally speaking, a Panchayat Samiti
has standing committees to advise it on the following subjects;
1. Finance and taxation
2. Agricultural production/animal husbandry and minor irrigation.
3. Education/social welfare.
4. Public health and sanitation.
5. Communication and works.
Members of the Panchayat Samiti elect members of the standing committees. All state acts provide that
the President of the Panchayat Samiti be the ex-officio member or Chairman of the Standing Committee
for Finance and Taxation, the most important Committee of the Samiti. The Block Development Officer
functions as the Secretary of the standing committees. Being a creation of the Panchayat Samiti, a
standing committee exercises such powers and performs such functions of the Panchayat Samiti as the
latter may delegate to it.
Sources of Finance
The income sources of a Panchayat Samiti shall consist of the following items;
1. Tax proceeds and fees which a Panchayat Samiti may levy.
2. Share of local cess and share of the land revenue received from the Zila Parishad.
3. Grants from the state government.
4. Loans from the state government.
5. Lease income from public ferries and fairs.
6. Ad hoc grants received from the Zila Parishad.
7. Donations and contributions.
8. Funds received from the government for the schemes transferred to Samiti as an executing
agency.

Fig. 2.2 Sources of Finance for a Panchayat Samiti
Though the number of taxable items available for a Panchayat Samiti is large, the yield is comparatively
low. These are inelastic sources of revenue, more lucrative taxes remaining with the central and the
state governments. What is more, the Samitis are reluctant to levy taxes for fear of arousing opposition
in the local community. Consequently, local taxation is not a significant source of revenue for Samiti. The
Samiti gets a particular share of land revenue collected in the state. The share shall be at the rate of
twenty-five paise per head of population in the Samiti area of Rajasthan and one rupee in Tamilnadu.
The Samiti depends largely and substantially on grants–in–aid and loans from the state government.
Functions of a Block Development Officer

The Block Development Officer (BDO) is the Secretary and the Chief Executive Officer of the Panchayat
Samiti and, as such, performs the following functions;
1. The BDO is responsible for implementing various resolutions of the Panchayat Samiti and its
standing committees.
2. He supervises the panchayats in his block under the guidance of the President of Panchayat Samiti.
3. He issues notices for meetings of the Panchayat Samiti and its standing committees, and he records
and maintains the proceedings of the meetings.
4. He participates in the deliberations of the Samiti at meetings but has no voting right.
5. He draws and disburses money out of the Samitis funds. He signs and authenticates all letters and
documents of Samiti or on behalf of the Samiti.
6. He reports to the President of the Panchayat Samiti and the district collector about all fraud cases,
embezzlement and theft of money, or any other Panchayat Samiti or the Panchayat property.
7. He ensures the execution of all plans and the programmes approved by an appropriate authority.
8. On behalf of the Samiti, he inspects the financial position of the panchayats within his block.
9. He exercises supervision and control over officers and servants of the Panchayat Samiti, including
the staff on its establishment.
10. He executes contracts for and on behalf of the Samiti subject to its prior approval.
The block development officer coordinates the work of all the extension officers working in the block.
The latter receive orders from him and report to him in all administrative problems. However, the
extension personnel continue to operate under the supervision of the district-level functionaries from
their home department in technical problems.

President of the Samiti and BDO
The effective functioning of the Samiti depends upon the healthy relationship between the President
and the BDO. Sometimes the President may interfere in the day-to-day functions of the BDO or does not
support the BDO when the latter contemplates a disciplinary action against an erring official. He would
monopolize the use of the official jeep, which would curtail the official tours. He would even insist that
the BDO and other staff doing certain activities which are not permissible under rules. Also, one can find
that the BDO may become sometimes arrogant and regards himself as an outpost of the state
government, forgetting that he/she is a servant of the Samiti. He is often only superficially respectful to
the members and President of the Samiti. He sometimes does not even submit his tour plan to the
President and keep him informed about communications received in the block office.
Such attitudes and behaviours have produced obvious stresses and strains in the Panchayat Samiti
operations. The BDO and his staff should treat the Samiti as their master and serve it with complete
loyalty. The President and elected members also should give due respect to the BDO and his staff and
ensure a healthy relationship is maintained. Then only the functions of the Panchayat Samiti cam March
flawless, and the developmental activities shall be implemented perfectly.
The Gram Sabha has the potential to activate the participatory local governance in villages. It can
promote transparency and accountability at the local level and resonate with the practice of direct
democracy at the grassroots level. Thus, a vibrant Gram Sabha can be much helpful in achieving
sustainable rural development goals using decentralized administration or governance. Also, it can
lubricate the potential of the people for rural development. The government should spell out more
powers and funds to Gram Sabha to accelerate their emergence and active functioning.
Since the government contributes significantly to PRI funds, it would be appropriate for it to strengthen
its monitoring method and evaluation systems in the context of modern development rather than
relying upon its outdated notions of inspection and supervision. Over time, PRIs will doubtless attract
other donor funds, which shall follow the same accountability norms. We shall discuss the structure
and functions of the Gram Panchayat and its standing committees in detail in the next unit.
2.2. Structure and Functions of the Gram Panchayat and its Standing Committees
“The village is the cell of the national body and the cell life must be healthy and developed for the
national body to be healthy and developed”
- Sri Aurobindo
According to the State Panchayat Act 1992, a 'village' generally comprises one revenue village/part of a
revenue village/ group of adjacent revenue villages formed through a State Government notification.
The Act provides the constitution of a Gram Panchayat for each of such notified villages. If required, the
State Government, after conducting a proper inquiry and considering the opinion of the concerned
Gram Panchayat, can alter the area of jurisdiction of a Gram Panchayat by making a notification. These
Gram Panchayats may establish different standing committees and assign different responsibilities to
them so that the rural areas get overall development. This unit discusses the structure and functions of
the Gram Panchayat and its standing committees.
Objectives of a Gram Panchayat

As per the Constitution of India (Article 243G), the objectives of the Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To function as the institutions of self-government.
To prepare plans for economic development and social justice.

To implement various schemes keeping the focus on these two above said objectives.
The government has introduced many necessary amendments to the State Panchayat Act for this
purpose.
Fig. 2.3 Office Bearers and Employees of a Gram Panchayat
Body of a Gram Panchayat

The body of a Gram Panchayat consists of,
1. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson: The Gram Panchayat elects its Chairperson and Vice-
Chairperson from among the elected members in the manner prescribed by the State Panchayat Act
and Rules. The Chairperson is the institutional head and the chief administrative authority of a Gram
Panchayat.
2. Directly elected members of the Gram Panchayat. The maximum and the minimum number of
directly elected members in a Gram Panchayat will be thirty (30) and five (5), respectively.
3. Ex-officio members elected from the Intermediate Panchayat (except Chairperson or Vice-
Chairperson) of the concerned Gram Panchayat area.
4. Every Gram Panchayat will have as many Standing Committees as prescribed (usually five) by the
Panchayat Act and Rules of the State concerned. The body of a Gram Panchayat includes the
Chairpersons of Standing Committees also.
5. Further, some permanent employees in some designated posts and one or more contractual
employees deployed in every Gram Panchayat to carry out the day-to-day work.
Duties and Responsibilities of a Gram Panchayat

There are four types of duties of a Gram Panchayat as listed below;
1. Obligatory duties
2. Transferred duties
3. Regulatory duties
4. Complementary duties

A Gram Panchayat also performs other duties that the State Government may assign to it from time to
time.
Obligatory Duties
The primary obligatory duties of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To function as a self–government unit to achieve socio-economic development and secure social
justice for all.
To prepare a development plan for a five-year term and revise and update it as and when
necessary.
To prepare an annual plan for each year and implement it.
Apart from the above duties, the development of health, education, agriculture and irrigation sectors,
the welfare of women, children, backward classes, people of disadvantaged sections and persons with
special needs also come under the obligatory duties of the Panchayat.
Transferred Duties
The primary transferred duties of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To execute various schemes, including schemes related to employment generation.
To manage or maintain public utility works.
To perform any other function as the State Government may, by order, transfer to it or entrust it
or devolve on it from time to time.
Regulatory Duties
The primary regulatory duties of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To accord permission for the erection of a new structure or new building or addition to any
structure or building
To assess, impose and collect taxes, rates or fees.
To register the vehicles not registered under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
To register shallow or deep tube wells fitted with motor-driven pump sets, installed for irrigation
and used for commercial purposes.
To make registration of birth and death.
Complimentary Duties
The primary complementary duties of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To take measures for improvement of quality of life of people.
To undertake schemes and to adopt measures relating to,
the participation of people in preparing plans and awareness generation among people on
their role in village development;
To enhance the livelihood opportunities for people;
To organize campaigns against social evils like drinking alcohol, consuming narcotics,
dowry, child marriage, gender discrimination, and abuse of women and children.
Electoral Constituency and Voters of a Gram Panchayat: The electoral roll for electing a Gram
Panchayat member consists of all the voters of a particular area. Each of these areas is called an
electoral constituency of that Gram Panchayat. All voters of a Gram Panchayat constituency (as per the
latest electoral roll published by the Election Commission) are the members of the Ward, and all voters
under all the electoral constituencies of a Gram Panchayat are the members of a Gram Sabha.

Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of a Gram Panchayat: After the Panchayat general election is over,
the administration shall notify the names of the elected members in the official gazette. The Block
Development Officer shall convene the first meeting of the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat elects
(unanimously or by secret ballot) its Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson from among the directly elected
members of the Gram Panchayat.
Removal of a Directly Elected Member: As per the provisions made in the State Panchayat Act, the
prescribed authority (Sub Divisional Officer) may, by order, remove a member of Gram Panchayat from
his office on the following grounds after giving an opportunity of being heard;
After the election, if a criminal court convicts an elected member of an offence punishable
with imprisonment for more than six months involving moral turpitude or involving any other
cognizable offence (or)
Disqualification of a Gram Panchayat member at the time of her/his election (or)
If any member is absent in three consecutive meetings of the Gram Panchayat without leave
of the Gram Panchayat (or)
If she/he does not pay any arrear in respect to any tax, toll, fee or rate payable under the law
(or)
If she/he does not make and subscribe an oath or affirmation before the competent
authority under relevant sections within six months from the date of the election (or)
If she/he was not a member of SC/ST or OBC at the time of election and the caste certificate
she /he produced at the time of nomination has been cancelled by the competent authority.
However, a removed member of a Gram Panchayat may, within thirty days from the date of order,
appeal to the appellate authority appointed by the State Government. The District Magistrate is the
appellate authority in this regard. Also, if the appellate authority stays the operation of the order,
she/he can participate in the Gram Panchayat meetings until the disposal of the appeal.
Resignation of the Office Bearers of a Gram Panchayat: As per the State Panchayat Act provisions, the
Chairperson / Vice-Chairperson / Member of a Gram Panchayat may mentioning the reason in writing
submit her/his resignation to the concerned Block Development Officer. The resignation letter must also
have the address of the concerned office bearer for communication purposes. The Block Development
Officer may, after hearing, accept or reject the resignation letter.
Term of Office: The office term of the Gram Panchayat members is five (5) years from the first meeting
of the Gram Panchayat. The member, elected through a by-election or re-election, holds office from the
date of taking oath until the term end of the Gram Panchayat.
Standing Committees of a Gram Panchayat

Every Gram Panchayat will have as many Standing Committees as prescribed (usually five) by the
Panchayat Act and Rules of the State concerned. The Finance and Planning Standing Committee is the
Primary Committee, and the other four Standing Committees constituted in a Gram Panchayat are as
follows;
1. Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Standing Committee.
2. Education and Public Health Standing Committee
3. Women, Child Development and Social Welfare Standing Committee
4. Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee.

Fig. 2.4. Standing Committees of a Gram Panchayat
If more than five Standing Committees are required, the Gram Panchayat will have to take the
permission from the State Government. The Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat is the ex-officio
Chairperson of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee also. They will elect the chairpersons for
other standing committees from among the members of the Gram Panchayat.
Subjects dealt with by the Finance and Planning Standing Committee

The Finance and Planning Standing Committee will deal with the following subjects:
Budget and Financial Management
Accounts and Audit
Augmentation of own fund through the collection of tax, rate and fees and resource mobilization
Office management
Preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
Implementation, monitoring and evaluation of different schemes
Preparation of resource inventory and database for preparation of the plan.
Disaster Management
Management of a hat, bazaar and ferry under control of the Gram
Panchayat Coordinating the works assigned to the other four Standing
Committees and Any other work not entrusted to any other Standing
Committee.
Fig. 2.5. Structure of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee

Coordination with Other Four Committees
Since the Chairpersons of the other Standing Committees are also members of the Finance and Planning
Standing Committee, they will be well aware of the activities of these four Standing Committees and
have the information regarding data on different subjects available with these Standing Committees. So,
they will be able to share this information with other members in the Finance and Planning Standing
Committee meeting. Similarly, they can easily share the decisions of the Finance and Planning Standing
Committee in their respective Standing Committees.
As the Chairperson of Gram Panchayat himself is the Chairperson of the Finance and Planning Standing
Committee, she/he will have in-depth knowledge regarding advantages and disadvantages and progress
of various works by discussing the matter with the Chairpersons of other Standing Committees as well as
with the leader of opposition in Gram Panchayat. Thus she/he will be able to reply to the queries raised
by the members in the general meeting. Any member of a Gram Panchayat would be well known the
activities of all Standing Committees.
Subjects Dealt by the Agriculture & Animal Resources Development Standing Committee
The Agriculture & Animal Resources Development Standing Committee deals with the following subjects:
Agriculture, Horticulture, Pisciculture, Apiculture and Sericulture

Irrigation, Watershed Development and Water Resources Development
Cooperation and Agro-based industries
Afforestation and prevention of soil erosion
Agriculture & Animal Resources Development Standing Committee
Fisheries Extension Officer (or)

Representative of Block
Chairperson Representative of SHGs
of the Gram Panchayat
Agriculture Agriculture Extension Assistant
Chairperson of
and Animal Resources Development Standing Committee

the Standing
Vice-Chairperson
of the Gram Panchayat Livestock Development Assistant
One Assistant from Gram Panchayat
Representative General Members (1-3)
Secretary of Standing Committee
Fig. 2.6. Structure of the Agriculture & Animal Resources Development Standing Committee
Subjects Dealt by the Education and Public Health Subcommittee

The Education and Public Health Standing Committee will deal with the following subjects:
Publicity and campaign of literacy and maintenance of Rural Library
Child/Adult Education Programmes, Primary Education and Mass Education
Sanitation, Public Health, Rural Dispensaries and Health Clinics
Swachh Bharat Mission and Campaign for prevention of diseases
Family Welfare Programmes
Rural Water Supply

Education and Public Health Standing Committee
Chairperson
of the Gram Panchayat Representative of SHG
Vice-ChairpersonExecutive Assistant
Chairperson of
Health Supervisor
Representative General
the Standing
Members (1-3) Education ANM of Health Sub-Center

and Public Health Standing Committee
Chairperson of the
School Management Committee
ICDS Supervisor
Secretary of
ASHAStanding Committee
Fig 2.6 Structure of the Education & Public Health Standing Committee
Subjects Dealt by the Women, Child and Social Welfare Standing Committee
The Women, Child and Social Welfare Standing Committee will deal with the following subjects:
Self-Help Groups
National Rural Livelihood Mission (Aajeevika)
Integrated Child Development Scheme
National Social Assistance Programme
Social Welfare Programme
All other programmes relating to women and child development
Schemes relating to the elderly persons and differently-abled persons and
Establishment of Social Justice
Women, Child Development & Social Welfare Standing Committee
Chairperson
of the Gram Panchayat Representative of SHG
Chairperson of
Vice-Chairperson ICDS Worker

the Standing

Secretary of Gram Panchayat
Representative General
Women,
Members (1-3)
Child Development and Social Welfare StandingHealth
Committee
Supervisor
Chairperson of the
School Management Committee ICDS Supervisor
Secretary of
ASHA Standing Committee
Fig. 2.7 Structure of the Women, Child Development and Social Welfare Standing Committee
Subjects Dealt by the Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee
The Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee will deal with the following subjects:
Cottage & Small-scale Industries
Rural Artisans
Infrastructure Development
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Gramin
Rural Roads & Housing construction
Rural Electrification and
Uses of Non-conventional energy

Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee
Chairperson Representative of SHG

Junior Engineer
Chairperson of
Industry and
the Standing
Infrastructure Standing Committee Revenue Inspector
Vice-Chairperson
Representative General Secretary of

Members (1-3) Standing Committee
Fig. 2.8. Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee
Need for Constituting Standing Committees

The duties and responsibilities of Gram Panchayats have increased manifold in recent years. Gram
Panchayats are primarily responsible for effective service delivery to the people residing in their areas.
The Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat alone cannot perform all these duties
and responsibilities. Therefore, State Panchayat Act has made provisions for the formation of Standing
Committees, thereby distributing the workload to ensure better services to the citizens. The Standing
Committees are to be constituted within three (3) months from the date of election of the Chairperson
and Vice-Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat, under the State Panchayat Act and Rules provisions. These
standing committees would remain functional as long as the Gram Panchayat is functional.
Members of a Standing Committee

The number of members to be elected for a Standing Committee depends upon the 'total number of
members in the Gram Panchayat', which means the sum of directly elected members and the ex-officio
members elected from the Intermediate Panchayat of the Gram Panchayat. There shall be 1 to 3
members selected for the Standing Committee as per the following criteria;
One member can be elected in each Standing Committee if the Gram Panchayats total number is ten
or less.
Two members can be elected in each Standing Committee if the total number of members in the
Gram Panchayat is between eleven and twenty.
Three members can be elected in each Standing Committee if the Gram Panchayats total number is
twenty-one or more.
Women Members in Standing Committees

In the case of 'Women, Child Development and Social Welfare Standing Committee' other than the
Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, at least half of the members elected should be women from among
the elected members. However, there is no such mandatory provision for electing women members in
the case of other standing committees. The members of Intermediate Panchayat, who are also ex-officio
members of the Gram Panchayat, are entitled to cast a vote during the election of the Standing
Committee members. A Gram Panchayat member can become a maximum of two (2) of the Standing
Committees. The Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson are ex-officio members of each Standing
Committee.
The election of the Standing Committee Chairperson shall take place within one week from completing
the member election and forming the Standing Committees. The Chairperson of Gram Panchayat is the

Chairperson of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee. He can also be the Chairperson of other
Standing Committees. The Vice-Chairperson of a Gram Panchayat may act as a Chairperson of any
Standing Committee. Also, he can act as a member of the Intermediate Panchayat, an ex-officio member
of a Gram Panchayat, or the Chairperson of any other Standing Committee.
Resignation of a Standing Committee Member

The Member or the Chairperson of a Standing Committee must submit a resignation letter in writing to
the Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat. The Chairperson, on receipt of the resignation letter, would
place it in the next general meeting of the Gram Panchayat. Accepting the resignation of the
Chairperson or member of a standing committee means that they have vacated their office.
However, the Chairperson or the Vice-Chairperson who are ex-Officio members of Standing Committees,
the employees of the Gram Panchayat, Government employees who are under the order of the
government, and the invitee members of the Standing Committees cannot submit her/his resignation
from any Standing Committee. Any vacancy of the Chairperson or Member of a Standing Committee due
to resignation or death or removal or otherwise shall be filled by following the same procedure followed
the first time Constitution of the Standing Committee.
Secretary of a Standing Committee: Provision is there to nominate a Secretary of a Standing Committee

from among the Gram Panchayat and Government employees attached with the Standing Committees
as per the State Government's order. Nominations of the Secretaries of all Standing Committees other
than Finance and Planning Standing Committee shall take place in the general meeting of the Gram
Panchayat. The Secretary of Gram Panchayat will be the ex-officio Secretary of the Finance and Planning
Standing Committee. A member of a Gram Panchayat cannot be the Secretary of a Standing Committee.
When the Secretary Post Falls Vacant: When the Secretary post falls vacant for any reason, the Gram
Panchayat Secretary will also function as the Secretary of the Standing Committee. If the post of
Secretary of the Gram Panchayat lies vacant, then the person holding the charge of the Secretary of
Gram Panchayat will function as the Secretary of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee and
shall also act as the Secretary of the other Standing Committees.
When resigns her/his post for any reason: A Standing Committee member cannot resign from the
member of the Gram Panchayat office. This member will continue to be a member of the Gram
Panchayat. If a person who is a member of two Standing Committees resigns his member post from
anyone committee for any reason, he need not resign his post of the other Standing Committees
simultaneously. He will continue to function as a member of the other Standing Committee.
Action Plan for a Gram Panchayat for Discharging its Duties

As a unit of local self-government, the Gram Panchayat will formulate a plan for economic development
and social justice and implement schemes based on the following objectives;
For discharging its duties, every Gram Panchayat, as per law, will prepare a long term plan for a
five-year duration based on a definite aim and vision. Based on this Plan and with the active
participation of the people, the Gram Panchayats will formulate/ prepare Standing Committee
wise integrated plan and budget for each year within a definite period.

The Gram Panchayat will form a Gram Panchayat Planning Facilitation Team (GPPFT) and with the
help of this Facilitation Team will:
Collect primary data by conducting a meeting at the neighborhood level.
Fill in the table/chart having relevant sectors.
Collect secondary data from various departments/fields.
Based on problems, resources, and potentials, set priority, by analyzing these data and
based on this prioritization, each Standing Committee will prepare its plan.
The Gram Panchayat will prepare an integrated Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)
comprising all Standing Committee level plans.
The long term plan, annual plan and budget, prepared in the draft, should be placed before the
Finance and Planning Standing Committee, Ward Sabha and Gram Sabha before finalization in
the general meeting of the Gram Panchayat.
Thus, a Gram Panchayat, by maintaining transparency and accountability, would be able to discharge
the duties/responsibilities entrusted upon it for effective implementation of various schemes.
Sector-wise Planning by a Gram Panchayat: The responsibility of executing the twenty-nine (29)
subjects mentioned in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution and transferred to Gram Panchayats,
involves the following seven sectors, namely (1) Education, (2) Public Health, (3) Agriculture and allied,
(4) Women and Child Development and Social welfare, (5) Small & Cottage industries, (6) Infrastructure
and (7) Miscellaneous. The five standing committees hold the subject-wise responsibilities by giving
importance to all the said seven sectors. All the five Standing Committees must function as five pillars of
the Gram Panchayat as a local self-government unit.
Standing Committee-wise Planning by a Gram Panchayat: The State Panchayat Act provides for
preparing the Standing Committee wise plan, budget, and implementation. Each Gram Panchayat will
prepare an integrated Gram Panchayat Development Plan consisting of all Standing Committee level
plans. The Standing Committees will prepare their plan and budget within 15 th September each year and
submit it to the Finance and Planning Standing Committee. The Finance and Planning Standing
Committee will then prepare a draft plan and budget of the Gram Panchayat by compiling all these plans
and budgets and place the same in the Finance and Planning Standing Committee meeting. The Standing
Committee shall place this draft plan and budget before the special meeting of the Gram Panchayat
within 30th October every year.
Expenditure Limit of a Standing Committee

The expenditure limit allowed for Standing Committees are as follows;
A Standing Committee is empowered to execute one or more works with an approximate

expenditure not exceeding Rs.25000 in a financial year. No sanction of the Finance and Planning
Standing Committee is necessary for incurring such expenditure.
Approval of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee will be required to execute works
with an expenditure of between Rs.25000 and Rs.100000 in a financial year.
Approval of the Gram Panchayat through general meeting will be required to execute works
with an expenditure of above Rs.100000 in a financial year. i.e., the Finance and Planning
Standing Committee may sanction up to Rs. One Lakh to each Standing Committee separately in
a financial year.

We shall discuss the roles and responsibilities of PRIs as the institutions of local self-government in
detail in the next unit.
2.3. Roles and Responsibilities of PRIs as the Institutions of Local Self-Government

"When the Panchayat Raj is established, public opinion will do what violence can never do."
- Mahatma Gandhi
As per the Panchayat Raj Act 1992, Article 243G, the elected Panchayats act as the local self-government
institutions. The Panchayats are responsible for preparing plans for economic development and social
justice and executing them in their areas of operation. The Act mandates the states to bestow powers
and responsibilities concerning the 29 subjects to the panchayats and make funds available to them to
execute these functions. Gram Panchayats are the institutions of self-government functioning closer to
the people, and their direct participation plays a critical role in rural development. Given below are
some crucial examples among the several initiatives taken by the Government of India in this direction;
The Act made Gram Panchayats mainly responsible for implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Generation Scheme (MGNREGS) Scheme, one of the major flagship programmes
of the GoI. The Gram Panchayats are authorized to utilize not less than 50% of the funds allocated
under MGNREGS.
Out of the three-tier PR structure, Gram Panchayat is the only institution allowed to use the united
fund of the 14th Finance Commission and to execute such schemes at the village level.
The preparation of the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) gets a national level priority.
Duties of Gram Panchayats

A Gram Panchayat acts as a primary unit of self-government that aims to achieve human development in
rural areas. The development objective includes social and economic development. Also, it means
securing social justice for all, subject to certain conditions or directions prescribed by the State
Governments concerned.
Obligatory Duties of Gram Panchayats

The Obligatory Duties of a Gram Panchayat are as follow;
1. To prepare a development plan for five-year office term, revise it, update it as and when required
based on the available resources;
2. Prepare a development plan for each year as per the provisions available in the State Panchayati Raj
Act and Rules, for the works proposed to carry out in the following year in furtherance of its
objectives;
3. Implement schemes as may be drawn up in the annual plan by a Gram Panchayat or as may be
entrusted upon or transferred to or devolved upon it.
A Gram Panchayat shall abide by the duties to undertake schemes or adopt measures within the area
under its jurisdiction relating to:
1. Promotive and preventive health care, reproductive and child health care, improvement of
nutritional standards, community health management including maintenance and up-gradation of
sub-centres and dispensaries;
2. Pre-school education and primary education including enrolment of children in schools,
containment of drop-outs, the spread of literacy campaigns, continuing education for adults and
those out of schools and similar other schemes;

3. Development of women and children, empowerment of women, formation and facilitation of Self-
Help Groups (SHGs), schemes for micro-finance and other activities for the flow of credit for taking
up income-generating and other developmental activities;
4. Social welfare including the welfare of backward classes, weaker sections & persons with disabilities;
5. Development of livestock including vaccination of animals against epidemic and implementation of
artificial insemination programme;
6. Promotion of agriculture including irrigation facilities and motivation of farmers for augmenting crop
yield, the introduction of the new crop including the selection of beneficiaries for distribution of
seeds, bio-fertilizers, pesticides, farm machinery, plant protection equipment and other agricultural
implements;
7. Development of fisheries involving improvement of the tank, harvesting, netting, excavation of
tanks, testing soil and water, supply of mini-kits and introduction of various improved practices;
8. Promotion of small-scale and cottage industries and welfare of artisans;
9. Identification and selection of beneficiaries for distribution of ration cards, monitoring the
distribution of food grains through public distribution system;
10. Construction of percolation tanks, field channels, maintaining minor irrigation schemes, collection of
water charges through user committees for new projects handed over to Gram Panchayat;
11. Water management, soil conservation and watershed development;
12. Construction and maintenance of tube-wells, wells, tanks and cleansing and disinfecting the sources
of storage and supply of water;
13. Construction, maintenance and repair of public streets and protection thereof;
14. Extension of social forestry and farm forestry including plantation of trees and distribution of
saplings and promotion of fuel and fodder cultivation;
15. Maintenance of environmental sanitation, including promoting and managing solid and liquid waste
and preventing public nuisance.
Despite of Mega Projects like Bahgeeratha water is scarce in rural Telangana
A Gram Sabha may give recommendations to Gram Panchayat relating to prioritizing any list of
beneficiaries or schemes or programmes related to its area. The Gram Panchayat shall not omit or
refuse to act upon such recommendations. If for any valid reasons the Gram Panchayat deems in its
meeting that the recommendations are not acceptable/ implementable under the provisions of the Act
or any rule, order or direction, the Gram Panchayat should record these reasons in writing and shall
communicate the same to the Gram Sabha.

Transferred Duties of a Gram Panchayat
The following are the transferred duties of a Gram Panchayat.
1. A Gram Panchayat is responsible for undertaking the execution of any scheme, including the
employment generation schemes in rural areas, and for taking care of the management of any
organization entrusted to it or devolved on it directly by the State Government or by anyone with
the approval of the state government.
2. It is responsible for maintaining any work of public utility transferred to it or vested in it for the sake
of management and control;
3. Further, it is also responsible for performing such other functions as the State Government may
order, transfers to it, or devolve on it or entrusted upon it from time to time.
If the State Government finds that a Gram Panchayat has persistently defaulted in its performance
towards any of the functions assigned, it may, after recording the reasons, withdraw such functions
from the defaulting Gram Panchayat. Also, the state government may assign the said function to the
intermediate institution of that jurisdiction until the reconstitution of a new Gram Panchayat takes
place.
Regulatory Duties of a Gram Panchayat

Subject to certain conditions prescribed, a Gram Panchayat is responsible to,
To accord permissions for the erection of new structure or building or addition to any structure
or building to prevent unplanned growth within its jurisdiction and thereby to protect the village
ambience;
To assess, impose and collect taxes, rates or fees leviable under this Act;
To register a running trade unless any other law for the time being in force prohibits its
registration.
To register the vehicles other than the vehicles registered under the motor vehicles act.
To register the shallow or deep tube-wells fitted with motor-driven pump sets, installed for
irrigation and used for commercial purposes;
To register all births/deaths occurring in the area;
To control, manage and administer the Gram Panchayat fund established under this Act;
To exercise control over employees of the Gram Panchayat;
To adopt relief measures for the distressed, destitute and infirm;
To prevent water logging and drainage of rainwater;
To take preventive measures to control the spread of epidemics;
To protect and repair any building or other property vested in it;
To establish, manage and control ferry ghats and ferries;
To establish and maintain crematorium and cremation
ground; To control eating places and enforce hygienic
practices;
To maintain street lighting; and
To perform any other function/duties as may be transferred to it or devolved upon it by the
State Government.
Complimentary Duties of a Gram Panchayat

To improve the life quality in rural areas, a Gram Panchayat shall undertake schemes and measures,
To create awareness among the village public about their role in the development and ensure
their participation in preparing the development plans;
To ensure their participation in all stages of implementation of the development works;
To enhance the livelihood opportunities for people;

To organize voluntary workers for collective activities;
To organize campaigns against social evils such as liquor drinking, narcotics, dowry, child
marriage, gender discrimination, and abuse of women and children;
To promote cooperative movement and support cooperative institutions;
To prevent food adulteration;
To encourage villagers for bio-gas consumptions;
To provide bathing and washing ghats; and
To maintain community assets, construct waiting sheds at bus stops for passengers.
Case Study: Village Panchayat Beautifies a Pond, Turn it into a Picnic Spot
The gram panchayat of Sakkanwali village, located about 15 km from here on Ferozpur Road, Muktsar
District in Punjab, has become a role model for other villages after it transformed a dirty water pond
into a beautiful lake and a picnic spot. The panchayat has also facilitated boats and set up a canteen for
the lake. Led by young sarpanch Charanjit Singh Sandhu, the entire panchayat worked towards attaining
the goal, which they achieved in less than two years. They have named the lake after Mr Sagar Singh
Sandhu – the man who laid the foundation of this village about two centuries ago.
The Pond revamped into a Picnic Spot at Sakkanwali Village of Muktsar Dist. in Punjab
The gram panchayat has already ordered a boat and a shikara for the lake covering about 2.75 acres of
land. They fill the lake with clean water, and arranged to drain out dirty water. The panchayat has also
given the lake on lease for fish farming, and they use the profit earned from the lease for further
beautification and maintenance of the lake.
The Gram Panchayat had used the funds allocated by the former Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal for
the village during his “Sangat Darshan” programme, for constructing the boundary wall of the lake and
for laying the footpath. Senior officials of the district administration recently visited this village and were
surprised to see this significant change in the village.
With the help of an expert, the panchayat got landscaping done around the area, installed fancy lights
and plants around it. A path leads into the lake, where a canopy has been erected which provides a
sitting arrangement for visitors the villagers. The Gram Panchayat has repaired another path that leads
to an ancient well using a special kind of brick.

Members of the village panchayat say that their sole aim was to make Sakkanwali a model village.
Besides having a beautiful lake, the village also has clean, wide streets and roads that welcome visitors.
Further, setting an example of bonhomie, the villagers have collected Rs 35 lakh, with which they are
constructing a 120-ft-long and 80-ft-wide air-conditioned community hall.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Gram Panchayat Member

The roles and responsibilities played by a Gram Panchayat Member are as follows;
As an elected member of a Ward or Ward Sabha area he/she should take the grievances area
people to Gram Panchayat for redressal. The member is responsible for the area's overall
development.
The member should participate in the deliberations of the Gram Panchayats meeting and
encourage the villagers to participate in the Ward Sabha meetings.
If the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat are absent, an elected member
can preside over the meeting of the Ward Sabha.
A member should attend the Standing Committee meetings and participate in the deliberations
regularly. He should play an active role in identifying problems, providing solutions, selecting
appropriate schemes and in executing those schemes.
A representative of the Gram Panchayat Planning Facilitation Team (GPPFT) a member should
prepare the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) in the Ward or Ward Sabha area.
A member should take necessary action to create awareness about public health, sanitation,
nutrition and monitor its progress.
A member should take initiatives for proper rescue and rehabilitation for the affected families.
Also, he has to take up awareness programmes in case of apprehension of any disaster.
A member should supervise the works of the Anganwadi Center (AWC) regularly and ensure that
the beneficiaries get all the benefits as per norms. Also, he has to monitor the infrastructure of
the AWC and, in case of any deficiency, take necessary action.
A member should take the initiative to manage pollution free piped water supply projects
handed over to a Gram Panchayat. He should take the initiative for the prevention of wastage of
water.
A member should create awareness of the children's rights in the Ward area. He has to take the
initiative against child labour, child marriage, and child exploitation at the village level.
A member should attend the meetings of the Block Council, participate in deliberations, and
initiate for the inclusion of schemes in the Intermediate Panchayat Plan, which the GP cannot
take up.
A member should take adequate steps to prevent school drop-outs. He has to take the initiative
for the improvement of the school infrastructure and standard of education.
A member should take necessary initiatives to strengthen the parent-teacher association,
monitor the quality of the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Programme.
Office Bearers and Employees of a Gram Panchayat
Among the elected members of a Gram Panchayat, one elected person shall act as the Chairperson and
act as the Vice-Chairperson.

Chairperson: The Chairperson performs the administrative and financial functions as the administrative
head of the Gram Panchayat. He controls and monitors the performance of the employees of the Gram
Panchayat. He is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee. The
Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat is its institutional head. He, along with the members, performs all
duties of the Gram Panchayat as assigned by law.
Vice-Chairperson: In case the Chairperson is absent for any reason, the Vice-Chairperson has to perform
such duties. Among the members of the Standing Committees, except the Finance and Planning
Standing Committee, there are four more Standing Committees in which four members may function as
Chairpersons. The Chairpersons of the Standing Committees will have to regularly call the Standing
Committees' meetings and prepare sector-wise plans and budgets. Besides, he also has to place the
Standing Committee report before the general meeting of the Gram Panchayat. Among the opposition
members of the Gram Panchayat, one will function as the leader of the opposition. Further, he will also
be a member of the Finance and Planning Standing Committee.
Opposition Leader: The primary responsibility of the opposition leader is to attend the meetings of the
Finance and Planning Standing Committee and take part in the deliberations. He should also extend
necessary support to the Gram Panchayat to execute the schemes with promptness, transparency,
accountability and equity. As a leader of the opposition, he should extend support to the office bearers
and the employees of the Gram Panchayat in discharging their duties properly through constructive
criticism.
Employees: The employees of a Gram Panchayat are the critical assets of the Gram Panchayat. The
Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson and the members would be able to discharge their duties properly if
the employees are efficient and positive-minded. The office tenure of the Chairperson, the Vice-
Chairperson and the members of the Gram Panchayat shall be five years. However, the term of the
office employees is permanent, and they are very well aware of the rules, regulations and the guidelines
of the schemes and therefore can assist the Chairperson and others to discharge their duties properly.
Without the support and cooperation of the employees, it is difficult for the office bearers of the Gram
Panchayat to perform their duties. Therefore, it is essential to build a good and effective working
relationship among the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, members, and the employees of the Gram
Panchayat.
Powers and Responsibilities of the Standing Committees

As per the provisions of the State Panchayat Act, there are five Standing Committees of a Gram
Panchayat, namely;
1. Finance and Planning Standing Committee
2. Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Standing Committee
3. Education and Public Health Standing Committee
4. Women & Child Development and Social Welfare Standing Committee
5. Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee
These Standing Committees will function as per the rules and guidelines, and instructions of the State
Government and the Gram Panchayat. They should draw up necessary plans and play an active role in
implementing such plans as per the guidance of the Gram Panchayat to attain the goal for the overall
development of the area.

Role of GP in the Implementation of Rural Development and Social Welfare Programmes
In addition to the prescribed norms and procedure for execution of works/schemes aiming at holistic
development of the Gram Panchayat area, the Gram Panchayat should consider the following issues;
To keep close relations with the people and ensure their participation in the implementation of
the works. The backward sections of the society should get adequate priority.
To ensure the timely implementation of the schemes following the prescribed procedure.
To ensure that the fulfillment of procurement norms as per the decision of the Gram Panchayat
while executing the schemes.
To give importance to the convergence of different development schemes to attain the goal for
total development.
To maintain transparency and accountability.
Roles and Responsibilities of GPs in Preparing the Integrated Plans and Budgets
As per the State Panchayat Act, every Gram Panchayat should prepare a development plan for its five-
year term, revise it and update it as and when necessary for achieving the goal of human development,
including social and economic development. The Gram Panchayat should also prepare Standing
Committee wise annual plan and budget. The Gram Panchayats can ensure people participation by
adopting suitable measures like sending letters to all households, wall writing, publicity through posters
and leaflets, and announcement through the mike.
The Gram Panchayat shall form a Gram Panchayat Planning Facilitation Team (GPPFT) to prepare the
participatory plan and budget. The team may consist of the elected representatives and employees of
the Gram Panchayat, employees of the line departments, members and office bearers of the SHGs,
social workers, representatives of communities, representatives of CSO/NGO/CSR/CBO and others. The
total number of the GPPFT maybe even up to 100.
Roles and Responsibilities of GPs in Monitoring and Evaluation of Functions

For effective implementation of the plan, regular and thorough review and monitoring of works at
multiple levels are crucial. Therefore, any Gram Panchayat should adopt suitable monitoring measures
as discussed below;
To ensure regular monitoring by the statutory committees such as Gram Panchayat, Standing
Committees, Gram Sabha and Ward Sabha.
To arrange for conduct of social audit. A social Audit is an effective tool where people participate.
The report of the Social Audit report is to be placed in the meetings of Gram Sabha so that people
can be aware of the progress of works and participate in deliberations and give suggestions.
To prepare the monthly progress reports of physical and financial progress in prescribed format and
share it with the supervisory authority.
To arrange field monitoring by identified officers.
To ensure the IT-based monitoring is adopted, and reports are made available to the citizens on the
website.
To enquire any complaint received and to take necessary action thereupon to redress the grievance.
Role of GPs in the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The leaders of 193 countries adopted the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, resolving;
To free humanity from poverty;

To secure a healthy planet for future generations and
To build a peaceful, inclusive society as a foundation for ensuring lives of dignity by 2030.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) consists of 169 targets and about 300 indicators to guide
all concerned. For sustainable development, apart from eliminating poverty and starvation, importance
has also been given to upholding human rights, eliminating gender inequalities, and women
empowerment. As the Panchayati Raj Institutions have the objective of holistic development of rural
India, a Gram Panchayat needs to draw up a comprehensive plan for the overall development of its area
concerning human development and social development, giving priority to the weaker sections of the
society to become a successful partner in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
We shall discuss the general office administration of a Gram Panchayat, the meetings conducted by it
and the sources of finance available to a Gram Panchayat in detail in the next unit.
2. 4. Meetings - Office Administration and Own Resources of Panchayats

“The ultimate resource in economic development is people. It is people, not capital or raw materials
that develop an economy”
-Peter Drucker
Meetings of Gram Panchayat
According to the State Panchayat Act and Rules, a Gram Panchayat shall hold two types of meetings,
namely,
Statutory Meetings: The statutory meetings conducted by the Gram Panchayat are as follows;
The Gram Panchayat conducts the statutory general meetings or standing committees meetings
at least once a month.
It conducts the extraordinary meeting to discuss the plan, budget and audit-related issues.
Also, it may conduct urgent meetings in situations of urgent nature
Further, it may conduct the requisitioned meetings as requisitioned by the panchayat members.
Similarly, it may conduct the Ward Sabha meetings twice a year. If required, the Gram
Panchayat may conduct special meetings for the Ward Sabha, with due approval of the Gram
Panchayat.
In the same manner, the Gram Sabha conducts the general meeting at least once a year. If
required, the Gram Sabha may conduct special meetings with due approval of the Gram
Panchayat.
Other Meetings: The Gram Panchayat can conduct other meetings as follows;
Meetings related to Self Help Groups on a specific day/date of the month.
Meetings related to public health on a specific day/date of the month.
Meetings on any other matter as may be decided by the Gram Panchayat
The quorum for such meetings shall be one-third of the members and not less than three members. If a
member does not receive the meeting notice as mandated by law, the Gram Panchayat can adjourn the
meeting. The Chairperson of the meeting shall decide the nature of voting. The voting will be through
the acclamation method or by raising hands, but there will be no voting through secret ballot. There will
be no proxy vote in the meeting. No absentee member can be allowed to cast his vote.
The Secretary of Gram Panchayat shall maintain an attendance register-cum-minute book for the
meetings of a Gram Panchayat and record the attendance, proceedings and decisions. He shall record
the meeting proceedings along with the decisions in the minute book. If there is no consensus, decisions

can be taken through voting by the members present. The Secretary shall record the members' names
supporting and opposing the decision in the minute book.
Ward Sabha
A Ward Sabha is a body consisting of all voters of a constituency of a Gram Panchayat. It conducts two
meetings in a year (in May and November). The Gram Panchayat, in its meeting, shall fix the date, place,
and time of the Ward Sabha meeting. Also, the Ward Sabha can convene special meetings as per the
directions of the State Government. The Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat shall preside over the Ward
Sabha meeting. A quorum for the Ward Sabha meeting will be 10% of the total members of the Ward
Sabha. If there is no quorum available, the Chairperson shall adjourn the meeting and can convene the
adjourned meeting on the seventh day at the same place and time. The quorum for an adjourned
meeting will be 5% of the total members of the Ward Sabha.
Businesses Transacted in a Ward Sabha

The Ward Sabha shall take up the following issues for deliberation in the meeting;
Schemes to be implemented, the procedure for implementation along with fixation of

priority. Identification of beneficiaries of schemes/works and procedure for such
identification.
Matters relating to the revised budget, accounts, and beneficiaries of different schemes
implemented during the preceding year, current year, and to be taken up in the next year.
Matters relating to inviting suggestion of the member on the draft plan and budget for the
following year accounts for the last six months, list of beneficiaries of different schemes for the last
six months, plan for the next financial year, reading out last year audit report of the Gram
Panchayat.
Gram Sabha
Gram Sabha is a body consisting of village persons registered in the electoral rolls about the area of a
Gram Panchayat. It is a constitutional entity created under Article 243A of the Constitution of India. A
Gram Panchayat is accountable to the Gram Sabha. The Gram Sabha shall perform such functions and
exercise such powers at the village level as the state legislature may by law entrust it. The Chairperson
of the Gram Panchayat convenes and chairs the Gram Sabha meeting in December. If the Chairperson is
absent due to leave/ resignation or any other reason, the Vice-Chairperson shall preside over the
meeting. 5% of the Gram Sabha members shall form a quorum for a meeting of a Gram Sabha. However,
no quorum is necessary for an adjourned meeting.
Businesses Transacted in a Gram Sabha

The Gram Sabha may take up the following issues for deliberation in the meeting;
The Gram Sabha shall take the resolutions of all the Ward Sabha meetings for deliberation.
It shall discuss all Ward Sabha issues and take views and recommendations.
It shall discuss matters about the Gram Panchayat resolution/recommendations and take views
and recommendations.
It shall also discuss matters relating to the budget, next year plan, last year audit report, report
on receipt and expenditure, works or schemes executed, and the list of last year beneficiaries,
take views and the recommendations and record them in the form of meeting resolution.

Gram Panchayat
In the three-tier structure of the PR system, Gram Panchayat is the lowest unit. There is a Gram
Panchayat for each village or a group of villages. As per the provision of Article 243G of the Constitution
of India, elected panchayats will function as self-government institutions. The Panchayats, in their areas,
should prepare plans for economic development and social justice and execute them. Being an
institution of self-government nearest to the people, the Gram Panchayats play a critical role in rural
development. They are authorized to utilize not less than 50% of the allocation under MGNREGS. Out of
the three-tier panchayat system, Gram Panchayat is the only institution at the village level to execute
schemes out of the fund made available as an untied fund from the 14th Finance Commission.
Democracy for sale: Panchayat Posts were auctioned in Cuddalore Dist. of Tamilnadu
The president of the Gram Panchayat shall convene the meetings of the Ward Sabha and Gram Sabha. If
the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson are found responsible for not holding the Ward Sabha or
Gram Sabha meetings, the State Government can remove the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson or both
as per the provisions of the State Panchayat Act. If the Gram Panchayat as a whole is found responsible
for non-conduct of the said meetings of the Ward Sabha and the Gram Sabha, the State Government
can supersede the Gram Panchayat and direct for reconstitution of the Gram Panchayat. If there is a
temporary vacancy in both Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, the District Magistrate, as a prescribed
authority, can nominate one member of the Gram Panchayat as the Chairperson and another member
as the Vice-Chairperson for 30 days as per the provision of the State Panchayat Act.
Office Management in a Gram Panchayat

The office management in Gram Panchayat takes care of all matters relating to the duties and
responsibilities of the employees. It also covers the arrangement for the preparation and execution of
holistic development plans, delivery of services to the people, preparation and submission of different
kinds of reports and returns, arrangement for monitoring and evaluation of works or schemes executed,
and the activities related to the duties and responsibilities of the elected members and office-bearers.
The employees of the Gram Panchayat are (a). Permanent employees, (b). Contractual employees and
(c). Employees of the Government departments working in the Gram Panchayat area but outside the
Gram Panchayat office.

The Chairperson (in his absence the Vice-President) is the controlling authority of the employees of the
Gram Panchayat. The Chairperson functions as the institutional head and the administrative head of a
Gram Panchayat to deal with all duties and responsibilities, including financial responsibilities. The
Chairperson (in his absence the Vice-President) shall keep the seal of the Gram Panchayat under his
custody. All Gram Panchayat offices remain open on weekdays between 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.,
excluding Saturdays and Sundays and Government declared holidays.
Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of the Chairperson

Powers, functions and responsibilities of the President of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To maintain the records of the Gram Panchayat.
To take care of the financial and executive administration of the Gram Panchayat.
To administer, supervise and control the work of the staff/ officers/ employees whose services
may be placed at the disposal of the Gram Panchayat by the State Government.
To sign an agreement to execute any scheme or incurring expenditure as approved by the Gram
Panchayat.
To grant casual leave of the employees and sending applications of other types of leave to the
Executive Officer of the Intermediate Panchayat with recommendation for approval.
To delegate some of his functions to the Vice-Chairperson and withdraw such delegated
functions on subsequent occasions if necessary.
To prepare budgets for all the Standing Committees, general budget of the Gram Panchayat and
supplementary budget as per rule.
To arrange for approval of the Assessment List for fixation of property tax like building and
homestead land to enhance own source of revenue of the Gram Panchayat.
To prepare the Bye-Laws for collection of tax, rates and fees with the objective of increase of
Own Source Revenue of the Gram Panchayat.
To take appropriate measures for collection of dues of tax, rates and fees.
Powers, Functions and Duties of the Vice-Chairperson

The powers, functions and responsibilities of the Vice-Chairperson of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To discharge such duties as may be delegated by the Chairperson in writing.
To exercise powers, functions, and duties of the Chairperson as per the State Panchayat Act and
Rules provisions, in the absence (due to leave/resignation/removal) of the Chairperson.
To perform such functions and discharge such duties as may be directed by the Gram Panchayat
by general or special resolution adopted in its meeting.
The Vice-Chairperson can perform his duties as a member of any Standing Committee(s) and as
a Block Council member.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Member

The roles and responsibilities of a member of the Gram Panchayat are as follows;
To actively participate in the meeting deliberations and decision-making process and implement
the DP decisions.
If selected as a Standing Committee member, she/he should actively participate in decision-
making and implementation.

To preside over the meeting of the Ward Sabha and take necessary action for increased
participation of the villagers in the Ward Sabha meeting.
To take necessary action for increasing participation of women in implementing the Gram
Panchayat activities.
If elected as Chairperson of a Standing Committee, she/he should perform such duties of
Chairperson.
To extend the necessary support for the execution of the schemes in the Ward Sabha area.
To play the role as a member of the Gram Panchayat Facilitation Team (GPPFT).
To understand the local people's problems and requirements and come with a solution for such
problems.
If she/he is the opposition leader, she/he should perform his duties as such.
To perform duties as a member of the block council.
To prepare sector-wise database in respect of her/his Ward Sabha area and update such
database regularly with the objective of the total development of her/his Ward Sabha area.
To extend the necessary support for conducting a social audit.
To perform any other duties felt necessary from time to time for overall rural development.
e- Panchayat
The e-Panchayat system means a modern system of implementation of activities on office management
and delivery of public services with the help of computers and software. Its main objectives include
delivering public services with promptness and transparency, improving the internal office management
system, improving the financial management system, procurement system, and capacity building of the
people's representatives and employees.
Resources of a Gram Panchayat

The resources of a Gram Panchayat broadly mean and include all-natural resources, animal resources,
human resources and resources created by the people in the Gram Panchayat area lying under the
direction, management and control of the Gram Panchayat. The objective of resource mobilization is to
increase the income of the Gram Panchayats and thereby to increase more service/work opportunities
of the Gram Panchayat as an institution of self-government in an absolute sense. The primary income
sources of a Gram Panchayat are as follows;
1. Tax on building and homestead land;
2. Toll, rate and fee by formulating Bye-Law;
3. Fee from permission for construction of buildings;
4. Leasing ferry service and managing other assets vested on the Gram Panchayat;
5. Annual license fee or one-time fee for construction and running of the mobile tower;
6. Property gifted to the Gram Panchayat by any trustee or any person;
7. Fee for service delivery such as issuing birth/ death certificate and for providing health services;
8. Interest on fixed deposits and loans.

Over 106 Villages have become e-Panchayats in Karim Nagar District, Telangana
Areas on the Gram Panchayat enforce the Bye-Laws

The Gram Panchayat can enforce its bye-laws in the following areas;
To register the vehicles, provided that any other authority registers any vehicle following the
provisions of any act, then a Gram Panchayat would not register that vehicle.
To collect the fee specified by the State Government through notification for providing
sanitation facilities at a local fair, temple, and pilgrim place.
To collect the rate for supply of drinking water, irrigation water or water for any other usage by
implementing any scheme.
To collect the rate for lightning arrangement on the road or at public places.
To collect the rate for cleaning road, toilet, sewerage, urinal, and garbage.
To collect the fees for registration of trades, not prohibited by any law in force.
To collect the toll from any road or bridge vested on and managed by Gram Panchayat.
To collect the fees from ferry service set up or managed by the Gram Panchayat.
To collect the rate for using public toilets constructed by the Gram Panchayat.
To collect the rate for cleaning drain constructed by the Gram Panchayat for the public.
To collect the rate for using burial ground vested on or managed or controlled by the Gram
Panchayat.
Collection of fee from motorized deep tube well or mini deep tube well used commercially
subject to specific conditions.
To collect the fee for the sale of local produce in the village market.
To collect the fee for advertising by anybody other than the State Government at a public or
private place.
Kerala Panchayat brought Kuttam Peroor River back to life

The Kuttamperoor stream in Kerala, connecting the Pampa and Achan Kovil rivers, had been a shrunken
cesspool of dumped waste and weeds that had become nearly stagnant for more than a decade. The
Kuttamperoor River was resuscitated as a flowing river once again, thanks to the efforts of Budhanur
Gram Panchayat of the Alappuzha district in Kerala. It resulted from a commitment of 700 MGNREGS
workers; mostly women worked 30000 man-days to bring the river back to life under the MGNREGS. No

machines were used for the river’s revival. For the women workers, it was not merely a job guarantee
scheme. They toiled with a social commitment. It was exemplary asset creation under the MGNREGS.
The Kuttamperoor was once 12 kilometers long and, at places, over 100 feet wide. The river originates
from Achan Kovil at Ulunthi, near Maveli Kara, and flows through Ennackad, Budhanur, Kuttamperoor,
Mannar, and Pandanad the Pampa at Nakkida near Parumala in Pathanam Thitta district. According to
legend, it was initially an artificial canal on which wide-bodied vessels known as Kettu Vallams carried
items of trade and daily requirement. Once upon a time, the river irrigated around 2,000 acres of paddy
fields and was a lifeline for thousands of people living on its banks. People used to race the country
boats 'palliyodams' on it during the famous Aranmula boat race. The river was also serving as a natural
flood control channel between the Pampa and Achan Kovil.
The advent of modern transportation, coupled with urbanization, began the slow death of the river. The
Kettu Vallams ceased to operate. Further, weeds overran the river, and the hotel industry and residents
converted it into a giant garbage bin. There was illegal sand mining on the riverbed, and people dug up
its banks to mine clay for brick units. There was rampant encroachment. Chemical fertilizers from fields
and sewage from human settlements flowed into the river. The three bridges constructed across the
river further restricted its flow. For over two decades, the Kuttamperoor was left neglected and abused
and slowly, it had been reduced to a marshy, polluted cesspool perhaps 10-15 feet wide, with patchy
water and almost no flow. The Panchayat moved the proposal to revive the river in 2013. It received a
push after a dry spell in the region. A 700-strong local group of villagers, mostly women, have spent
weeks wading through toxic waste, algae and risking deadly water-borne diseases to physically de-silt
and clean the river. After 70 days of back-breaking hard work, the results began to show. The 12-
kilometre long river started brimming with water, the stench is gone, and children play on its green
banks once more.
Kuttam Peroor River of Alappuzha in Kerala was revived by GP/MGNREGA Workers

Now, people residing near the river banks find that their wells are flush with water. However, a more
significant challenge waits. To fight off the sand mafia and encroachers and ensure the river does not
turn into a sewer again. Nevertheless, for now, their herculean effort has catapulted the sleepy village
to the headlines.
Source: South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) News Bulletin 08 May 2017.

2. 5. Budget - Financial Management and Audit of Panchayat Accounts
“Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship”
– Benjamin Franklin
Financial management may be defined as planning, organizing,
directing, and controlling an organization's financial activities. According to Guthman and Dougal,
financial management is an activity concerned with planning, raising, controlling, and administering
funds used in a business. It is concerned with the procurement and utilization of funds properly.
Financial management in Gram Panchayat involves preparing a plan, and budget for the expenditure of
various funds received, doing panchayat expenditure per rule, maintaining accuracy and transparency in
accounts, and regular auditing of accounts. This unit discusses the State Panchayat (Gram Panchayat
Accounts, Audit and Budget) Rules followed by the Gram Panchayats for maintaining its Accounts, Audit
procedure, and Budget preparation in detail.
Opening Savings Account by a Gram Panchayat

A Gram Panchayat can open its savings accounts in any nearby Nationalized Bank, Registered
Cooperative Bank, Regional Rural Bank or a Post Office as per the direction of the State Government.
The Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat is the custodian of the funds of a Gram Panchayat. The
Chairperson and the Executive Assistant are the joint signatories of a cheque for payment out of Gram
Panchayat funds. If the Chairperson is not present for any reason, the vice-chairperson shall hold the
responsibility. Similarly, in the absence of the Executive Assistant, the Secretary (if he is in charge of
Executive Assistant) shall sign the Cheque.
Safe Custody of Registers and Books of Accounts

The Executive Assistant of the Gram Panchayat shall keep the Bank Pass Book, Cheque Book,
Cheque/Draft receipt Register, and Cheque Book Register in his custody. Similarly, the Gram Panchayat
Secretary shall maintain all other registers and papers of Gram Panchayat accounts, except for the
above-said items. Also, the Secretary of the Gram Panchayat shall be responsible for recording all
monetary transactions in the Cash Book. No Elected Representative (Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or
Member) shall write in the cash book.
The Executive Assistant shall authenticate each entry detail in the cash book. If the Executive Assistant is
absent, the Chairperson shall authenticate each entry made in the cash book. The Gram Panchayat uses
two types of receipts, namely the i. Miscellaneous receipt (Form-x) and ii. Receipts for tax, rates & fees
(Form-Y). All receipt-vouchers and payment-vouchers shall be chronologically numbered by consecutive
numerals separately for each of the said two groups for each financial year, and the voucher number so
assigned shall be noted in the relevant columns of the cash book. Insertion of by-numbers or any
alphabet for assigning a number to the voucher shall not be permissible. In computerized accounting,
the Executive Assistant shall generate separate receipts- vouchers and payment vouchers.
Leasing Out Immovable Properties

A Gram Panchayat may lease out any asset like pond, market, land, tank, and other asset owned by it or
placed at its disposal for management and control by any other department or authority, specifying the
terms and conditions for such lease agreement for a specified period generally not exceeding two years.
If the lessee must invest in infrastructural arrangements to ensure delivery of the desired service or
obtain a reasonable return, the Gram Panchayat may execute such lease agreements for a period not
exceeding three years. Under any circumstances, a Gram Panchayat should not execute any lease

agreement for a period extending beyond the term of office of the existing members of the Gram
Panchayat. A public auction shall determine the lessee.
Public Auction
A public auction should determine the lessee to whom a Gram Panchayat shall lease a property. The
Finance and Planning Standing Committee of the Gram Panchayat conducts all auctions in the Gram
Panchayat. The public auction shall observe the following procedures;
The Finance and Planning Standing Committee shall fix the minimum rate for leasing the
property.
The GP should issue a notice and wide publicity of the auction for not less than seven
days. The notice should specify the date, place, time and terms and conditions of such
auction.
The lessee will have to pay twenty-five per cent of the bid money as performance security
immediately after completion of the bidding.
The Gram Panchayat shall execute the lease agreement with the lessee within the specified
period as per the notice, usually one month.
The lessee will have to pay the remaining 75 per cent money on the day of execution of the
agreement, and then only the Gram Panchayat shall hand over the property to the lessee.
Considering the financial condition of the lessee and the nature of income accrual, the Gram
Panchayat may lease out its properties and assets for a specified period on the condition of a
quarterly or annual payment of the lease amount as agreed.
Once the payment schedule is determined, no further installment of payment shall be allowed.
Any default in payment shall make the lease agreement liable to be terminated with one month
notice.
If after payment of twenty-five per cent of the bid premium as performance security, the bidder
fails to execute the lease agreement or fails to pay the additional amount as may be agreed
upon within the stipulated date, the Gram Panchayat may cancel the entire auction procedure.
Out of the amount of performance security deposit, such portion amounting to not less than
fifteen per cent of the bid amount as may be decided by the Gram Panchayat shall be forfeited,
and then the Gram Panchayat shall start a new auction process.
Case Study: Fish Farming in Gram Panchayat Tanks by Women SHGs in Odisha
People of Odisha love consuming locally
produced and fresh fish such as Rohu and Catla.
The per capita consumption of fish in Odisha is
about 15.62 Kg, which is significantly higher than
the national average of 9.30 kg. Odisha is endowed
with a vast area of water resources (6.79 lakh
Hectares of freshwater resources, 4.18 lakh
hectares of brackish water resources and 1.70 lakh
sq. km of marine exclusive economic zone), and
has significant potential for fish production and its
demand for fish is more than the supply.
Annually it imports nearly 40000 MT of carps from neighboring Andhra Pradesh. The Odisha
Government introduced an ambitious Odisha Fisheries Policy 2015 to increase fish production and

export. The Fisheries and ARD Department has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with World Fish,
Malaysia, to ensure technical collaboration. In Odisha, there is approximately 64,000 Gram Panchayat
(GP) tanks (51,000 hectares), which are public property and governed by gram panchayats under the
Department of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water. These GP tanks are dug under various government
schemes such as MGNREGS for multipurpose utility by villagers. Also, the Gram Panchayats auctioned
them annually to different individuals for fish farming which generates significant income for the Gram
Panchayats.
There is around 6 lakh Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) with a membership of more than 70 lakh
women registered under Mission Shakti- the flagship SHG movement of the Government of Odisha.
These SHGs are involved in various income-generating activities such as handicrafts, textiles, honey
production, food supply to ICDS and schools. The government has identified fish farming as one of the
potential business activities for these women SHGs. They mooted an inter-departmental convergence
program involving many departments such as Fisheries, Mission Shakti, and Panchayati Raj with
technical support from World-Fish, and launched a scheme named “Fish Farming in Gram Panchayat
Tanks by Women SHGs” during September 2018.
Gram Panchayat Tanks are given to Women SHGs on Lease for Fish Farming in Odisha
The Government of Odisha made a significant policy change for long term leasing (3-5 years lease) of GP
tanks to Women SHGs on priority. Such a policy change encouraged more women SHGs to enroll in the
scheme. The scheme provided financial support @ Rs. 90,000 per hectare to these SHGs, making 60% of
the operational expenses (unit cost of Rs. 1.5 lakhs/ha/crop) towards fish production. They focused on a
two-crop system per year by promoting the stocking of zero size fish fingerlings (50-100 gram size) for
doubling the productivity of GP tanks. The annual production targeted was 5 tons/ha. They also
conducted block-level training for 320 batches of block-level training to 9,200 women SHG beneficiaries
during 2019.
So far, the Gram Panchayats have leased out 4401 GP tanks (1972 tanks during FY 2018-19 & 2429 GP
tanks during FY 2019-20) that covered an area of 3579.42 ha to the members of mission Shakti WSHGs
for fish farming. For FY 2020-21, the authorities have earmarked 1580 hectares of GP tanks for leasing
out to WSHGs. During the lockdown, 4355 mission Shakti WSHGs engaged in Pisciculture have harvested
more than 21000 quintals of fish from GP tanks with a market value of Rs. 30.2 crore yielding a profit of
Rs. 15.1 crore for them.

This initiative has become a game-changer in generating sustainable income for rural women, improving
their nutritional outcomes and increase fish productivity in the state. Also, this has brought increased
lease income to Gram Panchayats in Odisha.
Sale of Movable Properties

Subject to the Authority of the Gram Panchayat to fix the minimum price (base price) for sale of
movable property, the Finance and Planning Sub-Committee shall take decisions relating to the conduct
of such sale in a meeting. The sales procedure is as follows;
If the base price is Rs.500 or less, the Standing Committee may sell the property after fixing a notice
on the notice board of the Gram Panchayat mentioning the intention to sell such property and may
be sold to the person offering the highest price above the fixed base price.
If the base price is above Rs.500, then the public auction shall be held as decided by the Standing
Committee, and the highest bidder shall receive the auctioned item.
No article shall be sold on an auction if the highest bid money is below the minimum price. In such
conditions, the Gram Panchayat shall conduct a new auction.
If in the second auction also, the minimum price as fixed is not reached, then the matter shall be
referred by the said Standing Committee along with its views to the Gram Panchayat for further
decision.
The Gram Panchayat may seek advice from the higher authority through the Intermediate
Panchayat.
Changing from Manual to Computerized A/c System

For changing from the manual to the computerized accounting system, a Gram Panchayat will have to
take a resolution in the meeting of its Finance and Planning Standing Committee for such a change. Also,
the Gram Panchayat is required to satisfy the following conditions;
The Gram Panchayat needs to maintain accounts manually and in the computerized accounting
system for three months or until the Panchayat Audit and Accounts Officers are satisfied.
The Gram Panchayat should use its separate user ID and password.
The manual records and print-outs of the computerized accounting system are similar, and there is
enough evidence.
The accountant shall take regular backup for the Computerized Accounting System at least once a
week.
Print out of the regular transactions is taken every day and signed and authenticated respectively.
The signed and authenticated print-outs are preserved and bound in the manner of a register.
Procurement Process in a Gram Panchayat

A GP is required to check the following parameters before initiating the procurement process for a work;
Whether the articles enlisted for procurement is immediately required?

Whether the work has the necessary administrative approval?
Whether there is a budgetary allocation for the enlisted article or work?
Whether the scheme/project is in the annual plan and budget of the Gram Panchayat?
Whether the work has a detailed project report (DPR) with technical approval?
Whether there is an implementation order in favour of the scheme?

If the goods/service value is Rs.2000 or less, direct purchase is allowed. If the value is between Rs.2000
and Rs.20, 000 the Gram Panchayat shall invite quotations and procurement for more than Rs. Twenty
thousand requires the invitation of tenders, and at least three valid sealed tenders are a must for
decision making.
Budget of a Gram Panchayat

The budget of a Gram Panchayat is an estimate of income and expenditure for the upcoming year.
Under the direction of the Chairperson and with the help of other employees, the Executive Assistant
shall prepare the budget of a Gram Panchayat. There are two types of budgets prepared in a Gram
Panchayat, namely the i. Annual budget and ii. Supplementary and Revised Gram Panchayat budget.
After discussion with the Executive Assistant and Chairperson, the Secretary shall put up the notice for
Special Meeting of Gram Panchayat for approval of Gram Panchayat budget. The Secretary shall
circulate the notice along with a draft budget copy as an attachment. Fifty per cent of the existing
elected members of the Gram Panchayat need to be present as the quorum in the special meeting for
budget approval.
Audit of the Account of Gram Panchayat

An official inspection of the accounts is known as an audit. In the course of Audit of the accounts, it shall
be the duty of the Auditor to see that,
The maintenance and presentation of accounts are in the approved forms.

The receipts and payments documents have sufficient details.
All payments have records of approval by the appropriate authority and have requisite vouchers.
All sums received are brought into account and entered into the cash book.
The receipts and payments in all cases are as are authorized by law.
Role of Chairperson in the Financial Management

As Custodian of the Gram Panchayat Funds, the role of the Chairperson in the financial management of
Gram Panchayat is as follows;
To ensure the effective utilization of the Gram Panchayat funds.
To sign the Cheque for payments.
To prepare the plan and budget of the Gram
Panchayat. To sign the cash book and the other
registers.
To ensure the timely submission of the reports related to the financial management of GP.
To ensure the timely submission of the reply to the audit reports.
To ensure better coordination between all the members, employees, standing committees, upper
tiers, banks and local people.
The internal and external Audit of Gram Panchayat accounts ensures more transparency in money
handling and development works through Gram Panchayats. The social Audit ensures the quality of
work implemented the beneficiary's satisfaction and will ensure the poorest among the poor shall
receive the benefits of development on a priority basis. These can ensure transparency, accountability,
and quality of development work in rural areas through the panchayat raj institutions.
Chapter Summary
Gram Panchayat is a primary village governing institute in Indian villages. It is a democratic structure at
the grassroots level in India. It is a political institute, acting as the cabinet of the village—the Gram
Sabha work as the general body of the Gram Panchayat. The 11th schedule enshrines the distribution of

powers on 29 subjects between the State legislature and the Panchayats. Panchayat Samiti or Taluk
Panchayat is the intermediate tier in the Panchayati Raj System in India. These Gram Sabha, Gram
Panchayat and Panchayat Samitis implement various development works in rural areas to bring the
overall development.
There are four types of duties a Gram Panchayat performs, namely the 1. Obligatory duties, 2.
Transferred duties, 3. Regulatory duties and 4. Complementary duties. A Gram Panchayat also performs
other duties that the State Government may assign to it from time to time. To implement the
duties/functions assigned, the Gram Panchayat will have the Finance and Planning Standing Committee
as the Primary Committee, and the other four Standing Committees constituted in a Gram Panchayats
are 1. Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Standing Committee, 2. Education and Public
Health Standing Committee, 3. Women, Child Development and Social Welfare Standing Committee,
and 4. Industry and Infrastructure Standing Committee.
As per the Panchayat Raj Act 1992, Article 243G, the elected Panchayats act as the local self-government
institutions. The Panchayats are responsible for preparing plans for economic development and social
justice and executing them in their areas of operation. The Gram Panchayat undertakes several
obligatory duties, transferred duties, regulatory duties, and complimentary duties in executing these
development works. Also, the Gram Panchayat member undertakes several responsibilities such as the
elected member of the Gram Panchayat constituency, as a member of Gram Panchayat, President of
Ward Sabha, member of the standing committee, member of GPPFT, President of VHSNC, member of
the local disaster management committee, President of Anganwadi Center monitoring committee,
Village water sanitation committee, member of block council, managing committee member of village
education and member of the school management committee.
To deliberate, plan and execute rural development programs and works, the Ward Sabha, Gram Sabha
and Gram Panchayats conduct various meetings at specified time intervals. These meetings may be
mandatory or obligatory. Also, they may be urgent in nature or regular meetings or requisitioned
meetings. One critical area of Panchayat administration is its source of finance. The Gram Panchayats
receives its income from tax and non-tax sources, which the state legislature allowed them to levy and
collect.
A Gram Panchayat can open its savings accounts in any nearby Nationalized Bank, Registered
Cooperative Bank, Regional Rural Bank or a Post Office as per the direction of the State Government.
The Chairperson of the Gram Panchayat is the custodian of the funds of a Gram Panchayat. A Gram
Panchayat may lease out an asset like the ponds, market, land, tank, and other asset owned by it for a
specified period, generally not exceeding two years. A public auction shall determine the lessee.
The Finance and Planning Standing Committee of the Gram Panchayat conducts all auctions in the Gram
Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat Management System (GPMS), parallel to PriyaSoft, is a computerized
accounting system used to record all Gram Panchayats financial transactions and prepare the related
reports. A Gram Panchayat may involve a contractor to execute specific works observing the terms and
conditions specified by the Panchayat Act and Rules. To ensure financial transparency and quality of
development works, internal, external, special and social audits are necessary.

Model Questions
1. What are the obligatory and discretionary functions of a Gram Panchayat? How Gram Panchayats
bring rural development through these functions?
2. List out the functions of a Block Development Officer concerning Gram Panchayat.
3. Elaborate the structure of Gram Panchayat and its standing committees with suitable diagrams.
Discuss the significant areas these standing committees work.
4. Examine the roles and responsibilities of a Gram Panchayat member in various capacities to bring
overall development in rural areas.
5. Discuss the powers and functions of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of a Gram Panchayat in
planning and implementation of development works in villages.
6. What is an audit? What are the different types of audits conducted to scrutinize the accounts and
work quality of Gram Panchayat works?
Reference
1. Maheshwari, S.R. (2015). Local Government in India. (15th ed.). Agra, India: Lakshmi Narayan
Agarwal.
2. National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. (2020). Model learning materials for
elected representatives of gram panchayats (Book-3). Hyderabad, India: NIRDPR.

Chapter 3 Urban Local Body Institutions and their Functions
Just as the 73rd Constitutional Amendment 1992 paved the way for establishing Rural Local Body
Institutions in rural areas, the 74th Constitutional Amendment 1992 paved the way for establishing
Urban Local Body Institutions in cities and towns. The former amendment entrusted 29 functions listed
in the 11th Schedule of the Constitution to be performed by the RLBs, while the latter amendment
entrusted 18 functions listed in the 12 th Schedule to be performed by the ULBs. An urban local body may
refer to a Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council or a Nagar Panchayat. This unit discusses the
composition, election, administration, functions and the sources of finance of Zila Parishad, Municipal
Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. It also discusses the scope for implementing e-
governance systems in the service delivery mechanism of the ULBs.

After learning the contents of this chapter, the students will be able,
To be familiar with the structure, administrative setup and functions of a Zila Parishad.
To enable the learners to appreciate the obligatory and discretionary functions of a Municipal
Corporation, to distinguish the roles and responsibilities of a Corporation Mayor and Commissioner.
To introduce the step by step process of a Municipal Council and kindle the learners' interest to
compare the functions of Chairperson, Executive Officer and various standing Committees in the
Municipal Council.
To inculcate the learners of the ULB structures for transitional areas and introduce them to other
unique ULBs like Cantonment Boards, Townships and Port Trusts.
To make them familiar with the concept and application of e-governance in ULBs, understand the
challenges for implementation and think about the possible solutions.
Chapter Structure
3.1. Zila Parishad: An Introduction
3.2. Municipal Corporation
3.3. Municipal Councils
3.4. Nagar Panchayats
3.5. E-Governance in Urban Local Bodies

3.1. Zila Parishad: An Introduction
“Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from indomitable will”
- Mahatma Gandhi
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 made provisions for setting up and devolution of powers
to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) or city governments as the lowest governance unit in cities and towns.
The Government of India took this landmark initiative based on the premise that "all power in a
democracy rightfully belongs to the people." It mandated to give the powers to the people through ULBs
referred to as municipalities. An urban local body may refer to a Municipal Corporation, Municipal
Council or a Nagar Panchayat. These ULBs have representatives elected regularly and play a decisive role
in the planning and delivering development services in urban areas.
This Act prescribes institutional changes, with the setting up of Ward Committees, District Planning
Committees and Metropolitan Planning Committees to coordinate the planning process across
municipal jurisdictions. The Amendment has also made provisions for the setting up of the State Election
Commission and the State Finance Commission. Further, it gives the ULBs a role much more extensive
than just that of a service provider who takes care of water supply, waste management and electricity
distribution.
Three Kinds of Municipalities

74th Constitutional Amendment (Article 243Q) provides for establishing three kinds of Municipalities in
every State. They are 1. Municipal Corporations, 2. Municipal Councils and 3. Nagar Panchayats.
Municipal Corporations: A Municipal Corporation is the topmost of urban local bodies created for larger
urban areas with more than one lakh. It is the topmost not in the sense that it exercises authority over
the other forms of ULBs. Unlike the rural local bodies (RLBs), the urban local bodies in India are not
hierarchical. The state legislatures have passed separate legislatures to set up such municipal
corporations in their respective states.
Municipal Councils: The Government may set up a municipal council in a smaller urban area, the
population of which is 15000 or more but less than one lakh and the revenue generated from tax and
other sources exceeds such amount per capita per annum may be specified by the Government from
time to time. A municipal council may not be constituted for an area if an industrial establishment
provides the municipal services in that area or any other suitable reason that the Govt. may think fits.
Fig. 3.1. Structure of Zila Parishads

Nagar Panchayats: A Nagar Panchayat is for those areas which are transitional. An area transiting from
rural to urban is called a transitional area. The State Governor, by public notice, will define these areas
based upon the population, density of population, revenue generated for local administration, % of
employment in non-agricultural activities and other factors. If required, he can also specify an area as an
Industrial Township by public notice, based on the density of the industrial establishments.
Composition of Zila Parishad

The Zila Parishad is the apex level institution in the three-tier Panchayati Raj System and functions at the
district levels. It is also called Zila Panchayat, District Panchayat, District Council or Mandal Parishad. It is
an elected body in which all members are to be directly elected by the people who make the electorate
in the Municipal area. The municipal area consists of territorial constituencies are known as Wards.
There are two methods of constituting the Zila Parishad. In states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and
UP, they elect the members of Zila Parishad at the rate of one member for each 35000
population.
In states like Punjab, the members of Panchayat Samiti constitute an electoral college to elect
five members of Zila Parishad from amongst primary members.
The State Legislature may decide the manner of election as specified in Article 243R for the post
of Chairperson of the Zila Parishad.
The Zila Parishad consists of all Block Pramukhs or Pradhans from all Block Panchayats or
Panchayat Samitis.
The Chairperson of all the Panchayat Samitis under the district is the ex-officio member of the
Zila Parishad. The President and a Vice-Presidents are the head and the vice-head of the
Parishad.
The Amendment allows the Members of Legislature Assembly (MLAs), Members of Parliament
(MPs) of Lok Sabha, Members of Council (MCs) of State and Members of Legislative Council
(MLCs) of State, whose constituency falls wholly or partly in the jurisdiction of the Zila Parishad
to be a member of the Zila Parishad also.
There may be two women members co-opted if no woman happens to be a member of the Zila
Parishad and one woman member co-opted if one is already a member of Zila Parishad.
The Zila Parishad may co-opt a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe if the SC/ST population exceeds
5 % of the district population and no SC/ST member is available in the Zila Parishad.
Also, the Zila Parishad can co-opt two members whose experience in municipal administration
and public life or rural development might be beneficial to the Zila Parishad.
It can admit the Central Co-operative Bank (DCB) Chairpersons and the District Co-operative
Union (DCU) as the associate members.
The District Collector is also an ex-officio member of Zila Parishad, without voting right.
The co-opted members and associate members do not have the right to vote in the meetings,
but they can participate in the meeting deliberations of the Zila Parishad.
The members of Zila Parishad elect the President and Vice-President from amongst themselves.
They are removable by a vote of no confidence, with a two-thirds majority of the total
members. The office term of the Zila Parishad is three years.

Pune Zila Parishad Presented a Budget Rs.266 Crores Emphasizing on
Health and Farmer Support in 2021
The Zila Parishad is a corporate body, having perpetual succession and a common seal. It can sue and be
sued and is empowered to enter into contracts. It functions as a link between the village level Gram
Panchayat and the State Government. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an IAS officer or senior state
service officer, heads the administrative setup of the Zila Parishad. She/he supervises the divisions of
the Parishad. The Deputy Chief Executive Officer and other officials at the district and block-level officers
shall assist the CEO. The Deputy CEO from the General Administration Department at the district level is
the ex-officio Secretary of the Zila Parishad. As of April 2019, there were 630 Zila Parishads in India.
Powers and Responsibilities of the Zila Parishads

Article 243W empowers all municipalities with such powers and responsibilities to function as effective
local self-government institutions. The State government may, by law, specify what powers and
responsibilities the municipalities would get in respect of preparation of plans for economic
development and social justice and for the implementation of schemes as may be entrusted to them.
The 74th Amendment has entrusted the following 18 functions of the 12 th Schedule on the functional
domain of the ULBs.
12th Schedule Functions Transferred to ULBs

1. To engage in urban planning and town planning.
2. To regulate land use and building construction.
3. To involve in urban planning for economic and social development.
4. To construct roads and bridges.
5. To supply water for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes.
6. To take care of public health/sanitation/conservancy and solid waste management.
7. To provide fire services.
8. To take care of urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects.
9. To safeguard the interests of weaker sections of society, including the disabled and mentally
retarded.
10. To ensure slum improvement and up-gradation.
11. To alleviate urban poverty.

12. To provide urban facilities and amenities such as gardens, parks, and playgrounds.
13. To promote cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects.
14. To maintain burial grounds, cremation grounds, and electric crematoriums.
15. To prevent cruelty to animals, cattle pounds.
16. To collect and maintain vital statistics and the registration of births and deaths.
17. To provide public amenities such as street lights, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences.
18. Regulation of slaughterhouses and tanneries.
Functions of Zila Parishad

The Zila Parishad is an apex body in the district administration that plays a crucial role in planning,
execution, advising and monitoring the development and welfare programmes in the district. The Zila
Parishad shall formulate and execute the District Development Plan to bring overall development to the
district. The various functions performed by a Zila Parishad are as follows;
1. Executive: In Andhra, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and UP, the Zila Parishads possesses the
executive functions formerly vested with district local boards, district school boards, district
development committees and Panchayat Samitis. For example, the Zila Parishads in Punjab deal with the
agricultural credit, agricultural promotion, animal husbandry, and inter-village roads and
communications. In UP, the Zila Parishads look to the development of animal husbandry and village and
cottage industries, medical and public health, education and culture of the residents and public works.
2. Supervisory: The Zila Parishad supervises the Panchayat Samitis to promote agricultural production,
construction and employment programmes. It can ask for information from any local body within its
jurisdiction regarding its activities and has the power to inspect them anytime. It can also seek and
review the administrative reports of the Samiti before forwarding them to the State Government. The
Zila Parishad is responsible for distributing ad-hoc grants amongst the Panchayat Samitis and can
exercise control over the delinquent Panchayat Samitis.
3. Coordinative: Coordination of Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis is another essential function

performed by a Zila Parishad. Also, the Zila Parishad has the power to examine the budgets of the
Panchayat Samitis for effective planning and coordination.
4. Advisory: The Zila Parishads advise the State Governments on matters concerning Panchayats and
Panchayat Samitis. It can also tender advice regarding implementing any statutory or executive order
referred to by the State Government.
5. Appellate: The Zila Parishad will settle disputes between a Panchayat Samiti and Panchayats within
the district or between two different Panchayats or two different Panchayats Samitis the same district.
The staff can carry an appeal to the Zila Parishad against the disciplinary action taken against them by
the secretary/standing committee on finance, taxation and administration of a Panchayat Samiti,
amounting to withholding of an increment of the member of Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad services.
6. Joint Servicing: Where Zila Parishads do not have the executive powers, their jurisdiction is limited to
the establishment functions such as joint training, organization of camps, conferences, seminars and
training institutes, selection and promotion of Panchayati Raj Personnel (Class III), hearing of appeals
regarding disciplinary action against such personnel, and the execution of a project concerning two or
more Panchayat Samitis with their consent.

7. Declaratory: The Zila Parishads also have the power to declare the "progressive farmers" and the best
block level and village level workers. They can also classify fairs, festivals and roads as having a village,
inter-village or district character.
8. House-Keeping: The housekeeping functions of the Zila Parishad comprise publications of statistics,
secretarial work, budgeting, reporting to the state government. The indirectly constituted Zila Parishads
are empowered to examine the Panchayat Samiti's budget, make non-binding observations on them,
and call for the records and other information. Also, the State Government may assign any other
function that deems fit.
To sum up, the Zila Parishad is chiefly a supervisory and a coordinative body. It can also examine and
approve the budget of Panchayat Samitis and perform essential administrative functions. It can assume
the role of real intermediate power as well. Much, however, depends upon the State Governments,
which may duly respect the advice of the Zila Parishad.
Standing Committees
The Zila Parishad functions through a network of standing committees. These committees are advisory
in some states like Rajasthan and statutory in other states. The Zila Parishad may constitute the standing
committees on the following subjects;
1. General Standing Committee
2. Finance and Audit Committee
3. Planning and Development Committee
4. Public Works and Amenities Committee
5. Social Justice Committee
6. Education Committee
7. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Committee
8. Health Committee
9. Industries Committee for Cottage, Village and Small-Scale Industries
The President of Zila Parishad may act as the President of the standing committees also. In some states,
they elect the President of standing committees separately. If the President of the Zila Parishad happens
to be a standing committee member, he will be its ex-officio president also. In some states like Andhra
Pradesh, the President of the Zila Parishad is a member of each standing committee, but the district
collector shall be the President of every standing Committee.
By its definition, a Standing Committee is subordinate to the Zila Parishad, and therefore to accord to
the elected President of the Parishad, less than the highest status in the committees is unsound and
anomalous. The office tenure of the Standing Committee Members is co-terminus with the office term
of the Zila Parishad Members.
Functions of Standing Committees

All Standing Committees of the Zila Parishads perform the specialized functions assigned to them
without any overlapping.
The General Standing Committee has to perform functions related to the establishment matters and
all miscellaneous residuary matters.

The Finance and Audit Committee has to perform the functions related to the finance of Zila
Parishad, framing budgets, scrutinizing the proposals for revenue increase, and examination of
revenue and expenditures.
The Planning and Development Committee has to perform the functions related to cooperation,
small savings schemes, and any other function related to the development of the district.
The Public Works and Amenities Committee has to perform communications, buildings, rural
housing, village extension, and relief against natural calamities, water supply and other allied
matters.
The Social Justice Committee has to perform functions related to promoting educational, economic,
social, and cultural interests of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Women, Minority and
Backward Class people.
The Education Committee has to perform the functions relating to all the educational activities of
the Zila Parishad, planning and executing national educational policies and programmes.
The Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Committee has to perform the functions related to
agricultural production, contour bunding, land reclamation and animal husbandry.
The Health Committee has to perform the functions related to the health services, hospitals, water
supply, family welfare and other allied services.
The Industries Committee has to perform the functions related to village and cottage industries.
Thus the Zila Parishad performs various functions through its Standing Committees. The specially
appointed committees shall cease to exist on completion of the purpose for which they came into
existence or till that time as may be determined by the Zila Parishad.
Zila Parishad Vs Panchayat Samiti

A Panchayat Samiti has organic linkage with the Zila Parishad. The Pradhan of the Samiti sits as a
member in the Parishad meetings. He also participates in the election of the President. The
administrative relationship between a Panchayat Samiti and the Zila Parishad shall include the following;
The Panchayat Samiti sends its budget to the Zila Parishad and banks upon Zila Parishad to distribute
matching or Adhoc grants.
The Zila Parishad supervises the activities of the Panchayat Samiti. It can ask for the latter’s records
and seek any information/clarification it deems essential.
The Zila Parishad advises the State Government regarding the development work for the district and
can influence the state government's opinion about the work of the Panchayat Samiti.
The Zila Parishad can institute an Establishment Committee or Selection Board, which regulates the
mode of temporary appointments or appointments by promotion/transfer and renders advice to
the Panchayat Samitis on all disciplinary matters concerning the Samiti employees.

Besides the supervisory powers, the Zila Parishad can exhort the district technicians to respond to
the needs of the Panchayat Samitis and shall make effective coordination in their activities through
District Collector or Chief Administrator.
Such assistance from the Parishad in mobilizing technical support at the district level and solving
administrative difficulties through the Collector or Commissioner can also prove powerful
allurement for the Samitis to abide by the directions of the Parishad.
Of course, there are possibilities of tension between Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti, when both
these leaders are coming from two different political parties embracing contrary views. However, as
the Samitis depends on the Zila Parishads for fund allocation, they cannot displease them.
Similarly, the Parishads have to depend upon the Samitis to execute various development projects
within the district. Hence, a strong bonding of interdependence automatically helps resolve their
differences and relieve the tension between the Parishads and the Samitis.
As per the provisions of Part IX-A, the Zila Parishads do the planning and allocation of resources in urban
areas within their respective jurisdictions. The Constitution has also provided for the creation of two
Planning Committees at the district level: (i). District Planning Committee (DPC) and (ii). Metropolitan
Planning Committee (MPC). The composition of these Committees and filling the vacant seats have
been left open to the states.
District Planning Committee

The District Planning Committee formed at the district level consolidates the development plans of
Panchayat Samitis and Municipalities to prepare a comprehensive development plan for the entire
district (Article 243 ZD), keeping the following points in mind;
1. Matters of common interest between the Panchayats & Municipalities, including spatial planning.
2. Sharing of water and other physical and natural resources.
3. Integrated development of infrastructure and environment conservation.
4. Extent and type of available resources, whether financial or otherwise.
The draft District Development Plan (DDP) so prepared and recommended by the DPC shall be
forwarded by the Chairperson of the Committee to the State Government for necessary action.
Metropolitan Planning Committee

The Metropolitan area in the country is an area where the population is above 10 Lakh (Article 243P).
There shall be constituted a Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) in every Metropolitan to prepare a
draft development plan for that area as a whole (Article 243 ZE), keeping the following points in mind;
1. Plans prepared by the Municipalities and the Panchayats in the Metropolitan area.
2. Matters of common interest between the Panchayats & Municipalities, including spatial planning.
3. Sharing of water and other physical and natural resources.
4. Integrated development of infrastructure and environmental conservation.
5. Overall objectives and priorities set by the Government of India and the State Government.
6. Extent and nature of investments likely to be made in the Metropolitan by Government agencies.
7. Extent and type of available resources, whether financial or otherwise.

The President
The state legislature specifies the manner of electing the President (Chairperson/ Adhyaksha/Pramukh).
The election may be either by direct election or from amongst the elected members of the Municipality
concerned. The Chairperson heads and presides over the meetings of the Zila Parishad and conducts its
proceedings. He inspects the lower tiers of the panchayat raj system and submits inspection reports to
the Zila Parishad. Further, the President writes his opinion on the secretary's work to the Zila Parishad,
appends it with his confidential report. In some states like Maharashtra, the President possesses the
executive authority, and he exercises considerable administrative powers.
The President exercises administrative supervision over the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for
implementing resolutions and orders of the Zila Parishad and sends his confidential report on the work
of the CEO to the Divisional Commissioner. He enjoys the power to take action and to report the actions
taken to the Zila Parishad in its next meeting. The President completes the entire term. The removal of
the President requires a vote of no confidence with a two-thirds majority.
Role of District Collector at Zila Parishad

The Balvantray Mehta Committee visualized the district collector playing a well-defined role in the
evolution of the panchayat raj system. The district collector functions as an agent of the state
government in the district, and it is to her/him that the people look and flock when in distress or seeking
redress of grievances against other governmental functionaries in the district. To ensure the healthy
growth of Panchayati raj institutions, proper supervision, guidance and direction of an experienced
administrator are inevitable. Also, the effectiveness of the PR institutions hugely depends upon the
cooperation of district level officers, municipalities, and the state and central government
establishments. The district collector can play a critical role in bringing such support and cooperation.
However, it is more challenging as the district collector is already an overworked functionary and
therefore sparing more productive time in Zila Parishad becomes more difficult for her/him. Further,
some people believe that for making uninfluenced decisions and ensuring healthy development, the
local bodies need to function independently of the district collector.
Administrative Structure
The District Magistrate (DM) or the District Collector (DC) is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zila
Parishad. In some states, an IAS officer other than District Collector/ District Magistrate or an officer
from the State Administrative Service Cadre heads the administrative machinery of the Zila Parishad.
The CEO supervises the divisions of the Parishad and executes its development schemes. The
administrative machinery implements the development policies and decisions taken by the Zila
Parishad.
In addition to being subjected to the administrative control of the district collector and the technical
control of the state technical department, a district level officer has a third master to serve, the Zila
Parishad. At the district level, the Chief Development Officer (CDO) has special responsibility for
coordinating the actions in different blocks within the district.
Sources of Income
A sound financial base is an essential requirement for carrying out the administrative operations by the
ULBs. To translate all plans of local development into reality, the allocation of adequate finance is
essential. The Zila Parishad mainly depends on the state government for meeting its expenditure,
including the grant-in-aid, share of land cess and other cesses. It receives a fixed grant from the State

Government in proportion with the land revenue and money for works and schemes assigned to the
Parishad. The Zila Parishad can also collect some money from the panchayats with the approval of the
Government. The sources of income to a Zila Parishad as specified in Article 243X may consist of the
following;
1. The amount transferred to the Zila Parishad Fund by an appropriation from out of the State's
consolidated fund.
2. All grants, assignments, loans and contributions made by the Government.
3. All fees and penalties levied and collected by the Zila Parishad under this Act and all fines
imposed.
4. All rents from lands or other properties of the Zila Parishad.
5. All interests, profits, and other money revenue is accruing by gifts, grants, assignments or
transfers from private individuals or institutions.
6. All proceeds of land, securities and other properties sold by the Zila Parishad.
7. All money received by or on behalf of the Zila Parishad under this or any other Act.
The resources for the Zila Parishad will flow from the plan funds for the districts and the non-plan funds
for maintenance. Further, the Zila Parishads themselves can raise the resources in their way through
taxation or cess collection like water tax, trade/ profession tax, pilgrimage tax etc.
Audit and Accounts

The municipalities should maintain the accounts and arrange for auditing the accounts as per the State
legislature's provisions (Article 243Z). The State Legislatures can make appropriate provisions depending
upon the local needs and institutional framework available for this purpose.
Conclusion
The 74th Constitution Amendment Act, 1992 is one of the most vital amendments carried out so far
concerning urban development. The Act has attempted to make the ULBs more robust and transparent.
With this Act, the district planning has received a Constitutional Status. The Amendment has introduced
a uniform pattern all over the country except north-eastern areas.
3.2. Municipal Corporation

“Cities have the capacity of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when they are
created by everybody”
– Jane Jacobs
The Municipal Corporation is the topmost institution of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India. The ULB
that works to develop any Metropolitan City with more than one million populations is known as a
Municipal Corporation. Four metropolitans Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, have giant
Corporations in India. As of 31st March 2021, there are 241 Municipal Corporations across India.
Composition of the Municipal Corporation

Based on the city population, the Municipal Area may have many divisions called wards. A
representative known as Councillor is chosen for each ward by the residents of that ward. These elected
Councillors or Corporators hold their office for five years. The council comprises the Councillors, Mayor
and Municipal Commissioner. The council is the local legislative assembly that can articulate popular
wish that gets transformed into the town's law.

The Mayor heads the Municipal Corporation, and the Corporation remains under the charge of the
Municipal Commissioner. As the Executive Officer, the Municipal Commissioner along with the Mayor
and Councillor) monitors and implements the development programs of the Corporation.
Administration of the Municipal Corporation

Any party winning more than half of the total seats in the Corporation election shall select the Mayor of
the Municipal Corporation among their Councillors. A Mayor is a ceremonial head in a Municipal
Corporation, while its administrative head is the Municipal Commissioner. While a Mayor assumes a
political role, the state government appoints an IAS officer as the Municipal Commissioner who prepares
the Corporation budget and implements the plans and policies of the Corporation.
Election Procedures
The State Election Commission is responsible for guidance, direction, superintendence, control and
conduct of the elections to the Municipal Corporations. Anyone who fulfils the following criteria can
contest in the Councillor election;
1. She/he should be a citizen of India, attained the age of 21 years.
2. The candidate should have her/his name available in the ward's electoral roll
3. She/he has never been disqualified earlier for contesting Corporation elections for any reason.
4. She/he must not be an employee of any municipal corporation in India.
Provision is there for making an adequate reservation of seats for persons belonging to the scheduled
castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes and women.
Tenure of a Municipal Corporation

The office tenure of the Municipal Corporation is five years from the date of its first meeting. The State
Government may dissolve the Corporation in between if it finds the Corporation (a) Lagging in its duties,
(b) Exceeding or abusing its power and (c). The declaration of the Municipal elections in the State as
void.
Functions of a Municipal Corporation

The functions performed by a Municipal Corporation may be obligatory or discretionary. Also, the
functions of Municipal Corporations differ from State to State. The usual functions performed by a
Municipal Corporation are listed below;
The Municipal Corporations perform the following obligatory functions;
1. To supply the wholesome water and construction and maintenance of waterworks.
2. To supply electricity
3. To provide road transport services
4. To construct, maintain, name and number the public streets.
5. To provide lighting, watering and cleaning of public streets and other public places.
6. To arrange scavenging, removal and disposal of filth and rubbish.
7. To construct, maintain and clean the drains, drainage works, public latrines and urinals.
8. To secure or remove dangerous buildings and places.
9. To remove obstructions and projections in or upon streets and other public places.
10. To establish and maintain the hospitals, maternity and child welfare centres.
11. To prevent and check the spreading of dangerous diseases.
12. To administer vaccination and inoculation.

13. To take care of births and deaths registration.
14. To regularize the places for disposal of the dead and provision burial grounds/crematoriums.
15. To provide primary education.
16. To maintain fire brigade.
17. To publish annual reports and returns on the administration of the Corporation.
18. To control and regulate the eating places and eatables.
The Municipal Corporations perform the following discretionary functions;
1. To construct public parks, gardens, libraries, museums, theatres, akharas and stadia.
2. To construct and maintain public housing.
3. To plant trees and take care of trees on the roadside and elsewhere.
4. To provide relief to destitute and disabled persons.
5. To destruct or deter ownerless dogs or stray pigs or detention animals, causing a nuisance.
6. To play music for people.
7. To provide civic reception of VIP.
8. To register the marriages.
9. To survey the buildings and lands.
10. To organize and manage the fairs and exhibitions.
Street Lighting and City Beautification Services at Khairatabad Junction by

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)
Sources of Income
The Municipal Corporation may get income from two sources such as (a). Tax income and (b). Non-tax
income. The non-tax income sources include the fees and fines as well as grants and contributions from
the Government. However, a significant proportion of the income of Corporations flows from taxes,
which ranges between two-fifths and three-fourths of the total income. The Brihan Mumbai Municipal
Corporation is the wealthiest in India. Its budget exceeds that of some of the smaller states of India.
Municipal Corporations are mainly dependent on the property tax collected for their revenue. The other
sources of Corporation revenue include water tax, professional tax, drainage tax and some fixed aid

from the state government. A Municipal Corporation is generally empowered to levy the following
taxes;
1. Property tax.
2. Tax on vehicles and animals.
3. Theatre tax.
4. Tax on advertisements (other than newspapers).
5. Professional tax.
6. Education tax.
7. Entertainment tax.
8. Tax on consumption and sale of electricity.
9. Betterment tax levied on the increase in urban land values caused by the execution of any
development or improvement work.
10. Further, the state government also collects tax on deeds of transfer of immovable
assets/property collected and transfers the amount collected within the area under the
jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation to it.
Municipal Corporations Vs. Municipal Councils

The primary differences between a Municipal Corporation and a Municipal Council are as follows;
Table 3.1 Municipal Corporations Vs Municipal Councils
S.No Municipal Corporations Municipal Councils
1 Municipal Corporation or Mahanagar Palikas Municipality or Nagar Palika is for small

are for Metropolitan Cities. cities.
Municipal Councils or Nagar Palika are for
Municipal Corporation or Mahanagar Palika towns between 25,000 and 1,000,000 in
2 governs cities with more than ten lakhs (one population. For 11000-25000 population,
million). there shall be City Councils or Nagar
Panchayats.
Mayor and Corporators run corporations.
The citizens elect members. The number of Councils are by Chairman and Councillors.
3
Councillors or Corporators to be elected The citizens elect members. The number of
depends on the size of the city. members depends on the size of the city.
There may be 2 to 3 Corporators There may be 25 to 30 Councillors
representing an area on some fixed ratio representing an area in the Municipal
4
such as 1:10. Council.
The Corporation or Mahanagar Palikas have Municipal Councils have smaller

vast jurisdiction with significant sources of jurisdictions with limited sources of
5
revenue. revenue.
Functions of a Councillor
The Corporators of Councillors of a Municipal Corporation performs the following functions;
1. To bring to the council's attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the
Municipality.
2. To participate in developing and evaluating development policies and programs of the
Municipality.

3. To participate in council meetings and council committee meetings and meetings of other
bodies to which the council appoints them.
4. To obtain information about the operation or administration of the Municipality from the chief
administrative officer.
5. To keep in confidence matters discussed in private at a council meeting until discussed at a
meeting held in public.
6. To perform any other duty or function imposed on Councillors by this or any other enactment or
council.
Mayor of the Municipal Corporation

The Mayor of a Municipal Corporation is the first citizen of the city. In some states, residents of the city
directly elect the Mayor, and in many other states, the council members elect him indirectly. The person
receiving majority votes becomes the Mayor. Usually, the political party which has more elected ward
members chooses their candidate for the post of Mayor and wins the Mayor election. Unlike the
chairpersons of the rural local bodies, the Chairperson of this urban local body, the Mayor, lacks the
executive authority.
As a ceremonial head of the Municipal Corporation, the Mayor performs several decorative roles in the
events inside and outside the country. For example, Mayor receives the foreign dignitaries on behalf of
the city residents. He presides over the council meetings, provides leadership to the council, and
represents the Corporation at the official functions. He also works as a council member and performs
functions in the Corporation as a member and the head. In these council meetings, each member will
present the problems and challenges of community living of his ward, and then decisions will be taken
to mitigate the problems of all the wards with an overall scheme or methodology. Cleanliness, removal
of encroachment, providing community services and basic facilities at places are the main thrust area of
a Municipal Corporation.
The Municipal Commissioner and other officers under him will assist the Mayor in the day to day work
of the Corporation. The Municipal Commissioner is the Executive Officer with all executive powers. He is
a state-appointed IAS officer. Also, he is the spokesperson of the Corporation Counsel. The removal of
the Mayor from his office requires a no-confidence motion by not less than two-thirds majority of the
Corporation members present and vote.
Functions of the Mayor

The Mayor of the Municipal Corporation performs the following functions;
1. The Mayor of the Municipal Corporation presides over the council meeting. He should maintain
fairness, appreciation of natural justice, and awareness of being the leader of all Councillors, not
only for his party members. He should ensure that all Councillors get an equal chance to express
their views and objections, even if their proposals could not succeed.
2. He constitutes various committees as per requirement. Also, he appoints persons from his city
while constituting commissions or advisory boards.
3. The Mayor shall coordinate with the Police, Town Administrator and other law enforcement
agencies to maintain or restore peace in the Corporation area. He conducts periodical meetings
with these officials and reviews the progress.

4. He would be supervising the cleaning activities in the Corporation area, and if found any flaw, he
may order for taking remedial actions with the consultation of the concerned officials. He is
more sensitive when there is a breakout of any epidemics such as Covid, Cholera, Dengue, and
Chickenpox and takes all necessary action to bring its spread under control.
5. The Mayor prepares the annual budget and annual report for the city. He has access to all
Corporation records and can supervise and inspect all works of the Corporation.
6. The Mayor would be supervising the services provided by educational institutions and hospitals
functioning within the Corporation limit.
7. The Mayor hears complaints from the general public and ventilates their grievances.
8. He serves as the ex-officio member of all standing committees of the Municipal Corporation.
9. He serves as the channel of communication between the Municipal Commissioner and the State
Government. He represents the city for all official purposes with the state government.
10. The Corporation Mayor's position is ideal for promoting positive relationships between various
local government elements by setting a good example. It includes the Mayor and Councillors,
Council and Administration, and the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer.
Case Study: Youngest Woman Mayor

Ms Arya Rajendran, the 21-year-old college student who successfully contested the civic body polls in
Kerala in December 2020, was elected the next Mayor of the State Capital Thiruvananthapuram. Ms
Rajendran is the youngest person to occupy the post of Mayor anywhere in the country. District
Collector Mr Navjot Khosa administered the oath of office to Ms Rajendran.
A second-year undergraduate student of All Saints College, Rajendran won the civic body elections from
the Mudavanmugal ward of the city corporation, winning 2,872 votes. She was elected Mayor with 54
votes out of 99 votes cast. The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation spreads over 214.86 km2
with 100 wards and a population of 9 57,730 inhabitants. It includes the Legislative Assembly
constituencies of Thiruvananthapuram, Vattiyoorkavu, Nemom, Kazhakkoottam and five wards of the
Kovalam constituency. The corporation is administered by the Council of 100 members, headed by the
Mayor elected from among the councillors. The Mayor chairs the council meetings, and she is
responsible for the overall supervision and control of the administrative functions of the Municipal
Corporation. The office term of the Council is five years.
A 21 Years old Arya Rajendran becomes the Mayor of Trivandrum Corporation

The Council constitutes Standing Committees for exercising its powers and performing such functions, as
provided by the Kerala Municipalities Act. The Deputy Mayor of the TMC is the Chairman of the Finance
Standing Committee and presides over the council meetings during the absence of the Mayor. The
Secretary of the TMC is an officer appointed by the Government. The City Police Commissioner handles
the Law and order of the city. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Council is the second-largest
democratically elected body in Kerala after the Legislative Assembly.
To Do Activity
Take proper permission to visit the Mayor office of a Municipal Corporation located nearby your institution and practically
Municipal Commissioner
The Commissioner is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Municipal Corporation, indeed its kingpin.
He performs all the duties conferred or imposed upon him under the Act and may take any action he
deems necessary in times of emergency. The Municipal Corporation or Mahanagar Palika is the
legislative body that lays down policies for the civic governance of the city.
1. The Commissioner is a professional, high-ranking administrator appointed by the state

government to administer the city, although he gets his salary from the Corporation.
2. Though the statute does not debar non-governmental personnel from being appointed as
Commissioners, the state governments invariably appoint the serving civil servants to this
post.
3. The Commissioner is a regular civil servant (IAS Officer) made available to the Corporation to
administer its affairs. He has a fixed officer term ranging from 3 to five years.
4. The Commissioner is responsible for the administration of the policies and statute
provisions in the Corporation. The institution of the Commissioner follows the philosophy of
keeping policy-making functions separate from its administration.
Functions of a Municipal Commissioner

The Municipal Commissioner functions as the de-facto head of the Corporation while the Mayor serves
as the Ceremonial Head. The Divisional Commissioner swears in the Mayor. The functions of a
Corporation Commissioner include the following;
1. Being the CEO of the Corporation, the Commissioner has the right to participate in meeting
deliberation, but without voting right.
2. The Commissioner shares his authority with the council and its standing committees in
appointment, promotion, and discipline matters.
3. The functions of the Commissioner extend to administrative, financial and even electoral fields, and
all Corporation employees are subject to his supervision and control.

4. He presents the annual budget for the city and signs the bills passed by the standing committees for
payment. Although the standing committee first approves the Corporation budget under the law
and then passed it by the council, preparing the budget rests with the Commissioner.
5. He also initiates any fresh tax proposals. Besides, after the council has voted the budget, he has to
come to the standing committee for authority to transfer amounts from one minor head to another
within the budget grant.
6. He looks after implementing government schemes, functioning all Corporation committees,

improving administration, and taking actions against corruption.
Commissioner Vs District Collector

Both the District Collector and the Corporation Commissioner are IAS officers. A District Collector is the
bureaucratic head of district administration, and Municipal Commissioner is the bureaucratic head of
city administration. Usually, a city being a part of a district, the District Collector is more potent than the
City Municipal Commissioner. Also, one should remember that the Municipal Commissioner can be an
IAS or an officer from the Provincial Civil Services. He need not always be an IAS. In smaller towns, PCS
officers generally hold the responsibility, and in capitals and other important towns, generally, it is an
IAS more often. Usually, the Department of Local Self Government in the state legislature appoints an
IAS officer as the Corporation Commissioner. The Municipal Commissioner is the head of the
Municipality and does not report to anyone.
The City limit of Hyderabad extends into three districts, and Mumbai City extends into two districts. In
such cases, the Municipal Commissioner may be much more potent than the District Collector. Another
way to check their superiority is their Batch. Typically the promotion in the Government system is based
on seniority amidst fewer exceptions. So if the District collector is from the 1993 IAS batch and the
Commissioner is from the 1984 batch, then the Commissioner is much powerful.
Statutory Committees
The committees' set up by the council may be statutory and non-statutory. The statute which
constitutes the Corporation constitutes the statutory committees also. The Corporation may set up
different types of committees as listed below or any other similar committees to look after and
supervise specific development works in urban areas;
1. The public works committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinion on any
matter connected with roads, buildings, lighting, public parks and gardens, leasing and
acquisition of property.
2. The waterworks committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinion on any
matter connected with the supply of potable water in the city and management of
waterworks belonging to the Corporation.
3. The public health committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinion on any
matter connected with public health, safety, vaccination, sanitation, and animal health.
4. The hospital committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinions on any matter
connected with hospitals and dispensaries, administration of medicines and public health in
the city.

5. The education committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinions on any
matter connected with education in the city.
6. The market committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinion on any matter
connected with markets, slaughterhouses, rubbish disposal and offensive matter and
regulation of dangerous and offensive trades.
7. The law revenue and general-purpose committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report
or opinion on any matter connected with law, Constitution, revenue or any other matter not
falling within the sphere of any other committee.
8. The public relations committee may conduct an inquiry and give a report or opinion on any
matter connected with civic education, publicity and propaganda, public relations and
liaison, and other subjects connected in addition to that.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation moving towards making BMC Open Defecation Free by Setting
up more than 150 Toilets for the Citizens and more to come soon
Standing Committees
The standing committees act as the executive committees of the Municipal Corporation. It consists of
members varying between seven and sixteen, elected through a proportional representation system by
Councillors (and alderman, if any) from themselves. One-half of the members retire every year, but
there is no bar against retiring members seeking re-election. The standing committee elects a
chairperson from its members. Its chairmanship is an office of political importance that ranks next only
to that of the Mayor, and therefore, invariably gives rise to an intense political contest. The powers of
the standing committee are as follows;
1. The standing committee approves the form in which the Corporation's budget is prepared
and recommends the budget to the council for approval.
2. The standing committees can reduce the amount of a budget grant or transfer any amount
from one head to another in the budget.
3. It grants leave of absence to the Municipal Commissioner.

4. It appoints officers and other employees in the office of the Municipal chief auditor and that
of the Municipal secretary.
5. It has access to all the Municipal accounts, records and correspondence relating to them
and may even call for an explanation from the Commissioner concerning any receipt or
expenditure.
6. It may conduct any examination of records independently and audit of Municipal accounts.
7. It approves of all the contracts involving an expenditure exceeding Rs.10000.
8. The Municipal chief auditor reports any impropriety or irregularity that he noticed in
expenditure or Municipal accounts to the standing committee.
9. The Municipal Commissioner submits to the standing committee an annual report on the
entire Municipal accounts for the previous year.
10. The standing committee approves the corporate powers of the Municipal chief auditor
regarding his disapproval of any expenditure done from the Corporation revenue and the
procedure regarding the settlement of the objections.
11. The Municipal Commissioner has to take prior approval of the standing committee on a
wide variety of sublets, and in many other cases, he has to report to the standing
committee.
3.3. Municipal Councils

“It is compartmentalization of India into rigidly separated rural and urban settlements that has been
the worst legacy of the colonial system of the local-self-government”
– Rajiv Gandhi
Municipal Councils: Earlier Acts
At present (in 2021), there are over 7000 Municipal Councils or Nagar Palikas all across the Indian
States. The actual number of municipal councils in a particular state depends upon several factors, such
as the size of the State, stage of urbanization, and population density.
The State Municipal Acts enacted under the British era in the early 20 th century governed the municipal
councils initially. They were (1). The Bombay District Municipalities Act 1901, (2). The Punjab Municipal
Act 1911, (3). The Madras District Municipalities Act 1920 and (4). The Bengal Municipal Act 1932. The
period immediately after the reorganization of states in independent India in 1956 was characterized by
enactments of municipal acts in several states for two critical reasons as given below;
As a consequence of redrawing state boundaries, municipalities in many states became governed by

more than one enactment, necessitating the unification of law. For instance, different municipality
areas in the reorganized State of Karnataka came under the rulings of different enactments of
Mysore, Hyderabad, Madras and Bombay.
Some states considered municipal laws framed several decades ago to be inadequate to cope with
the changed requirements and thus set out to modernize them.

Accordingly, several states had revised their municipal Acts between 1951 to 1965 like Jammu-Kashmir
(1951), Rajasthan (1956), Kerala (1956), Assam (1960), Karnataka (1964), Madhya Pradesh (1961),
Gujarat (1963), Andhra Pradesh (1965) and Maharashtra (1965).
74th Constitutional Amendment

The 74th Constitutional Amendment 1992 caused a revision of municipal laws once again. The municipal
council form of urban local Government is applicable for cities larger than Nagar panchayats and smaller
than municipal corporations.
Composition of Municipal Council

The municipal council comprises councillors elected on adult suffrage. Reservation of seats is there for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in a proportion of their population to the total population in the
municipality area. Similarly, reservations for women are also there. A municipal council is applicable for
a small urban area, the population of which is 15000 or more but is less than one lakh, and the revenue
generated from tax and other sources exceeds such amount per capita per annum as may be specified
by the Government. For example, in Uttar Pradesh, a municipal council can be created in a city with
20000 people and an annual income of Rs.40000 per head.
The Government shall also classify the Municipal Councils as A-Class (Population one lakh or more); B
Class (population 50000 or more but less than one lakh); C Class (Population 15000 or more but less
than 50000). A municipal council shall have 20 to 50 elected members in Class A, 15 to 30 in Class B, and
10 to 15 in Class C. The Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) represent the constituencies or
any part thereof becomes ex-officio members in the Municipal Council. Also, the Government shall not
nominate more than three members with special knowledge or experience in municipal administration.
The nominated members shall not have the right to vote in the meetings of the municipal council.
Organizational Structure of Municipal Councils

The figure gives below indicates the organizational structure of municipal councils or Nagar Palikas.
Fig. 3.2 Structure of Municipal Councils (or) Nagar Palikas

Ward Committees
The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act 1992 provides for the Constitution of Ward Committees
consisting of one or more wards within the territorial area of the Municipality having a population of
three lakhs or more. The state legislature may, by law, constitute the Ward Committee and fill its seats.
However, the municipality member representing the wards within the territorial area of the ward
committee shall be a member of the Ward Committee. If the ward committee consists of one ward, the
member represents that ward in the Municipality or two or more wards, one of the members

representing such wards in the Municipality elected by the members of the Ward Committee shall be
the Chairperson of the committee. The ward committees shall ensure immediate contacts between the
electorate and the elected members and increased participation of the people in the affairs of the ULBs.
Municipal Councillors
Initially, the individuals of 21 years old living in the municipal area elected the municipal council
members through adult franchise based on a secret ballot. Later, the Constitution (62 nd Amendment) Bill
1988 reduced it from 21 to 18. The reason given was that today's youth are literate, enlightened and
politically conscious, and the lowering of the voting age would provide the unrepresented youth with an
opportunity to vent their feelings and help them become a part of the political process.
The municipal elections should follow the provisions given in the Municipal Elections Rules. The whole
municipal area is divided into many wards according to the number of councillors to be elected. While
demarcating the territorial limits of these wards, one should ensure that the number of electors in each
ward is almost equal. Such democratic demarcation helps the municipalities to keep the elector-
councillor ratio on a rational basis. The delimitation work is undertaken periodically by the Director of
Local Government.
The Election Process

A candidate seeking election must be a city resident concerned and at least 25 years of age. He
should possess a sound mind and must not be insolvent. He should not be on the payrolls of the
Municipality, and none of his close relatives should be on contract for any municipal work.
The electoral rolls of the Legislative Assembly concerning the municipal area also serve the
purpose of voter lists for the municipal elections.
However, if required, the State Government may direct the preparation of a fresh roll for each
ward.
The candidates contesting the election are allotted symbols subject to the availability on the
approved list according to their preferences not exceeding three.
Symbols of the recognized political parties are allotted only to the candidates sponsored or
adopted by them.
The candidates and their supporters start electioneering, put up their election manifestoes,
pamphlets and posters containing their concern for specific issues and problems of the
residents.
The candidates conduct public meetings, roadside or road corner meetings by fixing the
loudspeakers on vehicles and announce their programmes. They do door to door canvassing
also.
On Election Day, the voters exercise their right to vote on the allotted voting booth.
After casting a vote, the Presiding Officer collects the ballot boxes duly sealed by the polling
officers and signed by the candidates or their polling agents.

The counting of votes takes place at a location decided by the District Election Officer in the
presence of candidates or their election agents.
The Presiding Officer gives the candidates or their election agents a reasonable opportunity to
check those ballots that are likely to be declared invalid and settle the objections if any.
Applications for recounting can be entertained and considered by the Presiding Officer before
the declaration of the results.
After completing the counting of votes, the District Election Officer / Presiding Officer declares a
candidate securing the most significant number of valid votes as elected, and if there is a tie, the
matter is decided by drawing lots.
The Deputy Commissioner will convene a meeting of the elected members within 14 days of the
notification to administer the oath of office. Also, he holds the election of the President and
Vice-President.
To Do Activity
w the reason why she/he decided to contest, what were the motives, what was the inspiration, what were the procedures, and what the c
Co-option / Nomination of Alderman

Co-option is one of the methods used to represent the minority community and people of special
interests. It follows the British system of alderman, whom the councillors elect for their rich municipal
experience and expertise in municipal administration and spirit of public service. However, regrettably,
members are co-opted not based on their merit but their political affiliations in our country, which is not
a healthy practice. The members should be co-opted irrespective of party allegiance and based on
proportional representation to enable every party to co-opt members in a proportion of its strength in
the municipal council.
Tenure of Municipal Council

The third conference of the Municipal Corporation, held in 1962, proposed a five-year term for ULBs
provided if it did not conflict with the Parliament and State Legislative elections. The local urban
relationship committee also proposed that the tenure of a Municipal Corporation and a Municipal
Council be five years. Therefore the tenure of the Municipal Council is five years now.
Administration of the Municipal Councils

The Municipal Council is composed of the elected representatives. The State Government appoints the
Municipal Commissioner, who acts as the chief administrator of the municipal council. The standing
Committees derive their powers either from the Act or through delegation by the council. The council
constitutes the deliberative wing and the commissioner functions as the Chief Executive of the
Municipal Council.

Chairperson
The Municipal Council elects the President from among the elected councillors, whose term is co-
terminus with that of the council. The President or Chairperson presides over the municipal council
meetings and regulates business conduct at such meetings. He keeps a watch over the financial and
executive administration of the Municipality. Also, the Chairperson performs all duties and exercises all
the powers imposed or conferred on him by the Municipal Act. He has access to all the Municipality's
records and may ask for any information relating to the municipal administration.
Powers of the Chairperson

In sharp contrast to the ceremonial office of the Mayor of a Municipal Corporation, the Chairperson of a
Municipal Council is vested with executive authority, although the same powers vested in him differs
from State to State. The Chairperson is the head of deliberative and the executive wings of the
Municipality. He presides over and regulates the meetings of the council, exercises control over the
financial matters, administrative and personnel, and addresses the state government on municipal
matters.
In case of emergency, the Chairperson can direct or suspend any work in the municipal council.
In Orissa, the Chairperson can take disciplinary action (includes the right to dismiss) against
municipal personnel.
In West Bengal, he exercises supervisory control over all municipal matters except those expressly
delegated to the executive officer.
In states like Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, the Chairperson shares his power of
staff appointment with the executive officer.
Executive Officer
There is a full-time independent executive officer in municipal councils in Tamilnadu to look after day-
to-day activities. The Executive Officer can be removed from his office only with a three-fourths majority
vote of no-confidence by members. Karnataka and Orissa, the executive officer, is appointed by the
state government but can be removed from office by a resolution of the municipal council passed by a
majority of a three-fourths vote of the total number of councillors. There is a consensus in favour of
separating the policy-making functions from the executive functions and further vesting the appointing
power of the executive officer in the hands of the state government.
Standing Committees
A municipal council shall constitute a standing committee which shall consist of the President, Senior
Vice President and the Vice President and four other members in case of Class A council, two members
in case of Class B council to be elected by the members of the municipal council from amongst the
elected members for a period of two and half years. The standing committee shall determine all
matters coming before it by a majority of votes of the members present and voting, and in the case of
equality of the votes, the Chairperson shall have a right to cast a second vote to take the final decision.
The standing committee has the powers to ask the Executive Officer to produce any record,
correspondence, or other documents in his possession or under his control.
The functions performed by a municipal council may be obligatory or discretionary. The obligatory
functions are as follows;
1. Supply of pure and wholesome water
2. Construction and lighting the public streets

3. Cleaning of streets, drainage, sewers, and public places
4. Regulation of offensive, dangerous or obnoxious trades, callings or practices.
5. Maintenance of public hospitals and prevention and control of epidemics
6. Establishment and maintenance of primary schools
7. Registration of births and deaths
8. Removing obstructions and projections in public streets, bridges and other public places, and
9. Naming streets and numbering houses
The discretionary functions are not compulsory. These functions are almost identical to the functions of
a municipal corporation. The discretionary functions of a municipal council are as follows;
1. Laying out of areas.
2. Securing or removing dangerous buildings or places.
3. Construction and maintenance of public parks, gardens, libraries, museums, and rest houses.
4. Construction and maintenance of leper homes, orphanages, and rescue homes for women.
5. Planting and maintenance of roadside trees.
6. Conducting surveys and providing housing facilities for the low-income groups.
7. Organizing public receptions, public exhibitions and public entertainment.
8. Provision of transport facilities within the Municipality.
9. Promotion of welfare of municipal employees, and
10. Providing music for the people.
The prescription of functions labeled as obligatory and discretionary is beneficial for maintaining
priorities in spending the funds by the municipal councils. While some obligatory functions may remain
unperformed, a municipality may decide to earmark funds for non-essential items. Such deployment of
funds is not the intention of the statute.
Sources of Income
A steady and adequate source of income is essential for the smooth running of services by municipal
councils. The primary sources of income of a municipal council are i., Municipal taxes, ii. Fees and rates,
iii. Income from municipal enterprises and property and iv. Grants and contributions from state and
central governments. The principal tax items are as follows;
1. The income from taxes, including on House tax, Property tax, Octroi, Electricity / Lighting tax,
Water tax (in certain cities), Latrines and drainage tax, Animal and vehicle tax, Land and
Entertainment tax.
2. Toll tax is the most crucial income of a municipal council. It may levy toll tax on all commercial
vehicles except auto rickshaws.
3. Income generated from commercial activities like hotels, tourist centres, renting and sale of
municipal property, and education cess.
4. Financial grants from the state government are a significant source of income for all municipal
bodies.
5. Loans are also provided if municipal councils undertake special projects for citizens' welfare.
6. Professional tax collection from all the employers, i.e. government and private sectors.

Dissolution of a Municipality
If, Government deems that (a). A municipality is not competent to perform, (b). It has shown gross
negligence in the performance of the duties imposed on it, (c). It has persistently defaulted in the
performance of such duties or complying with lawful directions and orders issued by the Government or
any authority empowered under any law, 4. Exceeds or abuses its power or the financial position and
causing serious threat to the Municipality's credit, the Government may, by an order published in the
official gazette with reasons, may dissolve the Municipality.
Nevertheless, the Government will give a reasonable opportunity to the Municipality for being heard
before its dissolution. The consequence of the dissolution shall be that all municipality members shall
vacate their offices forthwith, all properties vested in the Municipality during the period of dissolution
vest in the Government. The Government will conduct the elections before the expiry period of six
months from the date of dissolution.
3.4. Nagar Panchayats
“Urbanization is the inevitable outcome of the processes of growth and the processes of modernization”
– Dr. Manmohan Singh

th
The 74 Constitution (Amendment) Act 1992 aimed at reconstructing, revamping and revitalizing the
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The Government of India notified 1 st June 1993, from which the Act came
into force. The Act provided the States and Union Territories to change or amend the existing municipal
laws within one year from the date of its commencement and bring them in conformity with the
Amendment's provisions. Various States/Union Territories have accordingly enacted legislation of ULBs
to replace their existing Municipal Acts. In census data, the abbreviation TP indicates a Town Panchayat.
Tamilnadu introduced the panchayat town as an intermediate step between rural villages and ULBs.
Before the 74th Amendment Act 1992, various forms of ULBs existed in India like Municipal Corporations,
Municipal Committees, Notified Area Committees and Town Area Committees, but later these have
been restricted to only three types of ULBs, namely the (1). Municipal Corporations for larger urban
areas, (2). Municipal Councils for smaller urban areas and (3). Nagar Panchayats in transitional urban
areas. This unit discusses the creation and functioning of the Nagar Panchayats in transitional urban
areas.
Nagar Panchayats
A Nagar Panchayat (or) Town Panchayat comes in a transitional area or transition from rural to urban.
The population of such an area is more than 11000 and less than 25000. The revenue generated from
tax and other sources exceeds such amount (per capita per annum) as specified by the Government
from time to time. The Nagar Panchayat is a body corporate and has a perpetual succession and a
common seal with the power to acquire, hold or dispose of properties and may sue and be sued.
Organizational Structure
The state government decides the structure and the functions of the Nagar Panchayat. For example,
given below is the organizational structure followed in Tamilnadu.

Fig. 3.3. Administrative set up of Nagar Panchayats
State Level: The Secretary to the Government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department
is the in-charge of Town Panchayats. He is the Administrative Head at the Secretariat level. The Director
of Town Panchayats is the Head of Department (HOD) at the State level. He is also Inspector of Town
Panchayats, who will review and monitor the activities relating to the development programmes
implemented through Town Panchayats.
District or Zone Level: The District Collector (DC)/ District Magistrate (DM) is the administrative head of
the Town Panchayat Administration at the District Level. The Zonal Assistant Director of Town
Panchayats shall assist the district collector in the day to day operations of the Town Panchayats.
Town Panchayats Level: The Executive Officer of the Town Panchayats is the executive authority of the
Town Panchayat at the Panchayat level. Other offices like the head clerk, junior assistant, bill collector,
and typists assist in day-to-day works such as maintaining records, maintaining assets, collecting taxes,
publicity and propaganda and implementing Government Programmes.
Area Covered
In consultation with the Nagar Panchayat, the Government may include any area within (or) exclude any
area from a transitional area. Also, the Government may specify any transitional area to be a smaller
urban area where the members of the Nagar Panchayat shall be deemed to be the Municipal Council
members and shall give that Municipal Council a Class-C status. The Government shall divide a
transitional area into many territorial constituencies known as wards, and each ward shall elect only one
member.

President
A Nagar Panchayat shall elect from among its members one President and one Vice-President in a
meeting to be convened and presided over by the Deputy Commissioner or an officer, not below the
rank of an Additional Assistant Commissioner, authorized by him. The removal of the Chairperson from
his office requires a no-confidence motion expressed by a two-thirds majority of the Nagar Panchayats
members. Nevertheless, no such motion shall be moved within two years from the date of assumption
of office by him. The Government may also remove him from office for abusing power and persisting
failure to perform his duties.
Members
A Nagar panchayat shall consist of several elected members, not less than nine and not more than
fifteen, as the Government may determine. The Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) representing
the constituencies comprising the transitional area or any part thereof shall also be the members in the
Nagar Panchayat. Also, the Government may nominate two members amongst the persons having
special knowledge or experience in municipal administration. The nominated members shall not have
the right to vote in the meeting of the Nagar Panchayats.
Sabroom Nagar Panchayat Office at South Tripura on the bank of River Feni
in the Indo-Bangla International Boundary
Tenure
The term of a Nagar Panchayat shall be of five years. However, the Government may dissolve it in
between on the charges of being incompetent to perform the duties assigned (or) has shown gross
negligence in the performance of its duties (or) persistently defaults in the performance of duties (or)
exceeds/abuses its power (or) seriously threatened financial or credit positions in the opinion of the
Government. Following the dissolution, the members shall vacate their offices forthwith, and the
Government shall hold the elections to the new Nagar Panchayat within six months. Meanwhile, the
Government will appoint an administrator to administer the affairs of the Nagar Panchayat during the
dissolution period.
Executive Officer
Each Nagar Panchayat shall have one Executive Officer appointed by the State Government. Sometimes
one Executive Officer takes care of administering more than one Nagar Panchayat also. The Nagar
Panchayat shall be responsible for paying the salary, allowances, and contributions to provident fund,
pension and facilities such as residential accommodation and conveyance to the Executive Officer from

the municipal fund. The Executive Officer shall be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the
Nagar Panchayat.
Powers of Nagar Panchayats

The powers and functions of a Nagar Panchayat are as follows;
It shall be the duty of the Nagar Panchayat to consider all periodic statements of the receipts and
disbursements, all progress reports, and pass such resolutions thereon as it may deem fit.
It may require the Executive Officer to produce any records, correspondence, plan or other
documents at any time and to furnish any return, plan, estimate, accounts, and statistics related to
Nagar Panchayat administration.
Every Nagar Panchayat shall perform certain discretionary functions like providing primary
education, organization and management of local fairs, bathing place, and planning for the social
and economic development of people living in its service area subject to the financial resources at
its disposal.
Functions of Nagar Panchayats

The Nagar Panchayats are responsible for the delivery of the following civic services;
1. To provide basic amenities such as roads, street lights, water supply, public health and drainage,
scavenging, and prevention of diseases.
2. To grant building licenses.
3. To levy taxes such as property tax, vacant land tax, profession tax, and water charges.
4. To issue birth & death certificates
5. To issue dangerous & offensive trade licenses
6. To implement state and central schemes
Sources of Income
The Nagar panchayat derives its revenue from the following sources;
1. Property Tax
2. Professional Tax
3. License Fees, Rents and other charges such as water charges
4. Surcharge on Stamp duty
5. Devolution grants from the Government
6. Other miscellaneous incomes such as interest on deposits
Cantonment Boards
A Cantonment Board is a civic body under the Director-General of Defence Estates (DGDE) under the
Ministry of Defence. The dictionary meaning of the term 'cantonment' stands for the temporary
quarters for troops that manoeuvre. Nowadays, it also applies to the permanent military stations also.
The Cantonment Board comprises the elected, ex-officio and nominated members as per the
Cantonments Act, 2006. The office tenure of the board is five years. 64 Cantonment Boards are
functioning across the country in 2021. The Kanpur Cantonment Board is the largest in India.
The Cantonment Boards are centrally administered areas under the Ministry of Defence, GoI, in sharp
contrast to the other forms of local governments, which are under the control of the state governments.

The cantonment areas were acquired either under treatise with the princes (or) through downright
purchase (or) by conquest. These areas are unique in two ways. Firstly, the ubiquitous control by the
military and Ministry of Defence over the municipal administration qualify an area as a cantonment.
Secondly, they severely restrict the role of an elective element.
The Cantonment Act 1924

The Cantonment Act 1924 makes the provision for the constitution of cantonment boards. It is an urban
local body constituted under the Cantonment Act 1924. Like any other ULB, the Cantonment Board is
also a body corporate, having perpetual succession, a common seal with power to acquire and hold
property, enter into contracts and be capable of suing and being sued.
Central Committee on Cantonments 1948

A Central Committee on Cantonments (1948, Chairperson: Sri SK Patil) examined the possibilities of
introducing an elected majority in the board and the President's election for cantonment boards. The
committee recommended the following;
1. Further democratization of civic administration in cantonments by introducing adult franchise.

2. Delegation of powers by cantonment boards to their officers regarding functions of a routine and
urgent nature.
3. Amendment of the Cantonment Act for removing ambiguities and improving the efficiency of
cantonment boards.
4. Excision of civil areas redundant to the requirements of the army from eighteen cantonments.
Cantonment (Amendment) Act 1953

The Cantonment (Amendment) Act 1953 allowed the cantonment administration to retain its military
character firmly. However, it suggested the following changes to strengthen the position of the elective
element in the Cantonment Boards;
1. Parity had been introduced in the strength of the elected and nominated members in all Class I and
Class II cantonment boards by allowing one seat of an official member in each board to remain
vacant. Class III cantonment boards have only one elected and one nominated member.
2. The Amendment has enlarged the powers of the civil area committee concerning control over
buildings, boundary walls, and the issuing of trade licenses. This committee which includes all the
elected members of the board, the vice president of the board acting as its Chairperson, enjoys
considerable autonomy.
3. The assessment committee dealing with the house tax assessment has a majority of the elected
members. The vice president of the board acts as the Chairperson of the assessment committee.
4. The board's vice-president shall preside over the board meeting in the absence of the station's
commanding officer.
Present Classifications of Cantonment Boards

The existing 64 cantonments fall under the following four classes;
Class I cantonments in which the civil population exceeds 50000.
Class II cantonments in which the civil population is between 10000 and
50000. Class III cantonments in which the civil population is between 2500 and
10000. Class IV cantonments in which the civil population is less than 2500.

The cantonment boards are responsible for delivering the mandatory duties such as public health, water
supply, sanitation, primary education, and street lighting. The Government of India provides all financial
assistance to the Cantonment Boards.
Composition of the Cantonment Boards

A cantonment board consists of both the elected and nominated members. This board consists of eight
elected members such as three nominated military members (3), three ex-officio members - station
commander, garrison engineer and senior executive medical officer (3), one representative of
the district magistrate (1) and the Director-General of Defence Estates (DGDE) under the Ministry of
Defence(1).
The board will have seven members elected by the residents of the cantonment area. The ratio between
the nominated members and the elected ones is 8:7, where the elected members are in the minority. An
elected member of the cantonment board holds the office for three years, while the office tenure of the
ex-officio nominated members is perpetual. The station's commanding officer is the ex-officio President
of the Cantonment Board who presides over the meetings.
The Cleanest Cantonment of India, Jalandhar, Punjab (Swachh Survekshan 2020)
The President of India appoints the executive officer of the cantonment board. He will implement all the
resolutions and decisions of the board and its committees. He belongs to the central cadre established
for the purpose. The President of the Board is the officer commanding the station who can cast his vote.
The elected members elect from themselves one vice-president who holds the office for three years.
Duties of the President

The duties of the President of a cantonment Board are as follows;
1. To convene and preside over the board meetings (unless prevented by reasonable cause) and
conduct the business.
2. To direct, supervise and control the financial and executive administration of the cantonment
board.
3. To exercise powers conferred under this Act and perform all duties.
4. To exercise executive power to carry out the provisions of this Acts, subject to any restrictions,
limitations and conditions imposed.

5. To suspend a member other than the chief executive officer (CEO) from attending the un-conduct
part of the board meeting in case of gross misconduct during the meeting.
Functions of the Board

When military personnel live in an area, there would undoubtedly move in, a sizable civil population
consisting of camp followers and domestic servants. Such movement of civic population has happened
in the cantonments also. Military in origin, a cantonment has had a sizable and growing civil population,
which necessitated a move towards the municipalization of its administration. The cantonment board
performs functions similar to that of a municipality, namely the obligatory and discretionary functions.
There are, however, some additional powers entrusted to it with specific emphasis on the conservancy,
suppression of sexual immorality in the area. The functions entrusted to the cantonment board may be
obligatory or discretionary as discussed below;
1. Lighting streets and other public places.
2. Watering streets and other public places.
3. Cleansing streets, drains, and other public places.
4. Regulation of offensive or dangerous trades, callings, and practices.
5. Removal of undesirable obstructions and projections in streets and other places.
6. Securing or removing dangerous buildings and places.
7. Maintenance and regulation of places for the disposal of the dead.
8. Construction and maintenance of streets, markets, slaughterhouses, drainages and sewerage.
9. Planting and maintaining trees on roadsides.
10. Supply of pure and wholesome water.
11. Registering births and deaths.
12. Public vaccination and establishment of public hospitals.
13. Establishment of primary schools and
14. Protection against fire
1. Construction of public works, tanks, and wells.
2. Reclamation of the unhealthy localities.
3. Conduct the census survey.
4. Relief measure on the occurrence of local epidemics.
5. Distribution of electricity.
6. Provision of the public transport system.
Sources of Income
The income sources of the cantonment board maybe (1). Tax income and (2). Non-tax income. The
taxation power of the board is analogous to that of any other ordinary municipality. The Cantonments
Act 1924 says explicitly that "the board may, with the previous sanction of the central government,
impose in any cantonment any tax which under any enactment for the time being in force, may be
imposed in any municipality in the province wherein such cantonment is situated."

To Do Activity
nities such as water supply, street lights, cleaning, military canteen etc. are provided. Do you find any difference in the similar services offe
Other Observations
Functioning under the single largest group of military personnel and presided over by the station's
commanding officer, the Cantonment boards resemble more like an institution of military Government
than a local government. Also, the board is primarily the nominated body. As most cantonments fall
alongside big cities, two forms of local governments create unnecessary confusion.
Also, the cantonments have occupied large areas of land over and above the requirements of the army.
There appears to be considerable scope for the excision of non-military areas even without destroying
the cantonment form of Government as a separate entity. It would be better to recall the comment of
the Rural-Urban Relationship Committee, which hoped that "the continued existence of the
cantonments as separate entities is anomalous and they will in the long run become a part of the
neighboring municipal bodies."
Port Trusts
According to India's civilian and maritime law, a Port Trust Board is the statutory authority responsible
for managing shipping and trade through a commercial seaport. The first Port Trust Board established in
India was the Calcutta Port, following the passage of the Bombay Port Trust Act in 1879. Similar Board
came in Madras in 1905.
An Act of Parliament creates a port trust. The legislature makes provision for establishing port trusts in
the port areas like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai for two purposes: (i) to manage and protect the ports; and
(ii) to provide civil amenities in the port area like any other municipal body. A port trust has both elected
and nominated members in it. Its Chairperson is a government official. The administration of Port Trust
Boards was brought under national Government in 1963 with legislation to enable the declaration of
major ports with ownership of adjacent public land on the foreshore and seabed. All ports previously
established under different Acts came under the purview of this newly enacted law.
List of Port Trusts

In India, there are 13 major ports. A Port Trust Board administers all of them except the Ennore Port of
Tamilnadu, a registered public company wholly owned by the Government with a 68% stake. The other
12 ports with a Port Trust Board are 1. Mumbai, 2. Kolkata, 3. Chennai, 4. Kandla, 5. Jawaharlal Nehru
Port (near Mumbai), 6. Mormugao, 7. New Mangalore, 8. Cochin, 9. V.O. Chidambaranar Port,
Thoothukudi, 10. Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), 11. Visakhapatnam and 12. Paradip. The
marine transport in India is controlled and administered by the central and state governments. While
the central Government's shipping ministry manages the major ports, the state governments concerned
administers the intermediate and the minor ports. Apart from the 13 major ports, there are 205 notified
minor and intermediate ports in India.

Ennore Container Terminal at the well planned harbor, Kamarajar Port Limited
Board Members
Besides the representatives of the GoI, the 1963 Act provides for trustees representing (1) labour
employed in the port – a minimum of two representatives; (2) ship owners; (3) owners of sailing vessels;
(4) shippers; and (5) such other interests, which in the opinion of the Central Government, ought to be
locally represented. In practical terms, autonomy for these boards of trustees is nominal. Central
Government has overriding powers. Until the early 1990s, the trade union leaders representing
labourers employed in the ports became the nominated board of trustees. However, the advent of
containerization significantly reduced the stevedore workforces at major seaports. As a result, the civil
servants deputed from permanent government employees carrying out services and administration
functions fill labour representation on the various Port Trusts.
Performance of the Port Trusts

The Port Trust Act makes provision for the constitution of port authorities in essential ports in India. The
Act vests the administration, control and management of such ports to the Port Trust Boards. Port
Trusts comes under the control of the Ministry of Shipping, India's 95% of trading by volume (70 % of
the trading value) occurs through maritime transport. India's extended coastline forms one of the
significant portions of land that juts out into a water body. There are nine coastal states of India (Kerala,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu) having all
ports. Four states, namely 1.Maharashtra (53), 2. Gujarat (40), 3. Tamil Nadu (15) and Karnataka (10)
have the majority of ports in India.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) of Navi Mumbai has won the 'Best Global Port in India' award
and has won the Atal Shastra Markenomy Award 2020for the third time in a row. Mumbai is the largest
natural port in India. The Sagarmala project makes provision for the development of six new mega ports.
The Major Ports Authority Bill 2020

The Major Ports Authority Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 12 th March 2020, with an idea to give
the major ports more power to take decisions in a competitive market. The Bill aims to enable the 13
major ports to function with greater autonomy and decision-making power by modernizing and giving
more liberty by revamping their institutional framework. The Bill repeals the Major Ports Trusts Act,
1963, and strikes to provide an opportunity to the Major Ports to offer better services and management.
It constitutes the Board of Major Port Authority for each Major Port in place of the Board of Trustees.
Their responsibilities are as follows;

To use its lands, properties, assets, and funds as it may deem fit for the benefits of the Major Ports.
To create a master plan for these ports independent of any local or State Government regulations
for the port and the land appurtenant.
To enter into contracts and perform necessary functions under the proposed legislation in the Major
Port areas.
To make necessary rules and regulations for the smooth operation, development, and planning of
the Major Ports.
To fix port tariff except in genuine interest, security and emergency arising out of default and
inaction.
The proposed Bill also provides for the composition of the Adjudicatory to take care of tariff setting and
other adjudicatory functions. It is a step towards gradual privatization and decentralized decision
making and infusing professionalism in the governance of essential ports by imparting faster and
transparent decision making, thereby benefiting the stakeholders and better project execution
capability.
Townships
There has been set up a vast network of townships in India by several public undertakings since 1947.
Outlay on such townships forms nearly eleven per cent of the total investment on public sector
undertakings. These townships have been established either in rural areas or in areas adjacent to
existing towns. The Rural-Urban Relationship Committee classified them into (a). Single industry
townships like Rourkela, Bhilai and Jamshedpur; (b). Townships which have an industrial complex as
Durgapur, and Hosur and (c). Small townships like Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Trichy, Indian Telephone
Industries and Hindustan Aeronautical Limited near Bengaluru.
Characteristics of Township
The large public enterprises establish this type of urban Government to provide civic amenities to its
staff and workers who live in the housing colonies built near the plants. They appoint a town
administrator to look after the administration of the township. There shall be some engineers and other
technical and non-technical staff to assist him. Thus, the township form of urban governance has no
elected members. These townships are an extension of the bureaucratic structure of the enterprise. The
primary characteristics of Townships are as follows;
1. Unlike other cities, the townships are entirely planned.

2. They maintain civic services and other facilities better than other ULBs.
3. They provide water, electricity, roads, sewage, and other medical, educational, shopping, clubs,
community centres, auditoriums, playgrounds, and parks, but they are usually costly.
4. These services and facilities have been financed by the industry.
5. As it has tremendous employment opportunities, it acts like a magnet that attracts people.
6. Such heavy attraction of people leads to the uncontrolled growth of slums and substandard
housing in the periphery of the township.

7. It gives a rapid but unsystematic development in the adjoining areas, establishing growth inter-
dependence between the two. Consequently, it leads to the springing up of the satellite towns
around it. For example, Jamshedpur has led to the emergence of the towns of Jugsalai and
Adityapur. Hence instead of following a township wise approach, a region-wise approach should
be followed.
8. The company township resists the merger of the adjoining areas for many reasons. It fears that
such mergers would add appreciably to the financial and administrative burden of the industry.
9. It also fears that, finally, the municipal policies would invade the civic administration of the
township.
Administration
Girls Hr. Secondary School run by Neyveli Lignite Corporation Township, Tamilnadu
The administration of the Township form of local Government is bureaucratic in design. For example,
the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), Tamilnadu, has appointed a town administrator assisted by the
departmental head for maintenance, horticulture and other works. These townships have deliberately
kept the elective element out of the administration to avoid political interference. Also, these townships
resist introducing an elective element, stating that the services provided are high in quality, and the
township residents are happy with the services. However, such denial for participation is bureaucratic in
design and functioning, indicating the traditional bureaucratic dislike of democracy.
The Urban-Rural Relationship Committee has recommended constituting township councils with the
industry as the primary partner. However, it suggested the state government nominate one-half of the
members (including the Chairperson) on the recommendation of the industry, and the residents of the
townships should elect the remaining half. The social activists strongly criticize that suggestion. The
Chairperson is the symbol and upholder of democratic values in ULBs; it is held by a representative of
the people not to be nominated as desired by the companies.
3.5. E-Governance in Urban Local Bodies

“Compliance is just a subset of ‘governance’ and not the other way around”
- Pearl Zhu
India has made a great start in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve the
government business. Several states in India, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, being the pioneers- have
been attempting e-governance solutions to improve information management and governance. States
have set up Information Technology and Communication (IT &C) Departments to guide and coordinate

their e-governance programmes and projects. These departments guide the procurement of hardware
and software by government agencies.
The strategic objectives of e-governance are to support and simplify governance. The rapid growth of
internet facilities has made governments use the technology for an efficient and effective service to the
citizens with more transparency and benefit the e-governance community. The e-governance
community comprises citizens, civil society organizations, private companies, government lawmakers,
and regulators on networks.
Non-availability of the right information at the right place at the right time is the primary factor that
reduces the efficiency of administration. The transparent networking and access to data across the
government departments enable policymakers to enhance the quality of their decisions. They can
proactively make a holistic plan of infrastructures such as hospitals, dispensaries and schools. It enables
speedy decision making, effective monitoring and correction ready interventions. The Government of
India enacted the National IT Act in 2000 and gave electronic records and digital signatures a legal
status.
Objectives of E-Governance
E-Governance uses computers, GIS, government websites, emails, digital access to government
information and electronic payments and ensures effective delivery of services. It aims to achieve
"SMART" governance, which means the Government should be “Simple, Moral, Accountable,
Responsive and Transparent”. The primary objectives of e-governance are as follows;
To improve the citizen services with clearly laid down service delivery levels and improve the
outreach of the delivery of services.
To improve the efficiency and effectiveness in the interaction between the Local Government and its
citizens and other stakeholders.
To improve internal local government operations and timely and reliable management information
system to achieve good governance and effective decision making.
To bring about transparency and accountability in urban local body operations.
e-Governance in Urban Local Bodies

Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India are the primary service delivery agencies providing essential urban
services to its citizens in the areas of public health, education, tax collection, water supply, sanitation,
solid waste management, land development, road transportation, housing, street lights, and issuing of
birth and death certificates.
However, the processes that are currently in practice in a majority of the cities and ULBs do not leverage
technological advances. In providing the above services, the ULBs face the problems such dependence
on old rules and procedures, old technology, under/overstaffing, financial deficiencies, and untrained
human resources. These issues, in turn cause inefficiency, corruption, delay, and lack of transparency.
The primary objective of e-governance is to manage these challenges and to provide better services.
For example, amidst several citizen services, the ULBs must maintain the Land and Property Inventory
(LPI) and Citizen Data Integration (CDI) services with periodic updating in urban areas. The former makes
it possible to undertake scientific city planning and assessment of taxes and fees properly. At the same
time, the latter enables the ULBs to increase efficiency, reduce error rates, reduce chances of frauds and

take faster and higher quality decisions leading to better outcomes and a much more satisfying
customer experience.
Services and Back End Process

There are multiple types of services that ULBs make available to citizens. The functional assignments of
ULBS as per the 12th Schedule of the Constitution are enabling and indicative, not mandatory. Hence,
the state governments may assign the functions in absolute terms and make it possible for these bodies
to have funds and functionaries to discharge their obligations properly.
Government to Citizen (G2C)

The ULBs should render services quickly at lesser costs. Depending on the services provided, it should
integrate all citizen interactions into a 24x7 arrangement. For example, in Andhra Pradesh, the e-Seva
project delivers more than 20 citizen-centric services, which include the services of ULBs. For better
G2C, accessibility, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness are some essential needs. The
second aspect is that of a decentralized and dispersed arrangement of service-providing facilities and
locations. Here, the franchisee system based on the public-private partnership (PPP) can play a citizen
facilitating role. E-Suvidha experiment in cities like Lucknow is an example of such a decentralized
arrangement.
Government to Business (G2B)

The ULBs also provide services to businesses, industries and commercial establishments. Such
establishments generally fall under two categories, namely (a). Those from which revenue is generated,
for example, through trade licenses, fees, and rents and (b). Those vendors that provide services and
goods to local bodies through procurement and tendering processes are frequent and regular tasks of
ULBs. E-procurement, as also e-tendering, is well recognized now and holds immense potential in
effectively and efficiently leveraging information technologies to centralize and standardize
procurement and tendering functions. The functions like purchasing, contracting, and outsourcing can
get streamlined, become transparent less expensive.
Government to its Employees (G2E)

Human resources in any local body are a significant and valuable asset. Efficient and optimal utilization
of this asset is an essential method of realizing performing and effective municipal administration. Good
human capital is a major driving force for better and economic ULB management. The ULBs can
introduce the e-governance system among their employees for several activities such as leave,
provident fund, loans, retirement benefits, training and capability up-gradation and duty rosters. Such
efforts can increase the value proposition of such services provided to employees, improve their
satisfaction, reduce administrative costs, and make more time available to deploy the staff for strategic
activities.
GIS and Spatial Data

Geographic Information System (GIS) is a tool that addresses the problem of the use and management
of natural resources, which includes land and the environment. It integrates biophysical and socio-
economic data and generates strategy options for resource uses. One of the essential elements of
complete e-governance solutions for a ULB includes the GIS. The objective is to develop a system to
facilitate strategic planning and resource mobilization. It also aims to effectively utilize resources,
streamlining municipal taxation and scientific city planning for the medium and long term. Generally
speaking, the GIS may have the following four applications;

1. Revenue Mapping: It provides accurate information regarding municipal taxes, charges leviable on
assessee and helps improve their collections.
2. ULB Infrastructure Mapping: It helps the ULBs in making medium and long term city planning and
management.
3. Resource Mapping: The GIS details assets or resources for optimum ULBs and consequently better
services to the citizens.
4. Poverty Mapping: It shows the socio-economic conditions of poor households, enabling ULBs to
target such areas for providing services.
Financial Management through e-Governance

The ULBs are now required to shift over in a phased manner to accrual accounting. The National
Municipal Accounting Manual lays down guidelines and procedures for such a transition.
To develop financial data, its periodic updating and projections.

To take care of integrated budget management
To take care of expenditure control
To manage fund accounting
To look after the maintenance of cash and accrual-based sets of books.
To take care of financial management of projects, grants and programmes.
Some Key Initiatives of ULBs

ULBs in various States have taken broader e-governance initiatives to provide transparent, convenient,
and more accessible services to the citizens. Some of the critical initiatives taken by ULBs in different
states are as follows;
Andhra Pradesh: e-Sewa, Saukaryam and CARD

An integrated citizen services portal, e-Sewa provides citizen-centric services such as issuing birth
and death certificates, property registration, driving licenses, government applications and forms,
payment of taxes and utility bills.
The Saukaryam is an e-governance project of Vishakhapatnam Municipal Corporation built on a PPP
basis at no initial cost. It accepts the payments of municipal dues, registers and issues birth and
death certificates, takes care of tracking of garbage lifting and infrastructural works, and filing and
settlement of complaints and grievances.
The Computerization of Administration of Registration Department (CARD) of Andhra Pradesh has
completed 2.8 million title searches made in 1.4 million cases, ensuring transparency in property
valuation and an efficient document management system.
Uttar Pradesh: E-Suvidha and Lokvani

The Government of Uttar Pradesh uses the service of e-Suvidha, which enables the citizens to pay
electricity bills, municipal dues and LDA installments.
Lokvani is a unique PPP programme used at the Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh for works related to
land records, tender forms, arms licenses, and certificates of SC/ST and domicile certificates.
Himachal Pradesh: Lomita

It takes care of the registration of applications.
It facilitates the online public grievances redressal.
It also sends and receives information regarding land records, income certificates, caste certificates
and other official documents.

3.13. E-Suvidha Centre at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh
Karnataka: Bhoomi
It takes care of automation of the traditional system of handwritten rural land records.
It provides computerized records of Rights, Tenancy and Cultivation Certificates (RTC) needed by
farmers to obtain bank loans or settle land disputes.
It enables the farmers to obtain computer printouts of their land records for Rs.15 per page.
It also ensures increased transparency and reliability, significant reduction of corruption,
exploitation and oppression of farmers.
Maharashtra: Sarita and Kalyan

The Government of Maharashtra uses Sarita for the registration of property documents. The e-
governance system Sarita undertakes registration of 67 types of property documents. It takes
less than 30 minutes for the registration and delivery of property documents in Maharashtra.
The Dombivilli Municipal Corporation of Maharashtra uses the e-Governance system Kalyan. It
takes care of more than 100 services through citizen facilitation centres and enterprise
information portals. It also considers issuing and renewals food and business licenses, building
layouts and permission to cut or trim hazardous trees.
Punjab: Sukhmani
The e-Sewa portal Sukhmani provides integrated citizen services online in Punjab.
It takes care of information dissemination and government/corporation
approvals.
It also looks after government/corporation transactions and grievance redressal online.
Rajasthan: E-Mitra
It is responsible for the integrated citizen services centre based on the PPP model.
It accepts the payment of electricity, water and telephone bills.
It accepts payment of taxes, ticket reservations, and filing of passport applications.
It accepts all payments to ULBs by cash, cheque and credit cards.
Also, it takes care of registration and issuing of birth and death certificates.

Impact of e-Governance on ULBs
Fig. 3.4 Impact of e-Governance in ULBs
The e-Governance enables the ULBs to deliver quality services with the help of technology that can
create, maintain and use knowledge in decision making. The e-Governance will ensure secure systems,
direct citizen interface, and improved service delivery to the citizens. It will provide the required ICT
infrastructural support, easy access to government information and services, easy, hassle-free,
accessible and convenient environment. Also, it creates an atmosphere of mutual trust between the
Government, citizens and private sector and thereby generates substantial direct and indirect
employment.
To Do Activity
rn how the entries are made, bills are collected, vouchers are printed and customer wants are fulfilled. Observe what are the various serv
Issues in e-Governance Implementation

The main issues in the implementation of e-governance in ULBs and their solutions are as follows;
1. Finance: The primary issue in introducing governance at the ULBs is it’s financing. For mobilizing
funds for implementing e-governance by ULBs, the following options are available.
(a). Government: The National Urban Information System (NUIS) Scheme is a centrally sponsored
scheme with a funding pattern based on matching grants in the ratio of 75:25 between central and state
governments. It broadly comprises of two components, namely 1. Urban Spatial Information System
(USIS) and 2. National Urban Databank and Indicators (NUDBI) whose data is updated periodically. The
Government has approved National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) comprising 27 Mission Mode Projects
(MMPs) with ten components. The national MMP for Municipalities as part of Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is one of the examples which have significant citizen interaction to
municipal services.

(b). Private Sector Funding: The municipalities usually lack their preparedness for implementing e-
governance plans in line with the objectives of the private sector. Such lack of readiness is a significant
problem in procuring private sector funds for e-governance. Most of the big MNCs and Corporate
Houses have budgets for Corporate Social responsibilities (CSR), which can be explored and harnessed
by the municipalities through innovative ideas. For example, Microsoft Corporation is funding the
training of poor people on the use of computers in many cities. The municipalities should make such
initiatives a part of the e-governance plan at the municipality level.
(c). Public-Private Partnership (PPP): The PPP is a strong possibility of funding large projects since it
combines accountability with efficiency and helps to augment financial resources. Depending upon their
sizes and financial viability, the ULBs can explore various models of PPP.
(d). User Charges: The municipalities can generate funds to operate and maintain the initiatives taken
under the e-governance plan by introducing user charges. For example, they may charge a small amount
for each transaction at the citizen facilitation centres.
2. Procedural and Legal Issues: Implementing e-governance at ULBs may pose the following procedural
and legal matters.
It would require procedural and legal changes in the decision and delivery processes.
It would require delegating more of its authority to the employees and lower-level institutions.
It would require re-layering its decision-making levels and would require re-engineering the
decision making machinery to the appropriate size.
3. Privacy: The privacy of the citizens also needs to be ensured while addressing the issues. One has to
ensure that the information flow would pass through reliable channels and a seamless network.
4. Security of System: The ULBs can manage the issue of security of the system by ensuring secured
ways of transactions as listed below;
Access to the system only by the authorized person like Login ID, password and OTP in the
registered mobile number or mail ID, which others cannot hack.
The identity of the citizens requesting services needs to be verified before they access or use the
service, like using a digital signature.
Secure and reliable online payment channels and authenticity of online payment receipts like
payments through debit/ credit cards.
5. Inter Linkages with State Government Departments/Agencies: There is an urgent need for better
coordination between state government departments or agencies such as urban development, poverty
alleviation, and housing and information technology. It would help in the self-sustainability of the
system.
6 Delivery of Services: Massive investment is essential for 1. Hardware and software procurement, 2.
Training and capacity building of employees and 3. IEC and citizen awareness.
7. Standardization: The ULBs need to work out the standards for 1. Technologies usable (whether to use
the centralized or decentralized architecture?) 2. Standard software to bring uniformity in all ULBs, and
3. Other issues like naming the website and creating, checking and responding to emails.

8. Use of Local Language: The ULBs should permit the users to access information in the language most
comfortable to the citizens (bilingual or multilingual).
9. Knowledge Management: Knowledge sharing, creation of database, replicating best practices is

another challenge in successfully implementing e-governance in ULBs.
10. Change Management: The system may encounter resistance from the Government (political) and
citizens and various interest groups (officials and employees). Hence it would require the involvement of
all stakeholders from the initial stage of e-governance.
11. Availability of Records: The updated data may not be readily available in manual forms (Example:
Arrear demand register). Also, various databases may face the problems of missing, incorrect or
incomplete information.
12. Manpower: Another issue in implementing e-governance in ULBs is the shortage of skilled human
resources to work on the computer. The ULBs should hire an adequate number of employees and train
them for using computers and the internet. The ULBs should not transfer the trained staff too often.
Suggestive Roadmap for Introducing e-Governance at ULBs

The ULBs may use the following guidelines for introducing e-Governance systems in their services;
1. Political will and top management support are essential for implementing e-governance at ULBs.
The ULBs may introduce them after conducting due feasibility studies for various interlinking
services of central and state government departments at a single window. The e-governance
proposal should ensure coordination between various state government departments like urban
development, poverty alleviation, housing, and information technology.
2. The state government may opt for a centralized e-governance system for ULBs to implement a
uniform system throughout the state. Participation of national and international firms of repute
should be encouraged. Such a centralized architecture would easy and economical for the users.
3. The ULBs should appoint Nodal Agencies to conceptualize and implement projects related to e-
governance. The work would include the preparation and implementation of DPR, tendering,
contracting and financial management.
4. They may opt for the phased implementation of e-governance in three phases, namely the
conceptualization, introduction and creation of less paper administration.
5. In the first phase, the ULBs may conceptualize the internal processes such as municipal budget, the
accounting system of ULBs, procurement processes for ULBs, employee records, payslip preparation,
deciding the quantum of property tax, water tax, charges for building permission, fee, license, birth
and death certificates, shops, advertisements and hoardings.
6. In the second phase, the ULBs may introduce the citizen interfaces. This phase refers to developing a
website for ULBs as a single-window system for various citizen-centric services like e-Sewa Kendra.
It should have proper GIS facilities for accessing all kinds of municipal services. The system should
enable the users with the online calculation of taxes and payment system, complaint management
and provision for raising queries under the Right to Information Act.

7. In the third phase, the ULBs may introduce fewer paper offices by digitalizing the official documents
of the ULBs. The ULBs should make extensive plans for security of data, secured processes, workflow
and document management systems, e-learning, knowledge management, project management
and evaluation of service delivery by a third party monitoring agency.
8. The ULBs should take up data integration with concerned departments/organizations. They should
emphasize using different data sets for deeper analysis of data variation. The differences in
periodicity of data available should be taken care of with different departments for data integration.
9. The ULBs should ensure the quality and authenticity of the data collected from different agencies.
The database development and management process should include real-time data and ensure
regular updating of the data for practical use. Also, they should develop the meta-data standards for
the urban sector.
10. The ULBs should ensure that their employees receive adequate hands-on training for handling the
application software through interactive training CDs and training modules hosted on the ULB
websites. The ULBs may spread awareness for new training areas through Information Education
and Communication (IEC), door-to-door campaigning and distribution of pamphlets.
11. It may ensure project continuity by setting up a help desk maintained by the service provider on a
24x7 basis. There should be proper maintenance of a log of all help desk calls, a call disposal tracking
system, and a facility for call escalation based on the severity of the problem.
12. To ensure the financial and operational sustainability of the e-governance projects, the ULBs may
encourage more private sector participation in operation and maintenance. At e-Suvidha Kendras,
the ULBs can add other departments like ticketing, passport application, driving licenses, ration
cards, water and house tax to give gainful employment to people and fully utilize the available
human resources.
Most of the municipalities in the country are dependent on the state governments for funds and other
institutional requirements. Such external dependence results in the ULBs function as an agency of the
state governments, defeating the very spirit of the 73 rd and 74th constitutional amendments. There is a
need to integrate different plans at the state level to have a viable municipal e-governance plan. The
implementation of e-governance would help the municipalities to develop as the third tier of the
Government. It would improve these organizations' overall functioning and make them self-reliant and
efficient service delivery organizations through increased finances and efficient financial management.
Chapter Summary
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 made provisions for setting up and devolution of powers
to the Urban Local Bodies as the lowest governance unit in cities and towns. Article 243Q provided three
kinds of Municipalities in every state, namely the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar
Panchayats. The Zila Parishad is the apex level institution in the three-tier Panchayati Raj System and
functions at the district levels. The municipal area consists of territorial constituencies are known as
Wards. The Zila Parishad is a corporate body, having perpetual succession and a common seal. It can sue
and be sued and is empowered to enter into contracts.

The 74th Amendment has entrusted 18 functions of the 12 th Schedule on the functional domain of the
ULBs. The District Planning Committee and Metropolitan Planning Committee help the Zila Parishad plan
and execute developmental programmes in the municipal area. The Chairperson heads and presides
over the meetings of the Zila Parishad and conducts its proceedings. The Chief Executive Officer of a Zila
Parishad is an IAS officer.
The ULB that works to develop any Metropolitan City with more than one million populations is known
as a Municipal Corporation. Four metropolitans Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, have giant
Corporations in India. As of 31 st March 2021, there are 241 Municipal Corporations across India. A
representative known as Councillor is chosen for each ward by the residents of that ward. These elected
Councillors or Corporators hold their office for five years.
The council comprises the Councillors, Mayor and Municipal Commissioner. The Mayor heads the
Municipal Corporation, and the Corporation remains under the charge of the Municipal Commissioner.
The Mayor of a Municipal Corporation is the first citizen of the city, and his position is primarily
ceremonial. The only difference between the Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils is that the
former enjoy the power of dealing directly with the state government, whereas the latter has to move
through the district collector and the Divisional Commissioner.
A municipal council is applicable for a small urban area, the population of which is 15000 or more but is
less than one lakh, and the revenue generated from tax and other sources exceeds such amount per
capita per annum as may be specified by the Government from time to time. The Government shall also
classify the Municipal Councils as A-Class (Population one lakh or more); B Class (population 50000 to 1
Lakh); C Class (Population 15000 to 50000). A municipal council shall have 20 to 50 elected members in
Class A, 15 to 30 in Class B, and 10 to 15 in the case of Class C.
A Nagar Panchayat (or) Town Panchayat comes in a transitional area or transition from rural to urban.
The population of such an area is more than 11000 and less than 25000. The revenue generated from
tax and other sources exceeds such amount (per capita per annum) as specified by the Government
from time to time. The Nagar Panchayat is a body corporate and has a perpetual succession and a
common seal with the power to acquire, hold or dispose of properties and may sue and be sued. The
term of a Nagar Panchayat shall be of five years. However, the Government may dissolve it in between
on the charges of being incompetent to perform the duties assigned (or) has shown gross negligence in
the performance of its duties (or) persistently defaults in the performance of duties (or) exceeds/abuses
its power (or) seriously threatened financial or credit positions.
India has made a great start in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve the
government business. Several states in India, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, being the pioneers- have
been attempting e-governance solutions to improve information management and governance. E-
governance in ULBs aims to achieve "SMART" governance, which means the Government should be
Simple, Moral, Accountable, Responsive and Transparent. The e-Governance enables the ULBs to deliver
quality services with the help of technology that can create, maintain and use knowledge in decision
making. The e-Governance will ensure secure systems, direct citizen interface, and improved service
delivery to the citizens.

Model Questions
1. What is a Zila Parishad? Elaborate its organizational structure with a suitable diagram.
2. List out various standing committees constituted by the Zila Parishad and describe their
functions.
3. What are the functions performed by a Corporation Mayor?
4. What are the roles and responsibilities of a Corporation Commissioner?
5. Elaborate the procedure of a member election in a Municipal Council
6. What is a Cantonment Board? How its administration is different from other urban local body
institutions?
7. What are the challenges faced by ULBs while implementing an e-governance system? How one
can solve these challenges?
References
1. Maheshwari, S.R. (2015). Local Government in India (15thed.). Agra, India: Lakshmi Narain
Agarwal.
2. Krishnan, M.G. (1992). Panchayati Raj in India: An Analytical Study of Karnataka (1sted.).New
Delhi, India: Mittal Publications.
3. Rao, Rama.S., &Rao, Nageswara. (1983). Economics of Urban Local Public Sector (1st
ed.).Bombay, India: Himalaya Publishing House.
4. Sekar, Chandra.S. (2008). Panchayati Raj and Financial Resources (1sted.). New Delhi, India:
Regal Publications.
5. Rai, Nishith., & Bagga, Urmila. (Eds.). (2009). E-Governance in Urban Local Bodies (1sted.).
Lucknow, India: New Royal Book Company.

Chapter 4 Planned Development in Rural & Urban Areas
The 73rd Amendment (Article 243G) has constitutionally mandated the Panchayats to prepare the Gram
Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) for promoting the economic development and social justice in
villages by Panchayats utilizing all the resources available with them at the local level
(www.panchayat.gov.in). The 74th CAA also envisaged that the District Planning Committee (Article
243ZD) and Metropolitan Planning Committee (Article 243ZE) consolidate plans prepared by the
Panchayats and the Municipalities in the name of urban and regional development plans
(www.ielrc.org). The PRI Acts have made sufficient provisions to ensure proportional representations of
SC/ST and women in PRIs by making one-third reservation of seats for them. Therefore it would be
interesting to discuss the scope for women empowerment through PRIs, reasons for low involvement
and suggestions to increase their participation in PRIs. Panchayats are essentially a State subject.
However, the central government also plays a commendable role in promoting, protecting and guiding
the PRIs as successful institutions. Examining these aspects will give the learners a complete
understanding of the relationship between the governments and PRIs.
Chapter Structure
4.1. Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)
4.2. Urban and Regional Development Plans
4.3. Women Empowerment through Panchayati Raj
4.4. State Control over Panchayati Raj Institutions
4.5. Central Government and Panchayati Raj Institutions

To enable the learners to understand the different components of the Gram Panchayat
Development Plan (GPDP) prepared by the rural local bodies (RLBs).
To introduce the step by step process of preparing development plans by urban local bodies (ULBs) -
The urban and regional development plans.

To provide insights about women empowerment through Panchayati Raj, their empowerment
through political participation, reasons for poor involvement, the specialty of all women Panchayats,
and suggestions to improve their active role in PRIs.
To provide them insights into the role of State Governments in executing the functions assigned to
them through the 73rd (11th Schedule) and 74th (12th Schedule) Constitutional Amendments.
To make them familiar with the role of Central Government over the PRIs, the organizational
structure and functions of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the formation of different Central
Finance Commissions (CFC) regarding the tied and untied grants for PRIs.
4.1. Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP)

"There are dreamers and there are planners; the planners make their dreams come true."
- Edwin Louis Cole
The Panchayati Raj System is a unique system of local
self-government in India. The 73rd Amendment
(Article 243G) has constitutionally mandated the
Panchayats to prepare the Gram Panchayat
Development Plans (GPDPs) for promoting the
economic development and social justice in villages
by Panchayats utilizing all the resources available
with them at the local level. The 14th Finance
Commission recommendations also made it
mandatory for the Panchayats to prepare the GPDPs
to utilize the Panchayat Grants. The guidelines issued
by the Ministry of Finance for the release and
utilization of the local bodies grant stipulate that
proper plans are to be prepared by the Gram
Panchayats for the essential services within the
functions devolved to them as per State laws before
incurring expenditure under the FFC award.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) had prepared and circulated its first guidelines for preparing
the GPDPs in 2015. Subsequently, the States / UTs have also made their guidelines following their
specific needs, and their Gram Panchayats (GPs) had prepared the GPDPs for 2016-17, 2017-18 and
2018-19.
Revised GPDP Guidelines 2018

Keeping the contemporary developments and for making a comprehensive GPDP, the MoPR constituted
an expert committee consisting of the representatives of MoPR, related Ministries, State Governments,
National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRD & PR), State Institutes of Rural
Development (SIRDs) and other experts to revise the GPDP Guidelines 2015. The committee deliberated
various dimensions of GPDP, analyzed the experiences in the preparation and implementation of the
GPDP from 2016-17 to 2018-19 across the country, identified the processes to deal with new challenges
and opportunities emerging in rural areas and has accordingly revised it in 2018.

These new guidelines serve as the user manual for the Gram Panchayats (GPs) and other principal
stakeholders for preparing the GPDP. It discusses various steps and processes that a GP should
undertake to prepare a need-based, participatory and inclusive GPDP. The GPDP provisions should also
aim at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
People's Plan Campaign for GPDP

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the People's Plan Campaign (PPC) "Sabki Yojana Sabka
Vikas" in 2018 (rolled out from 2 nd October to 31st December 2019. The PPC aimed at enabling the GPs
to prepare structured and evidence-based GPDPs for 2019-20 and 2020-21. The State Governments, for
this purpose, encouraged the Panchayats to hold Gram Sabha meetings across the country and thereby
empowered the Gram Panchayats to prepare a convergent and holistic GPDP by identifying
sectoral/infrastructural gaps in the respective areas. Inspired by the commendable performance of the
Gram Sabhas, Gram Panchayats, and other stakeholders in the previous PPCs, this exercise has again
been rolled out in a Campaign mode from 2 nd October 2020 to 31st January 2021 for preparation of the
GPDP 2021-22.
Components of GPDP Plan Cycle

The primary components of the GPDP PlanCycle are as follows;
1. Formation of GPPFT
2. Environment creation
3. PRA and community mobilization
4. Collection of primary and secondary data
5. Situation analysis
6. Visioning exercise for goal setting
7. Resources and activity identification
8. Plan development and prioritization
9. Approval of GPDP
10. Implementation and monitoring
1. Formation of Gram Panchayat Planning Facilitation Team (GPPFT): The Gram Panchayats (GPs) need
to prepare GPDPs to ensure maximum participation of local beneficiaries, optimal utilization of resources
and significant developmental benefits for their villages. For this, every GP may form a team, namely the
Gram Panchayat Planning Facilitation Team (GPPFT) in every GP under the chairmanship of the
Panchayat President. The GPs may allow a large number of well educated, philanthropic and voluntary
human resources in GPPFT. Every year the GPPFT may be reconstituted by the GP with need-based
alteration of members. The involvement of these human resources may be helpful to the GPs to prepare
a holistic and visionary development plan.
Also, the Gram Panchayat may divide the members of the GPPFT into Ward Planning Facilitation Team
(WPFT) consisting of 3 - 5 members headed by the respective GP ward members to facilitate
community-based planning processes for GPDP. The WPFT has to ensure that all ward residents
participate in the planning exercise and freely express their felt needs and grievances. The GPPFT will
facilitate all the steps of the planning exercise right from the stage of environment creation to the
approval of GPDP, its implementation and monitoring.

Fig. 4.1. Components of GPDP Plan Cycle
2. Environment Creation: Before starting the formal preparation of GPDP, there is a need for
environment generation and social mobilization to bring about attitudinal changes, outlook and re-
orientation among the community and governance systems. The first activity is to organize a Gram
Sabha to create awareness among the villagers about the need for GPDP. In Gram Sabha, they will
discuss the steps planned for making the GPDP, the formation of GPPFT, and enlisting members to
GPPFT in detail. At least one member from each household should attend the GPDP meetings.
The GPPFT should ensure maximum participation of women in Gram Sabha by taking assistance of
women ward members and women SHGs. If required, separate Gram Sabha for women, children and
the elderly may be conducted before the Gram Sabha meetings to mainstream their issues with the
GPDP. The GPs should also initiate the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to
disseminate better the vision and goal setting under GPDP. The environment creation for GPDP
preparation should create a festive environment to solicit the willing participation of all stakeholders.

Fig. 4.2. Gram Sabha in Andhra Pradesh
3. Community Mobilization: Community mobilization and community ownership are critical for low cost
or no cost development activities. Many activities to be undertaken up by GP may not be cost-intensive or
require any funds at all. For instance, activities like campaigns on Swachhta (cleanliness), sanitation, school
enrolment of dropouts, ensuring enrolment of pregnant women for institutional delivery, village
plantation and socialforestry are more effective in community mobilization without incurring any cost.
4. Data Collection: The primary objective of the preparation of GPDP is to identify and formulate ways
of addressing the development needs of the GP. Hence, getting first-hand information about the issues
related to health, education, livelihoods, availability of amenities, services and fulfillment of rights and
entitlements of marginalized sections, resources, and local infrastructure is critical.
The Situation Analysis refers to an assessment of

existing development status in different sectors of
the GP through analyses of secondary data already
collected through sources such as Census, SECC,
Mission Antyodaya, published data by line
departments and previous GPDP surveys. These
secondary data will be pre-populated in the
PlanPlus Software. GPs may use them for better
plan preparation after verification.
Besides the secondary data, the GPs may also collect the primary data to update/validate the secondary
sources, fill the gaps and have 360 degrees coverage of each household needs in the GPDP. The tools for
collection of primary data may include household survey, Participatory Rural Appraisal including transect
walks, socialmapping, resource mapping and focus group discussion as described below;
To Do Activity
the site to observe the development work carried out under GPDP. Compare the development work with predevelopment status and pro
Household Survey: The GP may conduct household surveys to collect the necessary information about
specific people groups such as destitute, disabled persons, widows, families with distress migration,
elderly or high malnutrition and may digitally consolidate it for further analysis. Since the household survey is
a time-taking and costly process, GP should opt for the survey method of data collection only if it is
highly indispensable.
Participatory Rural Appraisal: The Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is a set of techniques used to
assess the existing resources, services, infrastructures, potentials, and problems in the GP through direct
interaction with people of the locality. It empowers the local community to develop an agenda and plan of
action according to their actual need and priorities. Some of the PRA techniques are as follows;

Transect Walk: A transect walk in a habitation will help in identifying the assets that the GPs required to
develop in villages. It can also help the GPs identifying the land and other natural resources available
and the extent of access to various public services. The GPPFT may discuss with the community and
collect information on diverse scenarios within the village.
Social Mapping: Social mapping depicts the habitation patterns and the nature of housing and social
infrastructures such as roads, drainage systems, schools, and drinking water facilities. A social map is
different from other regular maps because the local people make it and not by the experts. Also, they
do not draw it to scale. A social map depicts what assets/ services that the local people believe to be relevant
for them. It reflects their reality based perceptions of social dimensions with a high degree of authenticity.
Natural Resource Mapping: While the social mapping focuses on social infrastructures, the resources map
focuses on the natural resources in the locality such as topography, land, forests, water bodies, fields, and
vegetation. In PRA, the local people prepare the resource map. It reflects how people view their locality in
terms of natural resources. The GPPFT and GP use these maps for preparing Geographic Information
System (GIS) based GPDP.
GIS-Based GPDP: The GPs prepare annual plans for development where it uses a significant
quantity of resources for implementing the plan. The GPs prepare these plans based on the
available databases or intuitively using the local knowledge about the area. There is a need to have
objectivity in the planning process by acquiring relevant data and performing planning at the GP
level using the geographic data for sustainable development. It enables the user to make better
decisions based on geographical based data and spatial analysis. With the aid of GIS and satellite
imagery, the GPs can maintain a detailed visual record of the project, and anyone can access such
visual records at any time. The use of GIS in GPDP can increase the legitimacy and acceptability of
the PRIS among its stakeholders.
Spatial Planning: Using spatial planning in local self-governance can ensure openness and
accountability in the functioning of the GPs. Spatial planning is a process for the planned development
and regulation of growth of urban and rural areas to secure their present and future. Spatial planning
provides options for the sustainable development of rural areas. Usually, all development projects will
have adirect impact on land use. Therefore, they need to be coordinated and integrated within
adesirable spatial frame. The Rural Area Development and Plan Formulation and Implementation
(RADPFI) guidelines describe the process of spatial planning.
GIS based planning
Fig, 4.3.
GIS Based Planning

Focus Group Discussion (FGD): FGD is a tool to gather people from similar backgrounds or experiences
to discuss a specific topic relevant to GP development. It will help to understand people's perceptions of
problems and get an idea about possible solutions. The GPs can organize separate FGDs on relevant
themes for different stakeholders. Such separate FGDs can enable the GPPFT and WPFT for better
decision making by appreciating and prioritizing issues for the preparation of GPDP.
5. Situation Analysis: The GPs conduct a situation analysis to identify the critical issues, community
needs, gaps in infrastructure, amenities and services and the areas where plan intervention is needed.
GPs use primary and secondary data for conducting the situation analysis. Some examples are as
follows;
Social Development: Issues faced by the tribal community like alienation from the land, land
degradation, and lack of access to public services and amenities can be listed and discussed.
Economic Development: Issues related to expanding economic activities and increasing income can be
listed. For instance, constraints on increasing agriculture production and linking to the markets that can
add value can be identified.
Human Development: Deficiencies such as reasons for not achieving the minimum levels of learning,
causes for dropout, and reasons for malnutrition may be identified, assessed and addressed.
Civic Amenities: The GPPFT should try to find the reasons for not achieving the preferred standard of
services and deliveries. For instance, it may find the need for solid and liquid waste management, overall
cleanliness, habitations without roads, and whether it requires repair, restoration or new construction.
Status Report: After completing the situation analysis, the GPPFT needs to prepare a draft Development
Status Report (DSR) of the GP and place it before the Gram Sabha. This discussion will make people
aware of the exact and real-time situation of the people in the respective focus areas. The DSR will help
the villagers to identify the following;
It gives the development status of GP in various thematic sectors in terms of achievements,
limitations and gaps.
It shows the convergence strategies for optimizing the development goals of GPs.
It shows the prioritization of the development agenda to be taken up over the next five years
annually.
It also indicates the issues that are to be addressed by various authorities and institutions like
GPs.
6. Visioning Exercise: The GPs should conduct a Gram Sabha meeting to undertake a visioning exercise
based on the findings of the DSR. Visioning refers to what the local people want in their GP to be in the
next five years in the identified principal thematic areas. The vision document should clearly show the
commitment of GP to make its functions more effective and efficient in improving the quantity and
quality of primary services. It also helps to identify priorities and set clear milestones to be achieved by
the GP during the plan period. The GPs, while preparing GPDP, may give priority to economic
development, poverty reduction, water and sanitation, natural resource management and social justice.
7. Resources for Planning: Resources do not confine to financial resources only. GPs should be aware of
all kinds of resources at t h e i r disposal to carry out the GPDP activities. Therefore, the identification
of these principal resources is an essential part of the planning process. Broadly, these resources fall under
the following four categories;
Social Resources: It includes institutional strength, social harmony and unity within t h e v i l l a g e .
Natural Resources: It includes the land, forests, water, air and all naturally available resources.

Human Resources: It includes the people living in the GP
Area, people associated with the area in any other Resources for
planning SOCIAL
capacity, GPPFT and woken SHGs.
Financial Resources: It includes the funds available from

Central and State Governments, OSR, and contributions by FINANCIAL RESOURCES NATURAL
the society. The GP funds may be tied, untied or partly
tied. The information on funding streams besides the own
resources of GP can be obtained from State and Central
budget documents and plan documents of district HUMAN
missions and other line departments. The GPs should
mobilize at least 10% to 20% of the resources locally.
Own Source Revenue of GPs: Panchayats are dependent on the grants received from Finance
Commissions, Centrally Sponsored Schemes and State Governments. However for an empowered and
capacitated GP, adequate generation of Own Source Revenue (OSR) is critical. Tax revenues from those
on land andbuildings and non-tax revenues could be the significant contributors to their finances. There
is a need to incorporate activities, which can increase in OSR of Gram Panchayats in the GPDP.
8. Preparation of Draft GPDP: The GPs should initially prepare a five-year perspective GPDP, and
subsequently, based on prioritization, The GPs should prepare separate annual plans after considering
necessary changes as per the current situation. The Perspective plan is a critical long term vision
document that will direct the GPs to bring sustainable development in its area. It is easier for GP to
prepare an annual plan every financial year if it had prepared the perspective plan following proper
methodologies.
Panchayat Development Seminar: After preparing the Draft Status Report (DSR), the GPPFT should
organize a one-day Panchayat Development Seminar for further deliberations on the development
issues and available resources. All the elected representatives, GP functionaries, line department
officials working at the block level, subject matter experts, activists, SHGs, CBOs, representatives of
CSR/NGOs working at the GP level and local resource persons shall participate in the Seminar. During
the Seminar, the GPPFT will present the DSR to the participant and invite feedback and suggestions.
Project Development: After consolidating the prioritized activities or needs, the GPPFT shall prepare a
list of feasible and executable works. All works identified shall be mapped to the resources available
with the GP with the funding details of Government schemes. The GPPFT shall explore the possibilities
for matching contributions from line departments, the general public, and donors. It is also necessary to
work out the output and outcome for all the works. Some outlines for GPDP preparation are as follows;
Basic Services: Under Article 243G of the Constitution, the GPs needs to cater primary services
referred within the 29 subjects of the 11 th schedule of the constitution like water supply, sanitation,
septic management, sewage and solid waste management, maintenance of community toilets, roads,
footpaths, street-lighting, burial, children park and cremation grounds.
Economic Development and Poverty reduction: The GPDP should increase economic activity in their
area and enhance the income of rural communities, especially the marginalized and poor households.
They should take up activities that can increase local production, employment opportunities, and market

access to the local produces by converging various poverty reduction programmes such as MGNREGA, NRLM,
PMAY, PMGSY, NSAP, PMASY, and RKVY.
Ecological and Environment Development: The activities taken up under GPDP should be
environment friendly and bio-diversity enhancing. Therefore the GPs should necessarily take up
maintenance and up-gradation of various ecosystems like water bodies, pastures, and grasslands.
Skill Building: GPDP should also focus on skill-building for vulnerable sections, including women. GPs have
to generate awareness about the skill-building programmes among the villagers. It should create
databases for skill demand and placement, conduct Job Melas, track their job placements after training,
and interact with candidates to monitor their performance as part of the grievance redressal mechanism.
Women and Child Protection & Development: The GPDP should have activities for attaining the rights
of women and children in the village and take steps to operationalize the same. The GP should recognize
that the services rendered to children are neither welfare measures nor favours given to them. Instead,
it should understand that these services are the rights entitled to the children. This approach offers an
opportunity to have a child-friendly GP.
E-enablement of Panchayat: The e-governance in GPDP makes the governance in GP activities more
efficient and transparent through disclosure of information and efficient delivery of services. The
Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES) deployed in the GPs addresses all the core functions of Panchayats,
such as decentralized planning, budgeting, accounting, implementation and monitoring.
9. Approval of GPDP by Gram Sabha: The Panchayat will place the GPDP before Gram Sabha to
get the GPDP approved as per the state guidelines. The GP should mobilize the village community for
maximum GP members and the implementing officials all will participate in the Gram participation in the
Gram Sabha meeting. GP and GPPFT members should sensitize Gram Sabha participants about the
process of GPDP preparation and should explain the details of the projects included in the GPDP. Proper
notice should be issued to the officials and community to attend the Gram Sabha. There shall be a brief
presentation of the plan document and project-wise details of the GPDP. There shall be a proper
recording of the minutes of the meeting. The GP shall display the decisions taken by Gram Sabha on the
noticeboards in the Panchayat and other local institutions.
10. Plan Implementation and Monitoring: The steps in implementation of GPDP are as follows;
There should be clearly defined roles and responsibilities of various departments, agencies,
and functionaries. The GPDP must assign specific officials to individual work by name and
designation.
The role of functionaries of line departments may be made mandatory in the various processes
of GPDP, starting from the visioning exercise to situation analysis, prioritization and project
making.
There should be an established system for all village level functionaries to come to the GPs on
fixed days to discuss the implementation status with all concerned, sort out operational
problems, listen to people and redress their grievances.
Detailed circulars may be issued jointly with the concerned departments explaining the role of
GPs and local institutions (such as Anganwadis, schools, and hospitals) and in local committees
related to drinking water supply,sanitation, health, nutrition, school education, watershed, and
forestry.
Schematic guidelines of various schemes should include instructions for integration with GPDP
and grass-root level functionaries of respective departments.

The GPDP must mention the role of SHGs, and other village organizations in implementing the
development plan. The GPDP must ensure their active participation in community
mobilization, selection of beneficiaries, identification of locations, operation and maintenance
of community assets, community contracting, and providing last-mile connectivity for delivery
of services.
Also, there should be a robust monitoring system for the implementation of GPDP.
District Level Planning

Article 243ZD makes it mandatory for the DPC to prepare District Development Plan by consolidating the
development plans of Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies. Every DPC shall prepare the draft
development plan covering the matters of common interest between the Panchayats and Municipalities
such as spatial planning, sharing of water and other physical/ natural resources, integrated development
of infrastructure, environmental conservation and the extent of resources available (including financial
resources). The Chairperson of the DPC shall forward the development plan to the State Government.
Planning by District Panchayats

A District Panchayat Plan will have two components;
The GPDP must include the activities be considered by the District Panchayat (from amongst
the activities referred by GPs) in its plan.
It will have the activities which are possible for the District Panchayats to implement and
monitor with its available resources according to the principles of the subsidiary.
It will integrate the activities of the line departments operating at the District Panchayat level into the
plan. The District Panchayat Plan will approve the District Panchayat plans.
Salient Features of GPDP Process

Gram Panchayat Facilitating Team (GPFT) consisting of Elected Representatives (ERs) and employees of
the GP, employees of line departments including ANM, ASHA, ICDS Supervisor, and members of the Self-
help Groups, school teachers and volunteers, among others have steered the GPDP preparation and
implementation.
Fig. 4.4 Making GPDP a vehicle for Local Development in Digambarpur GP, West Bengal

Intensive community mobilization through women's SHGs has been instrumental in sustaining
participation in the planning process. Invitation letters from the GP to each household, rally and
procession, wall writing by SHGs on social issues have also enabled the community to jell together.
Vibrant “Para Baithaks” (neighbourhood meetings) became the catalyst for situation analysis bringing
out sector-specific information on local challenges, resources and solutions. Taking note of the
importance of local action for attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each planned activity
was discussed and linked with the relevant SDG. Low cost and no-cost activities like awareness camps on
child labour and human trafficking, public health, women and child development, social forestry were
given due importance along with cost-intensive infrastructure-related activities
(www.panchayat.gov.in).
Implementation and Convergence

Digambarpur GP prepared an integrated GPDP that converge all resources available to GP under various
programmes. The budget for 2017-18 stood at Rs.9.023 crore. The GP has implemented several schemes
dovetailing resources from Fourteenth Finance Commission Grant, Swachh Bharat Mission, State
Finance Commission Grant, State's special untied fund (from the World Bank) and Own Source Revenue
for effective delivery of services like solid and liquid waste management, community toilets, provision of
drinking water, construction of ICDS Centres, and improving road connectivity. The GPDP utilizes GIS-
based technology and an Android-based customized mobile application (designed and developed by the
state). They capture field level data on project execution with latitude, longitude, image, date and time
stamp (www.panchayat.gov.in).
For instance, the GP has become ODF. Households are getting piped water against a monthly fee of
Rs.50. Solid waste collection and processing is getting done against payment of Rs.10/household/month.
The empowered SHGs and groups of adolescent girls (Kanyasree Brigade) created through the
Government of West Bengal's ‘Kanyasree’ scheme was utilized to curb social evils like early marriage,
trafficking, distribution of sanitary napkins to adolescent girls and women from their own-source
revenue (www.panchayat.gov.in).
Award: Digambarpur Gram Panchayat was awarded first prize in India for GPDP.
4.2. Urban and Regional Development Plans

"A city should be built to give its inhabitants security and happiness." - Aristotle
The term Town Planning refers to "the art and science of ordering the use of land and siting of buildings
and communication routes so as to secure the maximum practicable degree of economy, convenience,
and beauty."
It is an art of shaping and guiding the physical growth of the town, creating buildings and environments
to meet the social, cultural, economic and recreational needs and to provide healthy conditions for both
rich and poor to live, to work, and to play or relax, thus bringing about the social and economic well-
being for the majority of the people.

Fig 4.5 Town Planning
Objectives of Town Planning

The primary objectives of town planning aim at bringing economy, convenience and beauty in towns
areas as shown below;
Table 4.1 Objectives of Town Planning
To create and promote healthy conditions and environments for all people
Healthy and making right-use of the land for right-purpose by zoning.
Economic To ensure orderly development.
Growth of Town
To avoid encroachment of one zone over the other.
To provide social, economic, cultural and recreational amenities.
Convenience
To provide recreational amenities, open spaces, parks, gardens & playgrounds,
town halls, stadiums, community centres, cinema halls, and transportation.
Beauty To preserve the individuality of the town.
To preserve the aesthetics in the design of all elements of town or city plan.
Fig. 4.5. Contrasting Urban Scenario
Need for Town Planning

The absence of town planning will bring the following challenges;
Uneven and chaotic development will result in contrasting urban scenarios.
It causes mixed land use where many industries spring up in residential zones.
It leads to congested transportation network causes overflowing traffic than expected.

It further causes a large amount of migrated population and an increased number of slum
areas.
Town Planning in Ancient Times

The towns of ancient India bear testimony to our ancestors' familiarity with the concept of town
planning. Their towns had been equipped with streets, sewers, water supply, markets, gardens, tanks,
temples, public buildings and other facilities. The governors of the urban areas had paid due attention to
drainage. Walled cities similar to the poleis of Greece were universal. Hiuen Tsang also noticed the 'wide
and high walls' and Inner gates' of Indian cities. They had used brick and tiles to build the walls and
wood and bamboo to build the towers. Walled towns and villages had been the rule in Vedic times.'
Acropolis of Athens (Left); Theatre of Ancient Syracuse (Right) both in Classical Greece (Pictures by
Victoria, London, UK – Flickr)
The Towns of Indus Valley Civilization (Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro) stands testimony of this ancient
town planning in India. They had a sophisticated and advanced urban culture. The hamlets of these
towns had spread over 0 to 10 hectares of area, large towns 10 to 50 hectares of area and cities over 50
hectares of area. Both these cities had perfect grid pattern streets. All their houses had access to water
and drainage facilities. They had the world's first sanitation system, individual wells and covered drains
along the roads for wastewater. They had opened their houses to inner courtyards and smaller lanes,
improvised dockyards, granaries, warehouses, brick platforms and protective walls. Massive citadels
protected the city from floods and attackers.
4.6. Great Bath at Mohenjo Daro (Left); Regularity of streets and buildings suggests the influence of
ancient urban planning in Mohenjo Daro's construction (Right)

Modern Town Planning
The modern town planning had its beginning in the west. The need for town planning began to appear in
the latter part of the 19th century when the towns started showing rapid and haphazard growth. In the
modern town planning movement, 1909 is a milestone, when the Britain enacted the world’s first
legislation on town planning known as "Town and Country Planning." It aimed at creating an orderly
arrangement of residential and business areas with efficient transportation system, recreation facilities,
schools, dispensaries, water supply, sewerage, utilities and public services.
Town Planning in Pre -Independence

The colonial period town planning in India has its origin in 1912 when New Delhi became the new
capital. It was the first planned city in India. The credit goes to its architect, Lutyens, and the central
government for extending its support to town planning. The central government also suggested that the
provinces enact legislations on the model of the English Housing and Town Planning Act of 1909.
Generally speaking, the provincial governments had not shown active interests in the subject until the
post-war problems came to the fore.
Fig. 4.7. Town Planning and Architecture of Lutyens New Delhi

Whatever they were doing in this sphere had discontinued during Second World War (1939-45) period.
Towns continued growing rapidly and haphazardly without any conscious direction and control. In 1943
the Central Government constituted the Health Survey and Development Committee with Sir Joseph W.
Bhore as its Chairperson. This Committee, while reporting in 1946, was struck by a virtual absence of
town and country planning in India.
Town Planning Post Independence

Indian independence in 1947 witnessed a mass exodus of people from Pakistan. To resettle these
uprooted people in India, the government had allowed them to set up few townships like Faridabad. The
country addressed itself to the task of socio-economic development of the people. Urbanization became
inevitable for industrialization, and both should go hand in hand.

New townships appeared due to mass exodus of people from Pakistan to India in 1947
With the adoption of Five Year Plans from 1951, town planning became a part of the overall national
plan. However, the first two plans took no heed of town planning. It was left to the third five-year plan
(1961 to 66) to recognize urbanization as a critical aspect of the economic and social development
process. The plan held a balanced development of rural and urban areas as its objective. It also aimed to
develop large, medium and small industries. Further, this plan insisted on preparing master plans for
major cities/port towns and regional Plans for industrial development areas and river valley regions.
Urban and Regional Planning in India

The urban and regional planning system has two focus areas, namely (i). Core Area Planning and
(ii). Specific and Investment Planning. The scope and purpose of Core Area Plans are as follows;
1. Perspective Plan: A perspective plan integrates a broad level plan with the regional or development
Plans. It could include the urbanization policy and land utilization policy of the state. The basis of the
perspective plan is on state resource mapping and analysis/assessment of potential resources. The
scope of this plan covers the social, economic, environmental and spatial development goals that
have spatial and financial implications. It serves as a guide for the ULBs and regional development
authorities in preparing the regional and development plans.
2. Regional Plan: The ULBs may promote the regional planning approach for bringing a planned and
sustainable development of the human settlements. The planning regions may be (i). Administrative
regions (Ex: Metropolitan plans), (ii). Investment regions (Ex: Freight Corridors plans) and (iii).
Special Regions (Ex: Plans under Industrial Development Act, Cantonment Board Act, and Major
Ports Act).
3. Development Plan: A development plan is a statutory plan. ULBs prepare these plans under the
relevant laws within the framework of an approved perspective plan. Proposals of a development
plan should be definite, supported by an implementation strategy and evaluation criteria. Most of
the Urban Development Authorities and ULBs keep the time frame of the existing development
plans as 20 years. In case of Greenfield cities, they keep it up to 30 years. The Development Plan
should have the provisions for the periodical review and revision of plan in every five years.

4. Local Area Plan: The local area plans need
to specify the implementation details to
comply with the Government Policies, such
as housing, hi‐tech townships, rainwater
harvesting, energy, disaster management,
barrier‐free environment for the elderly
and the physically disabled, e‐Governance,
tourism and other policies and facilitate
the formulation of specific projects. It
should provide a framework for the
recovery of the associated costs for public
projects.
5. Special Purpose Plan: Special purpose plans focus on the specific development sectors depending
on their economic and environmental importance (Ex: Plan for heritage protection or tourism
development). These plans may emerge to serve the urban planning needs under different Central
and State Government grants, funding schemes/programmes. However, the ULBs should ensure
that the areas covered in these plans are within the framework of the Regional Plan, Development
Plan or Local Area Plan in the jurisdiction of the local authority.
6. Annual Plan: An Annual Plan would contain the details of the new and ongoing projects that the
local authority intends to implement during each financial year for necessary financial resource
mobilization and monitoring its performance. This plan serves as a critical link with the budgetary
process. Also, it provides a mechanism to monitor the progress of the development plan and various
projects.
7. Project / Research: Projects are derived targets of the sequences of plans, which focus on items of
execution, investments, and returns. Projects serve as the working layouts of plans with all
supporting infrastructure and documents covering the cost, source of fund and recovery. The ULBs
should undertake research activities, preceding the formulation of Perspective Plan, Regional Plan,
Development Plan or Local Area Plan as required by the State Government.
Inter‐relationship among Various Plans

Taking the whole planning process a perspective plan means formulating the development strategy
generally at the State or regional level. A regional plan or sub-regional or development plan discusses
the perspective plan in minute details. There should be a good integration of the development plan
with a mobility plan to ensure transportation-oriented spatial planning. One should not consider the
urban development plan in isolation from its region because each urban centre is a part of the regional
settlement system.
The development plan shall provide policies and proposals detailed in the local area plan. There should
be close coordination between the development plan and the local area plan. Specially designed
development plans may be prepared for specific areas and specific purposes only when such need
comes. Project reports and Annual plans are requirements of the planning system. These are directly
interrelated with each other and are vertical with the entire planning system. Linkages of all intended
developments implemented take place at this stage. Therefore, the ULB can prepare these plans
following any of the above-discussed levels.

The 74th Constitution Amendment Act, 1993
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act came into effect on 1 st June 1993, ushered a new era in the
history of Urban Local Government in India. This Amendment suggested setting up three categories of
urban local bodies in India such as,
Nagar Panchayats should be there for a transitional area. A transitional area is that area that is
in transition from rural to urban.
Municipal Councils for Smaller Urban Areas and
Municipal Corporations for Larger Urban Areas
The 74th CAA also envisaged that the District Planning Committee (Article 243ZD) and Metropolitan
Planning Committee (Article 243ZE) to consolidate the plans prepared by the Panchayats and the
Municipalities in the District/Metropolitan Region as a whole and send the "draft" plan to the State
Government for final approval. The State Plan should integrate these plans into it.
The plan should speak about sharing of natural and other resources, integrated provision of
infrastructure and environmental conservation. The constitution of DPC and MPC in 74 th CAA is an
approach for the States to address regional planning issues. However, all states have not fully adopted
these provisions at the national level. Many states are which yet to integrate these provisions into their
legislative framework.
To Do Activity
Visit a slum area in a nearby town. Talk to the residents to find out where they had come from and what made them mig
Reasons for not executing the 74th CAA Provisions

The preparation of the Metropolitan Development Plan (MDP) is a professionally led spatial
exercise. The MPCs lack the requisite professional and technical expertise to prepare it.
Delineating the metropolitan areas based on some criteria is an essential step for MDP
preparation. However, this has not been done yet by many metropolitan cities barring Kolkata,
Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
To prepare the MDPs, a multi-disciplinary team comprising Town and Country Planners should
have formed in all metropolitan cities. This core team may consist of many planners like urban
planners, regional planners, environmental planners, transport planners and infrastructure
planners. Many metropolitans have not formed such expert teams.
Many State Governments lack the will to take action for delineating the metropolitan area and
preparing development plans.
Lack of incentives for preparing the Metropolitan Development Plan (MDP) may not be the
priority for some State Governments.

Town and Country Planning Departments: State Levels
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 made the provisions for constituting the Town Planning
Committees. Part IXA of the Act governs its composition, functions and other matters. The functions of
the State Town and Country Planning Department are as follows;
1. To provide advice and technical assistance to the State Government on matters about spatial
planning and development as well as the implementation of state programmes;
2. To initiate action about the provision of legal support in relevant Acts for socio‐economic,
spatial planning and development processes; and on the suggested Regional and Urban
Development Planning system;
3. To assist the State Urban and Regional Planning Board in the formulation of the State
Perspective Plan and strategy of spatial‐economic development of the State, having regard to
proposals contained in the district and metropolitan area development plans;
4. Division of the State into various planning regions taking into account the physical, socio-
cultural, economic and climatic considerations and formulation of plans of their spatial‐
economic development to serve as a guide for resolving inter‐district developmental issues
and provide the basis for inter‐district cooperation and coordination to prepare district
development plans more harmonious;
5. To scrutinize the district and metropolitan area development plans for approval of State
Government, taking into account the State perspective plan, spatial economic development
strategy and proposals of relevant planning region covering the district of the metropolitan
area;
6. To ensure that respective settlement Development Plans prepared by local authorities are
within the framework of the approved perspective plan of the State/settlement;
7. To provide technical assistance to local authorities if so requested at the cost of the concerned
body;
8. To prepare the development plan in case of default by the local authority, district planning
committee or the metropolitan planning committee, if so directed by the State Government, at
the cost of the concerned planning body;
9. To provide necessary research input directly or through the help of consultants in formulation
of policies, strategies, norms, standards, laws, regulations and rules about urban and regional
planning and development matters; and to provide training facilities to human resources;
10. To establish an Urban and Regional Information System to disseminate information.
Most of the States in India have a Department of Town and Country Planning (T&CP). However, not all
the Departments of T&CP have qualified planners as heads. Instead of Chief Town Planner, the Chief
Engineer or Administrator or Senior Town Planner heads the department. As per the estimate, for every
5 Lakh populations, there should be one town planner in the metropolitan planning area. When the non-
planners happen to head the T&CP departments, it causes many problems like delayed decision making,
lack of appropriate visions and policy in planning, and delays in master plan preparation.
Urbanization Trends in India as per Census 2011

Globally, the more urbanized countries have higher levels of income and prosperity. The Indian States
also exhibit the same trend. At the same time, unplanned urbanization also causes pollution, congestion
and inferior quality of life. Such problems would call for developing a paradigm of urban development

that would bring in higher levels of prosperity but without the concomitant-negative effects. As per the
2011 Census, there are three megapolis viz. Greater Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, have crossed the 10
million mark in population, but with a much-reduced growth rate. There are also five metropolitan cities
as Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune have attained more than 50 lakh populations.
Table 4.2. Classification of Urban Settlements in India, as per Census 2011
No. of
S.No Classification Sub-Category Population Range Local Authority
Cities
Small Town -I 5000 – 20000 Nagar Panchayat (NP)
1 Small Town *
Small Town-II 20000 - 50000 NP/ Municipal Council 7467
Medium Town-I 50000 – 1 Lakh Municipal Council
2 Medium Town
Medium Town-II 1 Lakh – 5 Lakh Municipal Council 372
3 Large City -- 5 Lakh - 10 Lakh Municipal Corporation 43
Metropolitan City I 10 Lakh – 50 Lakh Municipal Corp./ MPC 45
4 Metropolitan City
Metropolitan City II 50 Lakh – 1 Crore Municipal Corp./ MPC 5
5 Mega polis -- More than 1 Crore Municipal Corp./ MPC 3
th
Source: Census 2011, * Small towns can be referred to as 'transitional towns' mentioned in the 74 CAA
where a Nagar Panchayat functions in an area in transition from a rural area to an urban area.
Model Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1985

The Town and Country Planning Organization (TCPO) had formulated the Model Town and Country
Planning Act in 1960. The TCPO revised it in 1985 as the "Model Regional and Town Planning and
Development Act." The purpose was to enact comprehensive urban and regional planning legislation in
all the States and UT's. The guidelines provide that, to ensure better overseeing and coordination of
planning and implementation, there should be a single agency called 'the planning and development
authority. The Act provides for the following;
1. Constitution of State Regional and Town Planning Board by the State Government to advise on
the delineation of the region for the planned development,
2. Directing the preparation of metropolitan, regional and area plans by the metropolitan,
regional and area planning and development authorities,
3. Setting up of metropolitan, regional and area planning and development authorities for
different urban and rural areas within the State to undertake the preparation of development
plans and to enforce and implement them,
4. Coordinating the planning and implementation of physical development programmes,
5. The Model Law provides for the (a). Preparation of existing land use map, (b). Preparation of
an outline development plan and comprehensive development plan and their enforcement,
and (c). Preparation and implementation of detailed schemes of development/redevelopment.
Suggested Revisions in the Law

The Regional and Town Planning and Development Law were prepared in 1985, almost 30 years ago.
Since then, many legislative and ideological changes have taken place in the developmental approach of
Government. Also, to incorporate the provisions of 74th CAA, the following revisions are suggested;
1. Land Acquisition Act of 1894 shall be replaced by The Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

2. It should be mandatory for all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to follow the 74 th CAA for making
ULBs effective through devolution of power and functions.
3. The TCPO of states should make provisions for constituting the District Planning Committee
(DPC) at the district level and Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) at the Metropolitan
level.
4. In the DPC, one planner for one million populations is suggested by the TCPO, while in MPC,
one Town Planner should be there for a population of 5 Lakh.
5. Inter‐State Planning may be encouraged to promote economic growth and balanced
development of the region (two or more than two states. For instance, the National Capital
Region Planning Board Act 1985 (NCR PB Act) by the Union Parliament covered the interests
of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
6. The TCPO Ordinance, 2013 of Kerala provides for the constitution of Joint Area Committee
for an area of more than one Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Town or a Village
Panchayat.
7. The same Ordinance provides to include the Town Planning Scheme in the provisions of the
Act.
8. The law should include the Land Pooling Policy (Example: Delhi Land Pooling Policy) that
prevents the selling of land without the owner's consent.
9. Provision should be there to include the transferable development rights. It is a land
development technique that separates the development potential of a particular parcel of
land from and allows its use elsewhere within the defined zones of the city. The TDR is
transferable from the zone and is tradable.
10. Provision should be there to allow private sector participation in some sectors. It should be
encouraged by the law in light of the FDI policy.
11. Regional Plans and Development Plans should be for 20 years with the provisions for review
and revision every five years to be co‐terminus with the State Five Year plan.
12. The State Governments should establish the 'Urban‐Regional Planning and Development
Regulatory Authorities' to regulate and monitor the functioning of development bodies. Also,
it shall act as an appellant authority to address the grievances redressal.
13. The plan formulation should incorporate Disaster Risk Management (DRM) as a critical
component. The DRM should focus on better energy use, water management, green balance,
and reduced vulnerability to disaster.
14. A City Infrastructure Fund should be established (other than a budget fund) at urban centres
by executive order of State Government. It should be dedicated only to Urban and Regional
Infrastructure development. The possible sources of funding must be defined and
streamlined.
15. The Green city development approach should be given priority, especially in Greenfield
development.

Case Study 1: Water Bodies in Urban Areas
Fig. 4.8. Transformation of Ghats: Kankaria Lake, Ahmedabad (Before and After Restoration)
Water Bodies play a multi‐functional role in an urban area, and therefore creation, renovation and
maintenance of water bodies become one of the primary concerns of urban planning. It can be the
source of water for supply, landscaping, irrigation, fishing and eco‐tourism, which add value to social
benefits. They can also be used to prevent heat island effects and to improve the micro‐climate in cities.
For conserving the same, it is necessary to analyze the hydrological system regarding catchment basins
for the water bodies. The MoEF has prepared 'Advisory Report for Conservation and Restoration of
Water Bodies in Urban Areas' that recommends State/ULBs to take initiatives to conserve water bodies.
While formulating Development Plans at city levels, the ULBs should adopt the steps suggested by
MoUD & MoEF in the above-said report to conserve and restore the water bodies in cities. One of the
finest examples of restoration of lakes in the fast-growing urban environment is the Kankaria Lake in
Ahmedabad. Kankaria Lake, an artificial water body in Ahmedabad, has been an integral part of
the city's identity for over 500 years. The lake located in the south-eastern part of the city was
created in 15th century and had gone through several states of dilapidation until a decade ago.
In 2008, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) revamped the lake on a big scale costing
around Rs. 36 crore. The AMC also developed the area around the water body into a lakefront
with several attractions, facilities, and recreational activities. It serves as a source of water for
drinking and irrigation and recharge of groundwater. Today, it serves as one of the top
entertainment hubs in the city with several attractions and activities, ranging from parks and
safaris to boating and toy train rides.

Case Study 2: New Master Plan for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad
Telangana government is drawing up mega plans for the city of Hyderabad. It envisages a new master
plan for Hyderabad urban sprawl over 10,000 sq km with satellite townships, industrial clusters, Pharma
city, Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR), more SEZs and a regional ring road.
Telangana asks Center for funds to develop the Hyderabad ITIR

Inset Picture: Bus procured under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission in
Hyderabad
The present Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will transform into a 2500 sq km entity
with a population of three crores in the next two decades. The GHMC shall hire global consultants for
formulating the New Master Plan (NMP). It has already notified half a dozen master plans for different
areas in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region (HMR). These include the Metropolitan Development Plan
2031, development plan for erstwhile MCH, HUDA, Hyderabad Airport Development Authority (HADA),
Cyberabad Development Authority (CDA) and master plan for Outer Ring Road Growth Corridor
(ORRGC). The NMP will be the seventh master plan for Hyderabad.
The erstwhile Andhra Pradesh Government had enacted the Andhra Pradesh Metropolitan Planning
Committee Act in 2007. This enactment came into being due to the mandatory reforms stipulated under
the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) in compliance with the 74th CAA. It was
a pre-requisite for drawing funds under the JnNURM. However, over the last seven years, they have not
constituted the MPC for HMR, even after the sanction of JnNURM projects.
The MPC is mandated to prepare and oversee the implementation of the development plans for HMR.
Two- thirds of the members of the MPC shall comprise elected representatives of urban local bodies in
HMR under the provisions of the MPC Act. The Hyderabad MPC's jurisdiction is co-terminus with HMR
(HMDA) area, covering 7,228 sq km across 55 mandals in five districts-Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy,
Mahbub Nagar, Medak and Nalgonda. This urban sprawl includes existing GHMC, besides Sanga Reddy
and Bhongir municipalities, several Nagar panchayats and 849 revenue villages. The HMR, with a
population of 97 lakhs, as per the 2011 census, consists of 34 assembly constituencies and seven Lok
Sabha constituencies Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Chevella, Malkajgiri, Medak, Mahbub Nagar and Bhongir.

Apart from the development plans for different components of HMR, the State Government has formulated
a comprehensive long term transport plan for Hyderabad Metropolitan Area 2041 and intelligent
transportation system master plan 2031. The State Government is preparing a detailed project report
and master plan for Hyderabad ITIR. The State Government expects this ITIR to attract a total
investment of Rs
2.19 lakh crore and generate direct and indirect jobs for 14.9 lakh and 55.9 lakh persons, respectively.
The Telangana government shall dovetail other mega plans into the comprehensive new master plan
developed for an expanded HMR of 10,000 sq km and an estimated population of 3 crores by 2031.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in LARR Act, 2013

The Land Acquisition Act 1894 facilitates the acquisition of privately held land by the State Government
for public purposes. It may acquire land after paying a government‐fixed compensation to cover losses
incurred by the landowners. The Act had various issues like cumbersome and costly procedure,
Determining ‘Public purpose’ and delay in land acquisitions. Therefore the GoI replaced it with a new Act
known as "The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement Act, 2013" from 1st January 2014. Some critical features of the Act are as follows;
1. Fair Compensation: The LARR Act 2013 favours fair compensation rather than the fast acquisition of
land. The Act has detailed out a minimum amount of compensation for land acquisition. States are
empowered to provide benefits to the affected landowners even above the provisions of this Act.
2. Safeguard for Food Security: The Act permits acquiring multi‐crop irrigated land only under
exceptional circumstances as a last resort. While acquiring land, the Act provides for developing an
equivalent area of cultivable wasteland for agricultural purposes (or) for depositing an equal amount
to the value of the land acquired for investment in agriculture for enhancing food security.
3. R & R Entitlements: The LARR Act has introduced minimum rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R)
entitlements package. The affected families will have the choice of availing options given in the Act.
The Act has given special provisions in addition to the R& R package for SC/STs.
4. Acquisition of Land in Scheduled Area: The Act has enhanced the role of PRIs, especially
GramSabha. 'Consent' of GramSabha is mandatory for land acquisition in Scheduled Areas.
5. Special Provisions: The Act has provided special provisions to the farmers. It provides to acquire
farmland only when no unutilized land is available. The Act has provided enhanced compensation,
prior consent of land losers, increased share in the sale of the acquired land and exemption from
income tax and stamp duty. The Act has provided for including a compensation price against the
damage to crops that happens during acquisition. The Act also provides to return 20 % of the
developed land to the farmers if the State Government has acquired land for urbanization purposes.
6. Returning Land to Original Owners: The state may return the land to the original owners if it so
decides, provided if the state could not use it for the purpose within five years of its acquisition.
The Act has reduced the role of the District Collector while the collector had complete authority earlier
to decide what activity constituted 'public purpose' and what quantum of compensation to pay the
displaced landowners. The Act does not apply to the activities covered under 13 Central Government
Acts. These Acts permit land acquisition for specific purposes such as National Defence, National
Highway, and Railway. 'The Growth Story of India is getting written on the canvass of planned urban
development, and the scriptwriters are the town and country planners."
4.3. Women Empowerment through Panchayati Raj

"I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved."
-Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

According to Census 2011, there are 1.21 billion people in India (17.5 per cent of the world population),
consisting of 623.7 million males and 586.5 million females. Even though around half of our population
is women (48.5 per cent), the scope given for their political participation is meager. After 74 years of
Independence, there are only 78 women (14 per cent) representatives out of the 542 elected Parliament
Members in India.
Although panchayats existed in India long before the British rule, Panchayati Raj as a formal system of
local self-government came into being only after Independence. When the Central Government
introduced the Panchayati Raj system in 1959, very few women contested it and got elected. The
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) recommended that besides the 20 members of the Panchayat
Samiti, there should be two women members co-opted who are interested in work among women and
children. A similar provision was suggested concerning the village panchayat also. Following this, few
states had made provisions for women's representations in PRIs. However, many consider the co-option
principle undemocratic. Also, it was dependent on the generosity bestowed by political parties or the
dominant social groups. Therefore, women's representation in Panchayati Raj remained mere tokenism.
The Committee on the Status of Women in India (1976) recommended establishing statutory all-women
panchayats at the village level. It suggested that these all-women panchayats enjoy required autonomy
and resources for the management and administration. They were to undertake many
welfare/development programmes for women and children as a transitional measure. This
recommendation (though in some places, few 'all-women panchayats emerged for some time) has never
get adopted statutorily anywhere in India.
In April 1993, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act came into force, making the reservation of one-
third of the total seats for women in the local self-government institutions mandatory. It assured
women a place within the political processes and created the possibility of change within the political
discourse in the country. Women hitherto were exposed to a style of governance created and led by
men. All their reference points for institutionalized politics were the framework structured around male
needs and aspirations. The Amendment has brought significant change in this trend. The Act has legally
authorized women to occupy seats of power and control that went beyond the confines and decisions
taken by them within their homes.
Importance of Women in Governance Mechanism

Though the traditional male-headed panchayats and the newly emerging all women panchayats are
functionally similar, rural women find it easier and comfortable to approach Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRIs) where women are present. Most importantly, all women panchayats provide role models for the
other women. In case of personal violence or health-related issues, women in the community find it
easier to approach a panchayat headed by a woman or where the elected women members are present.
Of course, no one can guarantee that having a women president or a woman ward member in
panchayats alone would benefit all women since women are not homogeneous entities. They are also
having different mindsets influenced by their class and caste lines. Other factors such as personal
rivalries, the influence of family male members, and community pressure also determine their attitudes
and behaviours with others. Unless an elected woman representative makes an effort to include the
concerns of all women in the panchayat decision-making process, the interests of some women will
continue to remain neglected from the benefits of decentralized local governance if the women belong
to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Men generally welcome some harmless attempts of women to meet their basic needs like their access
to land, water, food, education and other similar demands that would benefit the family without
confronting male interests. Nevertheless, they strongly resist the strategic needs arising from women's
attempts to engage the gender roles, division of labour, dowry issues, domestic violence, reproductive
health care, and alcoholism.
Raising these issues would require a great degree of courage and confidence within the women
representatives since it would inevitably be seen as a threat to the existing traditional roles thrust upon
them. A woman can raise the issues that challenge the present power system only when she has
understood her internalization of oppression. She should be interested in using her position to alter the
community she lives in and dares to face the challenges that may come.
Reservations for Women in PRIs

Panchayats have been the backbone of grass-root democracy in the Indian villages since its beginning.
The 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 introduced the three-tier Panchayati Raj system to ensure people’s
participation in rural reconstruction in general and that of women in particular. The reservation
provisions found in the 73rd CAA are as follows;
1. Article 243D provides for the reservation of not less than one-third of the total number of
seats for women (including the number of seats reserved for the SCs and STs) in the PRIs.
2. Further, not less than one-third of the total number of offices of chairpersons in the
Panchayats at each level shall get reserved for women on a rotational basis.
With the advent of this Act, India today has more than 500 district panchayats, around 5100 block
panchayats and more than 2,25000 village panchayats, approximately 90 municipal corporations,1500
municipal councils, and 1800 Nagar panchayats. As per the information available with the Ministry,
more than 20 states have made provisions for 50 % reservation for women in PRIs in their respective
state PR Acts. There are 6, 81, 258 women elected to Gram Panchayats, 37, 109 women Panchayats at
the intermediate level and 3153 women Panchayats at the district level.
Women's empowerment is a state of determination to use one's physical, intellectual, emotional and
spiritual resources to protect, nurture and sustain values that guarantee gender equality at personal,
household, social, political and other institutional levels. The government also implements many
schemes like Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra to empower rural women through community
participation. The Ministry of Women and Child Development also conducts Training of Trainers of
Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj to deliberate upon issues related to empowerment of
women and functioning of PRIs; describe processes of participatory planning in local governance, and
enable women to identify their leadership potential to contribute effectively as change agents.
Reservation for women in PRIs has paved the way for their entry at grass root level political systems. But
if this has to be of value to women, efforts must be made to include them actively at all levels of
decision making. PRIs can be the first step for political empowerment of women as the confidence and
understanding of polity can allow them to participate in elections to state legislatures and Parliament
paving the way from ‘Panchayat to Parliament’. But for this to happen, a political culture has to be
developed, which will view women as individuals capable of governance and not just as wives,
daughters or daughters-in-law of politically powerful men.

Women Empowerment through Political Participation
The empowerment of women through political participation can be found in the following areas;
1. Shattering Social Myths: Those who were initially cynical about the induction of women into
political power had argued that women would often happen to serve as dummies for their
husbands. The most significant impact of the entry of women into the local self-government
institutions is that many such social myths have begun shattered. By and large, women
Presidents or Members attend Panchayat or block-level meetings by themselves and not by their
male relatives.
2. Improved Administration: There has also been a perceptible improvement in administration at
the gram panchayat level mainly because women presidents hold meetings during the day, and
no dubious deals are struck late at night. Also, women presidents are more accessible than men
in PRIs. Due to these factors, there is much more honesty and transparency in local
administrative matters. They take up issues like educational standards, water supply, sanitation,
fuel problems, dowry issues, domestic violence etc., which are usually untouched by the elected
male representatives.
3. Political Empowerment: The Act provides for the reservation of not less than one-third of the
total number of seats for women. It is an attempt to ensure greater participation of women in
the election process directly and indirectly. It would be the nursery of creating women
politicians for national politics. Women leaders in PRIs are transforming local governance by
sensitizing the State Government towards poverty, inequality and gender injustice.
4. Economic Empowerment: Women are actively participating in rural development as per their
capacity from labourers to policy-makers. This participation empowers them economically and
helps them in being independent. PRIs through women can work on the creation and
development of SHGs, Cooperatives, and MSMEs for better employment and livelihood options
in rural areas.
5. Decision Making: The participation of women as elected and non-elected members is rising due
to reservation for women. This participation empowers them and enables them to take
decisions in different spheres of life. The role of women in changing the governance in PRIs are
evident in the issues they choose to tackle; water, alcohol abuse, education, health and
domestic violence.
6. Raise in Voice: Despite their low literacy levels, the elected women representatives in PRIs
tackle the political and bureaucratic challenges successfully. They have used their elected
authority to address critical issues such as education, drinking water, family planning, hygiene,
health care and village development. Though the issues relating to natural resources are not
getting the attention they deserve, mainly because they are outside the ambit of the
panchayats, there are exceptions. The women President of Kashlog near Darlaghat in Himachal
Pradesh, for instance, have opposed limestone mining by Ambuja Cements in the area.
7. Empowerment of Other Women: Women act as change agents in society and raising voices
against injustice and atrocities. They are empowered by active participation and awareness of
rights and power. Women's issues have come to the forefront at the local level and
consequently state and national level. Through PRIs, more than one million women have actively

entered into the politics as there is reservation for women in panchayats up to one-third of
seats.
8. Reduced Violence against Women: Domestic violence has substantially declined due to women
president and women ward members. These women representatives pro-actively take action
against such violence. The victims also feel free to share their grievances with women
representatives. Women are also taking action against child marriage and child domestic labour
whilst promoting the education of girl-children. Also, women have used their elected authority
to address quality health care as a critical issue.
Reasons for Poor Involvement of Women

The primary reasons for poor involvement of women in politics are as follows;
1. Traditions and Customs: Women in the villages are mostly bound down in the name of tradition and
customs. The Indian society has a long list of activities that they can do and cannot do. They lack the
freedom of movement; cannot travel out of the village on their own, and travelling out in the
company of men other than their husband or immediate family members is sacrilege. Such social
customs and taboos heavily restrict women's free participation in panchayat activities.
2. Socio-Economic Conditions: The socio-economic background of women is comparatively poor than
their male counterparts in the country. In case of women belonging to SC/ST or minorities, the
condition is far worst. Often their illiteracy prevents them from participating in panchayat meetings
and discussing issues without hesitation, instead makes them introverts with poor capacity building.
3. Family Responsibilities: The elected women presidents or panchayat members are overburdened
with family responsibilities. For them, balancing both the family requirements and the panchayat
activities is a big challenge and a tiresome job. They often face the undue interference/guidance of
male family members in official decision making or in undertaking the panchayat activities. There are
many instances where the husband and other male members in the family act as shadow presidents
and treat these elected women representatives as mere dummies.
4. Poor Infrastructure: The lack of basic infrastructure is also a problem that prevents women's active
involvement in panchayat activities. For example, many villages do not have direct connectivity with
main roads, and women have to travel many kilometers before they can avail some form of transport
to reach the Taluk office or BDO office or Collector office for some official purpose. There is no
guarantee that the concerned official will be present in the office when a women president or
member of a panchayat gets there for official work. If they have to wait at the office, there are no
basic amenities available such as toilets, drinking water and a waiting room.
5. Corrupt and Indifferent Bureaucracy: The bureaucratic corruption at the local level is another critical
challenge the women representatives in PRIs encounter. The local bureaucrats often show an
indifferent attitude when these elected women seek their support in panchayat works. Often these
bureaucrats may decide to help or misguide these women either for money or because of instruction
from top officials or based on the caste or political orientation of the women representatives.
6. Political interference: Like any process of social transformation, women in PRIs also often face
challenges in the form of undue political interference. For instance, Ms Fatima Suhra, a primary
school teacher elected as the Puthige Panchayat President of Kasargode district in Kerala, was not
allowed to function by the local unit of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) that had sponsored

her as their candidate. The party put up a sub-committee to oversee the panchayat affairs and
started dictating terms to Suhra, who rightly refused. The local unit of the CPM (M) ordered social
ostracism against her, a lethal strategy in the Muslim-dominated region of Malabar in north Kerala,
and ultimately she was forced to resign.
7. Caste-Based Oppressions: If it is not ostracism imposed by political parties, it could be caste-based
oppression that the elected women representatives in PRIs have had to bear. For instance, Ms
Muktiben Patel, a backward caste woman who became president of Nitaya village of Hoshangabad
district, in Madhya Pradesh, had to face several no-confidence motions against her by the Thakurs (a
higher caste in that village) but continues her work like repairing school buildings and getting a pukka
road for her gram. Similarly, Ms Kesarbai, a chamar (a scheduled caste) president of the Sona Sawari
gram panchayat, also from Hoshangabad district, had to suffer several threats from men belonging to
higher castes who had even sent hooligans to attack her house.
For changing these male-centric traditions, women have no option other than to fight the established
patriarchal norms, and very often, these battles take too much out of them. In many cases, men actively
try to keep these traditions continue and their power-sharing to a minimum. However, this does not
mean that women cannot overcome these barriers. Several women have done this, but they are more
the exception rather than the rule.
Case Study 1: Growing numbers of All-Women Panchayats

All-women panchayats are rapidly coming up in many states like Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra,
Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana and Uttarakhand. The all-women
panchayat at Pachissi Gram Panchayat in Uttarakhand is an impressive example where the women
representatives have been at the forefront of Covid-19 response. Ms Hema Negi (22), President of
Pachisi Panchayat in Uttarakhand, had the challenging task of ensuring all the 45 returnee migrant
workers stay in safe-quarantined spaces.
4.13. Pachissi Gram Panchayat: An All Women Panchayat in Uttarakhand
When the local administration rejected her request to use one of the schools as a quarantine centre, Ms
Negi spoke with the community and arranged some empty houses to be cleaned and sanitized for using

them as quarantine zones. In the absence of any administrative support, she has successfully mobilized
the community to support the workers with food, masks and spread the COVID19 related information.
When the panchayat needed land for constructing Anganwadi (crèche) centre for their village, she had
donated her cowshed area for this purpose, of course, with proper discussion and consensus of the
family members. Ms Nargis Devi (29), the audacious vice president of Pachissi Gram Panchayat, says,
"Watching each other's work gives us courage and confidence to perform better. If we remain passive
and allow them to hold us down, they will. We needed to stand up and assert our rights."
How these all-women panchayats are different?
An all women Panchayat is a boost to women's political participation in local governance. It strongly
indicates the increased social acceptance of women in leadership positions. These Panchayats can
attract more women into politics to occupy public offices, accessing resources and collectivizing other
women as political agents. It is easier for these women to engage with each other and mobilize other
women in the community.
It allows women representatives to share more equally in decision-making. Also, these all women
panchayats attract more young women to participate in the local government institutions. Young
women are increasingly contesting in elections and claiming political power. They have a common
consensus on the critical issues that need immediate attention like education, water, and access to
health (especially maternal health) and livelihood opportunities and focus their activities towards
fulfilling such requirements to the residents in the panchayats.
Suggestions to Increase Women Involvement in PRIs

Women involvement in PRIs can be made better as listed below;
1. Education: Since illiteracy is one of the primary challenges that hinder women involvement in PRIs,
they should get a proper education. More and more educated women should be encouraged to
contest in panchayat elections. The illiterate women representatives should get facilitated with an
adult literacy programme. The methods and pedagogy created for women education should make
their learning experience easy, encouraging and informative. Education will broaden their outlook
and make them aware of their rights, duties and responsibilities in PRIs.
2. Training: The training of the elected women representatives becomes an integral part of the
mechanisms necessary to enhance their participation in PRIs. For any training programme to have a
transformative impact on the life of women, it must get designed within the framework of women's

empowerment. It is also necessary that the trainers themselves are aware and concerned about
gender issues and share the aim of empowering women and marginalized communities.
On completion of the training, the women participants should get the confidence to independently
deliver their functions and responsibilities in the Panchayats without seeking help from other male
members such as a husband or panchayat secretary. These training programmes should aim to create
a critical mass of trained women who can become a base for change in the culture and functioning of
political institutions.
3. Attitudinal Changes: A critical requirement of women empowerment in rural areas is to bring about
an attitudinal change within themselves. The age-old opinion that women are meant for household
activities and bearing children should get replaced by a feeling of equal partnership between women
and men. It is not only the women who need an understanding of the socio-political structure but
also the men. Therefore they also have to be included within the gamut of training.
4. Independent Participation: Women should be encouraged to independently join politics and to get
their voice reflected in nation-building. The Panchayats should ensure the full participation of women
representatives in the Panchayat meetings. Such participation will enhance their leadership qualities
and self-confidence. The increased self-confidence will help them actively participating in panchayat
discussions and deliver their roles and responsibilities better in Panchayats. Attendance of all women
must be made compulsory from Gram Panchayat to Zila Parishad.
5. External Agencies: The Government should provide financial support and infrastructure to external
agencies like women self-help groups (SHGs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The
government should allow them to take up the responsibility of educating and enlightening the
elected women representatives. They may use specially designed training programmes for improving
the socio-economic and political knowledge of women involved in local self-governance. The media
(both print and electronic) can also play a vital role in restructuring rural society. It can act as an
agent of political socialization and inculcate the value of gender equality and gender justice. Such
steps would increase the scope for women involvement in PRIs.
4.4. State Control over Panchayati Raj Institutions

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." – Benjamin Franklin
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments 1992 have introduced the system of local self-government by
making provisions for establishing the Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India. As
local government is a State subject, State legislatures have a critical role in determining various aspects of
Panchayati Raj in their States within the constitutional framework. The Constitution envisages that Panchayats
shall prepare and implement plans/schemes for bringing economic development and social justice in their areas
of operation. It has left the precise devolution of powers and authority to Panchayats to the discretion of the
States. TheConstitution of India has made provisions for participatory bottom-up planning.
The State government formulates provisions concerning the organization and functions of Panchayats
through the acts of state legislatures. A substantial portion of Panchayats financial resources comes in
the form of grants made by State governments. Thus, Gram Panchayats depend on State Governments
for their financial resources. The District Collector is given power for monitoring the Gram Panchayats.
The State Election Commission conducts the Panchayat elections as per the instructions of the State
Government. These are different ways through which the State Government exercises control over
panchayats.

Organizational Set up
The Hon'ble Minister of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development guides, supervise and control the
department of PR & RD in the state. The Commissioner or Principal Secretary of Panchayati Raj is the
bureaucratic chief of the department, assisted by the Director (PR) and the Director (Special Projects) at
the State level. Under the control of the Director (PR), there are Executive Officers in Zila Parishads,
Block Development Officers at Panchayat Samitis and Executive Officer at Gram Panchayats. The
organizational chart of the PRIs is as follows;
Fig.4.9. Organizational Chart of PRIs
An elected body headed by a President elected from among the elected representatives of the ZP
controls the Zila Parishad. The District Collector shall be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Under the
CEO, one Executive Officer (EO) discharges the day-to-day administrative functions of the ZP. An elected
body headed by the Chairman duly elected from among the elected representatives of the PS controls
Panchayat Samiti functioning at the Block level.
Fig. 4.10 Three Tier Structure of PRI
The Block Development Officer (BDO) is the executive head of the Panchayat Samitis. At the Gram
Panchayat level, the elected members headed by a Sarpanch constituted the GP. The State Government
by legislation declares the Village Level Worker (VLW) as the Executive Officer and entrusted the general
supervision and overall control of the GP who discharges his duties under the supervision of the District
Panchayat Officer (DPO).

The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992
It inserted Part IX into the Constitution, which deals with Panchayats as rural local bodies (RLBs). It
made provisions for creating a 3 tier PR System where gram sabha consisting of persons registered in
the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of Panchayat at the village level acts as
the primary unit of local self-government. The provisions of this Part shall apply to the Union Territories.
However, this Part does not apply to the Scheduled Areas referred to in clause (1) and the tribal areas
referred to in clause (2) of Article 244.
The 73rd Amendment made provisions for creating village panchayats at the village level, panchayat
Samitis at the block level, and Zila Parishads at the district level. As per the Amendment, the Panchayati
Raj is essentially a state subject. Section 243D provides for SC/ST reservation of seats to be filled by
direct election, in proportion to their population to the total population of the Panchayat. No less than
1/3rd of the total seats should be reserved for SC/ST women. The State Election Commission is
responsible for conducting elections for Panchayats too. The office term of PRIs is five years.
Powers, Authority and Responsibilities of Panchayats

Subject to the Constitutional provisions, the Panchayats are given the following powers and authority;
1. To prepare the plans for economic development and social justice.
2. To implement the schemes for economic development and social justice entrusted to the
Panchayats (29 matters listed in the 11th Schedule).
3. To levy, collect and appropriate such taxes, duties, tolls and fees following such procedure and
subject to such limits;
4. To assign share to Panchayats out of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied and collected by the
State Government subject to such conditions and limits;
5. To provide for grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State;
6. To provide for Constituting such Funds for crediting all money received, by or on behalf of the
Panchayats and also for the withdrawal of such funds as may be specified in the law; and
7. To constitute the State Finance Commission (SFC) to review financial position and make
recommendations to the Governor about the financial distributions to be made by the State to
PRIs.
8. To enable the Governor to cause every recommendation made by the Commission under this
Article. Besides, he shall also submit an explanatory memorandum as to the action taken
thereon, before the Legislature of the State.
9. To make provisions concerning the maintenance and auditing of the Panchayat accounts.
10. To superintendent, direct and control the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct
of, all elections to the Panchayats shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a
State Election Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor.
Eleventh Schedule (Article 243G)

The 29 subjects transferred under 11th Schedule are as follows;
1. Agriculture, including agricultural extension.
2. Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation and soil conservation.
3. Minor irrigation, water management and watershed development.
4. Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry.
5. Fisheries.
6. Social forestry and farm forestry.
7. Minor forest produce.

8. Small scale industries, including food processing industries.
9. Khadi, village and cottage industries.
10. Rural housing.
11. Drinking water.
12. Fuel and fodder.
13. Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and other means of communication.
14. Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity.
15. Non-conventional energy sources.
16. Poverty alleviation programme.
17. Education, including primary and secondary schools.
18. Technical training and vocational education.
19. Adult and non-formal education.
20. Libraries.
21. Cultural activities.
22. Markets and fairs.
23. Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary health centres and dispensaries.
24. Family welfare.
25. Women and child development.
26. Social welfare, including the welfare of the physically/mentally challenged.
27. Welfare of the weaker sections, especially the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
28. Public distribution system.
29. Maintenance of community assets.
The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992

The 74th Constitutional Amendment inserted Part IXA that which suggested establishing municipalities
as institutions of urban local bodies (ULBs) in urban areas. It provided for the establishment of Nagar
Panchayats in Transitional Areas, Municipal Councils in smaller Urban Areas, and Municipal Corporations
in bigger Urban Areas. The reservation norms and office terms are as similar to that of the RLBs.
Powers, Authority and Responsibilities of Municipalities

Subject to the Constitutional provisions, the Municipalities are given the following powers and authority;
1. To prepare District Development Plans to ensure economic development and social justice;
2. To perform the functions and implement schemes entrusted to them those concerning the 18
matters listed in the 12th Schedule;
3. To levy, collect and appropriate such taxes, duties, tolls and fees following such procedure and
subject to such limits;
4. To assign the Municipalities their share from the taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied and collected by
the State Government for such purposes and subject to such conditions and limitations.
5. To provide for grants-in-aid to the Municipalities from the Consolidated Fund of the State;
6. To allow the Municipalities to constitute such Funds for crediting all money received, by/on behalf
of the Municipalities and to withdraw required money from it as may be specified in the law; and
7. To constitute the State Finance Commission (SFC) to review the financial position and make
recommendations to the Governor as to; financial distributions to be made by the state government
to the Municipalities.
8. To enable the Governor to cause every recommendation made by the SFC under this Constitutional
Article. The Governor shall place the SFC recommendations with an explanatory memorandum
stating the action taken before the State Legislature.
9. To make provisions concerning the maintenance and auditing of the Municipality accounts.

10. To superintendent, direct and control the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all
elections to the Municipalities shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State
Election Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor.
District Planning Committee (DPC)

No less than four-fifths of the DPC members should be elected members. They are elected by/ from
amongst the elected members of the Panchayats and Municipalities of the District. They shall get
elected in proportion to the population ratio between the rural and urban areas. It prepares the draft
development plan for the entire district. The draft plan shall consist of matters of common interest
between the Panchayats and the Municipalities consist of spatial planning, sharing of water and other
physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environmental
conservation and the extent and type of available resources (financial or otherwise). The Chairperson of
every District Planning Committee shall forward the development plan, as recommended by such
Committee, to the Government of the State.
Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC)

The Metropolitan Planning Committee shall prepare a draft development plan for the Metropolitan area
as a whole. No less than two-thirds of the MPC members should be elected members. They are elected
by/ from amongst the elected members of the Municipalities and Panchayat Chairpersons of the
Metropolitan Area. They shall get elected in proportion to the population ratio between the
Municipalities and Panchayats in that area. The representation of the Central/ State Government and
organizations/institutions deemed necessary for carrying out the functions assigned to such Committees
shall also be there in the MPC. It prepares the draft development plan for the entire metropolitan area
after consulting the plan documents prepared by the Municipalities and the Panchayats in the
Metropolitan area. The draft plan shall consist of matters of common interest between them.
Regional ring road & Residential plots to make Hyderabad a Global City (Housing.com)
The draft plan shall consist of the coordinated spatial planning of the area, sharing of water and other
physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environmental
conservation and the extent and type of available resources (financial or otherwise). The Chairperson of
every Metropolitan Planning Committee shall forward the development plan, as recommended by such
Committee, to the Government of the State. Further, it shall discuss the extent and nature of
investments likely to be made in the Metropolitan area by agencies of the central/state Governments
and other financial or other available resources.

Twelfth Schedule (Article 243w)
The 18 subjects transferred under 12th Schedule are as follows;
1. Urban planning and town planning.
2. Regulation of land use and construction of buildings.
3. Planning for economic and social development.
4. Roads and bridges.
5. Water supply for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes.
6. Public health, sanitation conservancy and solid waste management.
7. Fire services.
8. Urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects.
9. Safeguarding the interests of weaker sections, including the physically/mentally challenged
persons.
10. Slum improvement and up-gradation.
11. Urban poverty alleviation.
12. Provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds.
13. Promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects.
14. Burials and burial grounds; cremations, cremation grounds and electric crematoriums.
15. Cattle pounds; prevention of cruelty to animals.
16. Vital statistics like registration of births and deaths.
17. Public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences.
18. Regulation of slaughterhouses and tanneries.
State’s Control over Panchayati Rai Institutions

Statutorily, the state governments exercise four types of control over the PRIs, namely (a) Institutional,
(b) Administrative, (c) Technical and (d) Financial, as listed below;
1. Power to Conduct the Panchayat Elections: The state government is empowered to conduct the
elections for the rural local bodies (RLBs) and the urban local bodies (ULBs). The Panchayat Acts of the
states concerned empowers the states to decide the mode of elections, the size of the constituency
(whole village or block), and the election schedule within which it should get conducted and completed.
Similarly, the states also have the power to hear and settle any dispute arising after the elections.

2. Alteration in the limits of a PRI: The State Government may, at any time, after one month's notice
published in a prescribed manner, declare the whole or a part of any local area included within the limits
of (or) excluded from the area limits of a Panchayat or Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad or Nagar
Panchayat or Municipal Council (or) Municipal Corporation.
3. Removal of PRI Members: The state governments are empowered to remove any PRI member from
the office on the following grounds;
1. Willful violation of the provisions of the controlling Act, rules and regulations
2. Continued absence from the meetings
3. Conviction for an offence involving moral turpitude or election offence
4. Abusing or exceeding the powers vested in them
5. Willful misconduct, neglect of duties or being persistently remiss in the discharge of the duties
4. Power of Cancelling or Suspending a Resolution of a PRI: The State Government may, by order,
cancel any resolution or order passed by a Panchayati Raj Institution or any of its Standing Committee.
If the state government believes that the resolution passed was not legal (or) the PRI has passed the
resolution in excess or abuse of the powers conferred on it under this Act, it may cancel or suspend that
resolution after giving the PRI a reasonable opportunity for explanation. The state government may also
take such steps if it believes that its execution is likely to cause danger to human life, health or safety of
person or property (or) a breach of the peace.
To Do Activity
Take the Chairperson's permission to attend a Panchayat meeting. Observe how they conduct it and how they make resol
5. Power to Dissolve a PRI: If State Government finds that a Panchayati Raj Institution is not competent
to perform or Persistently makes default in the performance of the duties imposed on it by or under this
Act, or have exceeded or abused its powers, the State Government may by an order published, along
with the reasons thereof, in the Official Gazette, may dissolve such Panchayati Raj Institution on and
from a date to be specified in the order of dissolution.
6. Inspection and Enquiry by State Government: The State Government or any officer authorized by the
State Government on this behalf may inspect or cause to inspect any immovable property owned and
used or occupied by a PRI or any work in progress under the direction of such PRI. The state government
may, also by written order, call for and inspect any book or document, statements or reports available in
possession of a PRI. It may also institute an enquiry against any member, Chairperson or deputy
chairperson of a PRI for any matter related to Panchayat.
7. Power to Provide for the Performance of Duties in Default of a PRI: If State Government finds that a
Panchayati Raj Institution has been guilty of making default in performing the duty imposed upon it by
or under this Act, it may, after due enquiry, issue an order in writing and may fix the period for the
performance of that duty. If the Panchayat fails to perform it within the given time, the State
Government may appoint an officer to perform that duty. It may also direct the PRI concerned to bear
the expenses incurred in this connection and also direct to pay a reasonable remuneration.

8. Appointment of Officers and Staff by Government: For discharging functions regarding the
Panchayat administration as provided for in this Act or as may be prescribed there under, the State
Government may appoint an Officer-in-charge of Panchayats with such designation as it may from time
to time notify and such other subordinate officers and staff as the State Government may deem
necessary.
9. Inspection and Tours: The inspections or tours constitute one of the important ways how the state
government controls the PRIs administratively. The state government authorities primarily conduct
inspections and tours to the offices of PRIs is to check the maintenance and transparency of accounts,
documents, reports, work in progress and the up keeping of the immovable property. The states have
empowered the Collector or the Divisional Commissioner for conducting such inspection and tours.
10. Power of the Zila Parishad to Frame Bye-laws: The Zila Parishad may, and when required by the
State Government, shall make bye-laws for any Panchayat, consistent with this Act and the Rules made
there under, to promote and maintain the health, safety and convenience of persons residing within the
jurisdiction of such Panchayat and for the furtherance of the administration of Panchayats under this
Act. All bye-laws made under this section shall get published in the Official Gazette.
11. Power of the Panchayats to Frame Bye-laws: A Panchayat may frame bye-laws such as (a) to
prohibit the removal or use of water for drinking purposes from any source which is likely to cause
danger to health, (b) to prohibit the doing of anything likely to contaminate any source of drinking
water, (c) to prohibit or regulate the discharge of waste from any drain or premises on a public street or
into a river, pond, tank, well or any other place, (d) to prevent damage to public streets and Panchayat
property and for similar purposes.
12. Power of Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads to make bye-laws: Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad
may from time to time make by-laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act or the rules made
there under, for carrying out the purpose for which the government constituted it. No bye-law of a
Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad shall come to effect unless the state government approves it. The bye-
laws sanctioned by the State shall come into force only after publishing in the Official Gazette.
13. Infringement of rules and bye-laws: The authority making the rule or bye-law may also provide that
a breach thereof shall be punishable with a fine. The penalty/fine may extend to two hundred Rupees,
and if the breaching of the Act continues, it may levy a further fine which may extend to ten rupees for
every day after the date of the first conviction.
14. Settlement of Inter-Institutional Disputes: Disputes may arise between two Panchayat Samitis (or)
between a Panchayat Samiti and a municipal board. When the dispute arises among the Panchayat
Samitis or Zila Parishads of different divisions, the Deputy Commissioners concerned shall first decide
the dispute. In case of disagreement, reference shall be made jointly to the Commissioners of the
divisions. If the Commissioners also fail to arrive at a decision, they will refer the matter to the State
Government, whose decision in this regard shall be final.
15. Financial Control: The financial control and supervision is another effective instrument of the state's
control over the PRIs. It is related to the regulation of the finances, budgets, accounts and audits of the
PRIs. For instance, the Panchayati Raj statutes in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil
Nadu have a separate chapter devoted to Finances and Taxes, relating to the regulation of the finances,
budget, account and audit of the PRIs. The PRIs receive extensive funding support from the central

government as recommended by the Central Finance Commission (CFC).
Constitution of the State Finance Commissions (SFCs)

Besides the grants received from the Central Finance Commission, the PRIs receive financial aid
from the concerned State Finance Commission also. Article 243 (1) of the Constitution empowered
the Governor of a State to constitute a State Level Finance Commission within one year from the
commencement of the 73rd Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1992, and after reconstituting the same at
the expiration of every fifth year. The important provisions in this regard are as follows;
1. The State Legislature may by law provide for the composition of the State Finance Commission
(SFC) the qualifications and procedure which shall be requisite for appointment as members
thereof.
2. The SFC shall have the powers to determine their functions, procedure, and appraisal of
performance as the State Legislature may by law confer on them.
3. The Governor shall cause every recommendation made by the Commission under this
Article and shall also submit an explanatory memorandum a b o u t the action taken in this
regard.
Roles and Responsibilities of the SFCs

As mentioned in a student paper submitted to Jamia Milia Islamia UniversityThe primary responsibility
of the State Finance Commission is to review the financial position of the Panchayats and to make
recommendations to the Governor as to;
The determination of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to, or appropriated by, the
Panchayats (V N Alok, 2021)
Decide the method or principles of distribution on which the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and
fees leviable by the state government may share with Panchayats (www.constituteproject.org).
The grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State
The measures needed to improve the financial position of the Panchayats
Any other matter referred to the Finance Commission by the Governor in the interests of sound
finance of the Panchayats (en.wikisource.org).
XV FC in a meeting with the representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions of Telangana
16. Power to invest surplus funds: It shall be lawful for a Panchayati Raj Institution with the sanction of
the State Government, investing any surplus funds in its hands, which may not be required for current
charges, in public securities in the name of the Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti or the Zila Parishad.

17. Miscellaneous Administrative Control: Some other miscellaneous control items are as follows;
1. Performance of duties in default
2. Attending the meetings of Panchayati Raj Institutions
3. Prescribing the details of the organization
4. Types of registers and forms are determined
5. Issuance of general directives
6. Approval of bye-laws
7. Instituting enquiries
8. Enforcement of no-confidence motions
18. Technical Control: The term technical control refers to the action and supervision of the various
plans, programmes and projects formulated and implemented by PRIs within their statutory functional
jurisdiction. The pattern of technical control by the state governments over the PRIs is as follows;
1. Providing technical approval of schemes and projects

2. Inspections, tours and personal visits by the technical functionaries
3. Attendance in meetings of Panchayati Raj Institutions
4. Administrative control over the technical functionaries
5. Periodical staff meetings
6. Reports and statements
19. Centrally Sponsored / State Sponsored Schemes: The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
department are responsible for implementing various centrally-sponsored, state-funded and externally-
aided schemes. The objectives of such schemes include poverty alleviation, employment generation,
sanitation, capacity building, women's social and economic empowerment, and provision of basic
amenities/services. The Department is also responsible for enabling the various Panchayat Raj
Institutions (PRIs) to function as effective institutions of local self-governance.
Case Study 1: Water ATMs at Nuapada (Odisha)
4.18. Water ATMs Installed at Kureswar Gram Panchayat of Nuapada in Odisha using the FFC Grants
The scarcity of safe drinking water is a critical developmental concern in Nuapada (Odisha). The Gram
Panchayat (GP) in Nuapada has allocated a substantial proportion of the FFC grants for improving the
availability of safe drinking water in rural areas. One innovative idea is to construct a coin-based water

dispenser system - locally referred to as the 'Water ATMs'. The concept essentially implies payment or
user charges for availing of purified drinking water (www.iegindia.org)
The cost of one such water filter and purification instrument with the cost of boring pipe installed in
Kureswar GP, Nuapada was Rs. 5.50 lakh. The GP has utilized the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC)
grants to install these Water ATMs. The user charges for drawing water were Rs.2 for 5 liters of drinking
water and Rs.5 for 20 liters. The purifier operates through a coin-based dialing system. Through these
user charges, the Kureswar GP generated revenue of about Rs.10000/- per month, which is adequate to
meet the maintenance cost of the water purifier. Ten such Water ATMs in ten different GPs of the
district have come up during 2019-20 (www.iegindia.org).
4.5. Central Government and Panchayati Raj Institutions

“Someone's sitting in the shade today, because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
- Warren Buffett
The Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) consisting of the rural local bodies (RLBs) and urban local bodies
(ULBs) in India come under the direct responsibility of the state governments since the constitution has
enumerated it as a state subject. Nevertheless, the central government cannot afford to show complete
unconcern or aloofness towards the administration of the PRIs.
Even in the federally governed countries, the central governments hold the inescapable obligation of
providing professional leadership, assisting the states to find satisfactory solutions to intractable
problems, and setting up standards for services. The central government in India gives adequate grants
to the states for supporting the functions of the local government institutions. As a funding institution,
the central government owes to the taxpayers and the parliament. Therefore it has to keep a general
watch over the health and progress of the local government administration in the country. As the local
self-government system has steadily emerged as an entity central to human welfare, it becomes too
critical to be administered solely by the state governments.
The role of the central government in promoting the PRIs consists of the constitutional provisions it has
made towards the PRIs (legal), the functions of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (administrative) and
support of grants by the Central Financial Commission (financial) to PRIs.
Constitutional Provisions Regarding Panchayati Raj

The Central government has appointed several committees to study the aspects of rural
development and Panchayati raj systems in India and accordingly has enacted various Acts related
to the establishment and administration of Panchayati Raj Institutions. The most important is the
Balwant Rai Committee Report 1957, 73 rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment 1993, and the PESA
Act 1996.
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957): Balwant Rai Mehta was an Indian politician who served as the
second Chief Minister of Gujarat. He pioneered the vision of Modern Panchayati Raj in India and is
known as the 'Father of Panchayati Raj'. The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was appointed in 1957 to
examine and suggest measures for improving the functional performance of the Community
Development Programme (1952) and the National Extension Service (1953). The NDC implemented the
Committee's recommendation in January 1958, which set the stage for launching Panchayati Raj
Institutions. The Committee suggested establishing the modern Panchayati Raj system aimed at

democratic decentralization and effective participation of locals in the development programmes. Its
primary recommendations are as follows;
To establish a three-tier PR system consisting of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila
Parishad.
To constitute Gram Panchayats by directly elected representatives; Panchayat Samiti and Zila
Parishad by indirectly elected representatives.
To make planning and development the primary objectives of the Panchayati Raj system.
To allow Panchayat Samiti to act as the executive body and Zila Parishad as an advisory and
supervisory body.
To make the District Collector the Chairman of the Zila Parishad.
To make provisions for resources to help them discharge their duties and responsibilities.
To ensure that the PR institutions play a substantial role in community development
programmes throughout the country.
73rd Constitutional Amendment: Part IX of the Constitution of India provides, through elections every
five years, for setting up three tiers of Panchayats. Nevertheless, there shall be only two tiers in States or
Union Territories with apopulation less than 20 lakhs.
(i) Gram Panchayats at village level

(ii) Intermediate Panchayats at the block level and
(iii) District Panchayats at the district level.
It also provides for Gram Sabha as a forum for direct participation of villagers in local governance. A Gram
Sabha is the general assembly of registered voters who reside in the area of Gram Panchayat. The
Constitution of India has fixed five-year terms for these Panchayats and has made provision for the
reservation of seats for women and marginalized sections like Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled
Tribes (STs). While reservation of SCs & STs is in proportion to their share in population, there should
be at least 1/3rd seat reservation for women. However, many Indian states have gone further ahead and
incorporated provisions for reserving seats and chairperson posts for women in Panchayats to 50%.
The Constitution of India also stipulates direct elections of all members of Panchayats. For conducting
these elections, all States require to constitute a State Election Commission. After the initial constitution of
the SFC, the States must reconstitute the SFCs at the expiry of every fifth year. The primary task of SFCs
is to review the financial position of the panchayats and make recommendationsto the Governor as to;
1. The principles which should govern the distribution of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and
fees leviable by the state, between the state and the panchayats.
2. The measuresneeded to improve the financial position of thepanchayats and
3. Any other matter referred to the commission by the Governor in the interest of sound finances of the
Panchayats.

Zila Parishad School in Sircilla Dist. Telangana has FIFA standard football ground
74th Constitutional Amendment: With the ever-increasing population growth in the country, the process
and speed of urbanization in India are also high. Such uncontrolled urbanization has brought the vital
need for local self-governance in urban areas too. The Constitution (74 th Amendment) Act, 1992 has
added and constitutionally recognized the formation of the Urban Local Bodies in India. There are three
types of urban local bodies created in India such as,
To create Nagar Panchayats for a transitional area. A transitional area is that area that is in transition
from rural to urban.
Municipal Councils for smaller urban areas and
Municipal Corporations for larger urban areas
4.20. The Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation improves sanitation

and environment through 3.5 million liters of Septage Treated Faecal Sludge Treatment
To classify an area into 'transitional', 'smaller' or 'larger', authorities consider various criteria such as the
area size, population density, revenue generated, percentage of people employed in non-agricultural
activities, and economic importance of the area, and such other factors. The Amendment makes
provisions for conducting direct elections and selecting suitable candidates from the territorial
constituencies in the said municipal area known as ‘Wards’. The Amendment provides reservations for

SC and ST people on rotation basis at all urban local body institutions in proportion to their population
percentage in the municipal area. The SC/ST shall get one-third of the total number of panchayat seats
available. The Act provides all urban local body institutions a five-year term of office.
The PESA Act 1996: The Government of India enacted the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act
1996 to cover the "Scheduled Areas" not covered earlier in the 73 rd Constitutional Amendment Part IX. It
has brought the powers down towards the Gram Sabha. According to Article 243 (b), a Gram Sabha is a
body of persons registered in the village electoral rolls, comprised within the area of a Village Panchayat.
It entrusted the Gram Sabhas with wide-ranging powers starting from getting consulted on land
acquisition. Further, these Gram Sabhas have the authority to own minor forest produces and grant a
lease of minor minerals in scheduled areas.
PESA became operative under a new economic policy regime in which all frontiers of the Indian
economy was made open for foreign direct investment (FDI). The mining sector in the scheduled areas
was too opened to the MNCs and other Indian Corporations to exploit mineral resources at throwaway
prices. PESA mandates Gram Sabha to preserve the traditions, culture and customs of the tribal people,
their community resources, and their typical mode of dispute resolution.
Role of Central Government

The union government performs several functions concerning panchayat raj institutions as listed below;
The PRIs, as the bodies of decentralized administration, are responsible for providing all
functions related to human welfare and local development. The central government is
responsible for funding such welfare and development activities to be carried out by the PRIs.
As a principal funding agency of PRI (next to the state governments), the centre has to monitor
the functions and performance of panchayat raj institutions across the country and extend help
and guidance wherever it is required.
It is responsible for collecting and maintaining the data at the national about the progress of PRI
activities in different states.
The central governments shall use this database to carry out performance appraisals of PRIs
across the country. It also communicates the findings and suggestions to the states and the
general public for necessary action. The central government alone is in a position to perform
such overall appraisal and guidance.
The central government also ensures if the state governments properly implement the PR
system in compliance with the accepted acts, rules and norms. The central government is the
only authority that can point out the errors and lapses of the state governments and thereby
put moral pressure on them to achieve the desired level of performance.
Finally, there is also the need for a separate administrative entity at the central level which can
speak on behalf of the PRIs, when various policies of the other central ministries impinge upon
the PRI functions—not an unlikely situation.
The responsibility of the central government towards PRIs becomes direct and undivided in the union
territories (UTs). As the state governments are responsible for implementing the functions of PRIs in the
states, the central government also has the responsibility towards PRIs in UTs. In States under the
President's Rule (under Article 356 of the Constitution), the central government directly holds control
over the functions of PRIs.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment (Part IX) provided for direct participation of local people in the
development of rural areas through the Panchayati Raj System. Consequently, the 'Panchayats' have assumed
the mandatory constitutional status. The Government of India created the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR)
on 27th May 2004 to take care of the activities related to Panchayati Raj Institutions. The primary
objectives of MoPR are as follows (www.panchayat.gov.in);
1. Overseeing the implementation of Part IX of the Constitution,

2. Implementationof Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) in the Fifth
Schedule areas and
3. Operationalizing District Planning Committees in terms of Article 243ZD of Part IX-A of the
Constitution.
Since most of the actions like the framing of laws rest with the State Governments, the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj strives to achieve its goals about improvements in the functioning of Panchayats primarily
through policy interventions, advocacy, capacity building, persuasion and financial support. The Ministry
aims to make Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) an effective, efficient and transparent vehicle for local
governance, social change and public service delivery mechanism meeting the aspirations of the local
population (panchayat.gov.in).
Vision: To attain a decentralized and participatory local self-government through Panchayati Raj
Institutions.
Mission: Empowerment, enablement and accountability of Panchayati Raj Institutions to ensure

inclusive development with social justice and efficient delivery of services.
Roadmap of MoPR to Achieve its Objectives

services through CFC
Capacity building of
Convergent holistic
RLBs through
plan through
Provision of basic
The role of MoPR involves strengthening the administrative infrastructure and principal services by
leveraging technology and capacity building of the functionaries of Rural Local Body (RLB) institutions.
Ministry's roadmap to fulfil the above objectives is through three pillars such as:
1. Provision of primary services through theFinance Commission funding,

2. Capacity building of RLBs through Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) and

3. Convergent holistic planning through the inclusive and participatory process through Gram
Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) and advocacy work.
The Union Cabinet Minister (currently Shri Giriraj Singh) is the head of the MoPR. There is a Secretary, an
Additional Secretary and three Joint Secretaries in the office. Further, there is one Economic Adviser,
three Directors, two Deputy Secretaries, seven Under Secretaries, Gazetted and Non-Gazetted Officers
and Staff. The sanctioned strength of regular posts in the Ministry is 108. The Financial Advisor in charge
of the Ministry of Rural Development is also responsible for the financial matters in the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj. The organizational structure of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj is as follows;
Union Minister for Panchayati Raj

Ministry of
Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Secretary
Panchayati Raj
Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor Additional Secretary
Economic Advisor Joint Secretary Joint Secretary Joint Secretary

(Parliament & Co-ord) (FD / Policy) (CB/ Administration) (Governance)
Director Deputy Secretary Director Director Deputy Secretary

(IFD/Audit) (Parl/Co-ord) (FD/Policy) (CB/Administration/HoD) (Governance)
Under Secretary Under Under Secretary Under Secretary Under

UnderUnder Under Secretary
(Policy) Secretary (CB) (IC) Secretary
SecretarySecretary (FD/ HoD)
(IFD/B&F/Estt)(Parl/Co-ord) (GA/ HoO) (Governance)
Sr. Account Officer Asst. Asst. Section Officer Section Officer Section Officer
(IFD/B&F) Director Director (Policy/Cash) (GA) (Governance)
(OL) (Estt.)
Fig. 4.11. Organizational Structure of Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India
Divisions of the Ministry: The Ministry has four Divisions, viz., (a) Parliament, Coordination and
Incentivization Division, (b) Fiscal Devolution and Policy Division, (c) Capacity Building, Administration
& Establishment Division, and (d) Governance. There are various Sections looked after by different
Divisions.
Reservation for SC/ST and OBC: The MoPR follows the guidelines laid down by the Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in
matters relating to reservation of SC/ST and Other Backward Classes in services and related issues
Vigilance Matters: The MoPR handles the vigilance matters according to the prescribed procedure and
instructions of CVC. The Economic Adviser also acts as the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Ministry.
Bio-metric Attendance & E-office: This Ministry has already implemented the e-Office since June 2014
and keeps all the documents and files in digital formats. All the office works are being done digitally
through e-office thereby, moving physical files almost zero. The digitalization of documents also saves
time. The biometric system of attendance is also there for employees since October 2014.
Grievance Redressal System: An online Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System
(CPGRAMS) developed by NIC is also available in the Ministry. The CPGRAMS provides a platform for the

citizens to upload their grievances so that the Ministry can take suitable action to redress the
grievances. The grievance redressal rate of the Ministry office is 100 per cent.
The Central Finance Commission (CFC)

Article 280 of the Constitution of India empowers the President by order to constitute the Central
Finance Commission (CFC) within two years from the commencement of the 73rd Constitution
Amendment and there-after at the expiration of every fifth year or at such earlier time as the
President considers necessary. As described in www.panchayat.gov.in, the CFC shall consist of a
Chairman other 4 members appointed by the President. It shall be the duty of the Commission to make
recommendations to the President as to;
the distribution of the net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States which are to be,
or maybe, divided between them and the allocation between the States of the respective shares
of such proceeds,
the principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the
Consolidated Fund of India,
any other matter referred to the Commission by the President in the interests of sound finance,
Article 280(3) (bb) of the Constitution inserted vide the 73rd Amendment Act States that the Union
Finance Commission shall make recommendations on “the measures needed to augment the
Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats in the State on the
basis of the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State”. Complying with the
provisions made in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, the Union Finance Commission
from the Tenth Finance Commission onwards provides grants to the Panchayats
10th CFC Recommendations (1995-2000): The Tenth Finance Commission did not have any terms of
reference (ToR) for local bodies, but it recommended Rs.100 per capita grants to the rural
population as per the 1971 Census to PRIs, which worked out to Rs.4380.93 crore to discharge the
new roles assigned to them under the Constitution. It also stipulated that the State Governments
should prepare suitable schemes and issue detailed guidelines for utilizing the grants for which the
local bodies also need to raise matching contributions. Expenditure on salaries and wages were not
allowed from the Finance Commission Grants. It mandated that the amount provided would be
added to the normal devolution by the State Governments. The grants would be distributed to
even those States not having Panchayats to supplement the resources of similar local level
representative bodies. The CFC had released an amount of Rs. 3576.35 crore to the States during
the award period 1995-2000 (www.panchayat.gov.in www.panchayat.gov.in).
11th CFC Recommendations (2000-2005): The Eleventh Finance Commission recommended the un-
tied grant of Rs. 8,000 crore for Panchayats. This grant was to be used first for account
maintenance and audit and then for developing the financial databases. The CFC allowed the States
to utilize the remaining amount for providing such core services as primary education, primary
health care, safe drinking water, street lighting, sanitation, drainage and scavenging facilities and
maintenance of cremation and burial grounds, public conveniences and other common property
resources. The CFC had released an amount of Rs. 6601.85 crore (82.52% of the allocation) to the
States during the award period 2000-05 (www.panchayat.gov.in www.panchayat.gov.in).
12th CFC Recommendations (2005-2010): The Twelfth Finance Commission had recommended
Rs.20000 crore grants for the PRIs, against which the GoI released an amount of Rs.18926.79 crores

(94.5% of allocation) to the PRIs functioning in 27 States. The CFC had recommended priority to
expenditures related to operation & maintenance water supply and sanitation. The 12th CFC did
not indicate separate grants for excluded areas and left it to the discretion of the States
(www.panchayat.gov.in www.panchayat.gov.in).
13th CFC Recommendations (2010-2015): The Thirteenth Finance Commission departing from
awarding lump-sum grants to the PRIs had awarded a percentage of the divisible pool like (a) Basic
Grant amounting to 1.5% of the divisible pool, and (b) Performance Grant payable for a period of
four years starting from 2011-12 at the rate of 0.5% of the divisible pool in the first year and 1% of
the divisible pool in the remaining three years. The 13th CFC had also recommended a separate
Special Area Basic Grant of Rs.20 per capita, carved out of the total Basic Grant, for every year in
the award period for Fifth and Sixth Schedule Areas and the areas exempted from the purview of
Part IX and IXA of the Constitution (www.yashada.org).
14th CFC Recommendations (2015-2020): The 14th CFC grants contained provisions to ensure a
stable flow of resources at regular intervals to augment resources available with Gram Panchayats
to discharge their statutorily assigned functions. The grants were supposed to be used to improve
the status of primary services including water supply, sanitation including septic management,
sewage and solid waste management, storm water drainage, maintenance of community assets,
maintenance of roads, footpaths, street lighting, and cremation grounds, and any other primary
service within the functions assigned to them under relevant legislations (www.panchayat.gov.in
www.panchayat.gov.in). The XIV CFC did not recommend any grant for the non-Part IX and IXA
areas; instead it has recommended that separate assistance be given to the traditional bodies in
these areas under the constitutional provisions (Article 275).
15th CFC Recommendations (2020-2025): The Fifteenth Finance Commission submitted its interim
report for the FY 2020-21, and the Government of India accepted its recommendations towards the
Local Bodies. The CFC recommended grants for RLBs as Basic (Untied) and Tied Grants. The XV FC
Grants-in-aid shall cover all tiers of the Panchayati Raj, the traditional bodies of non-Part IX States
and Fifth and Sixth Schedule areas in two parts, namely, (i) A basic grant 50 % (untied) and (ii) A
tied grant 50 %. The basic grants are untied and can be used by RLBs for location-specific felt needs,
except for salary or other establishment expenditure. The Panchayats can use the tied grants for
providing primary services of (a) sanitation and maintenance of open-defecation free (ODF) status
and (b) supply of drinking water, rainwater harvesting and water recycling (www.yashada.org).
Monitoring of Utilization of Finance Commission Grants

A sound financial management system in the PRIs towards effective utilization of FC Grants is a
long-felt need for fostering increased accountability at the RLBs. In this regard, MoPR provided the
PRIASoft Public Financial Management System (PFMS) interface for making all payments to
vendors/service providers out of the FC grants to ensure transparency and accountability. Now
PRIASoft has been integrated into the eGram Swaraj portal. Further, all physical assets created
using these funds are geo-tagged with the mobile app 'mAction Soft’ (www.yashada.org).
Audit Online: The 15th CFC has prescribed guidelines for preparing online audited accounts of the
RLBs. The MoPR has conceptualized and developed an application called 'Audit Online" for online
audit of Panchayat accounts and launched the same on the l5th of April 2020 (www.yashada.org)..
To familiarize the State PRIs and Audit Departments about the working of the 'Audit Online'
application, the CFC has recommended using 'Audit Online' on a pilot basis to audit the accounts of
at least 20% PRIs during FY 2019-20. From next year onwards (FY 2020-21), audit departments shall
be allowed to audit PRI accounts 100 % using 'Audit Online' only (www.yashada.org).
Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan

The Government of India has formulated and implemented Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan (GKRA) to
provide solace and gainful employment to the migrant labourers who returned to their native
places, under distress, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a part of the Abhiyan, MoPR has asked six
concerned States to take up the Construction of Gram Panchayat Bhawan and measures for
utilization of FFC and XV FC Grants installments released to them for developmental works in the
116 GKRA Districts. In all these works, the GPs will deploy the migrant workers.
Chapter Summary
The 73rd Amendment (Article 243G) has constitutionally mandated the Panchayats to prepare the Gram
Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) for promoting the economic development and social justice in
villages by Panchayats utilizing all the resources available with them at the local level. Keeping the
contemporary developments in mind and aiming to make comprehensive GPDP, the MoPR constituted
an expert committee to revise the GPDP Guidelines 2015. Accordingly, the committee had revised the
guidelines in 2018. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the People's Plan Campaign 'Sabki
Yojana Sabka Vikas' in 2018 (rolled out from 2 nd October to 31st December 2019) to enable the GPs for
preparing structured and evidence-based GPDPs for 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Inspired by the commendable performance of the Gram Sabhas, Gram Panchayats, and other
stakeholders in the previous PPCs, this exercise has again been rolled out in a Campaign mode from 2 nd
October 2020 to 31st January 2021 for preparation of the GPDP 2021-22. Town planning is an art and

science of ordering the land use and siting of buildings and communication routes to secure the
maximum practicable degree of economy, convenience, and beauty.
The absence of town planning will bring the following such as (i) Uneven and chaotic development which
will result in contrasting urban scenarios, (ii). A mixed land use where industry springing up in residential
zones, (iii). A congested transportation network that causes overflowing traffic than expected, (iv). A
large amount of migrated population and increased number of slum areas. The Town and Country
Planning Organization (TCPO) formulated the Model Town and Country Planning Law in 1960. The TCPO
revised it in 1985 as "Model Regional and Town Planning and Development Law" to enact
comprehensive urban and regional planning legislation in all the States and UT's.
According to Census 2011, there are 1.21 billion people in India (17.5 per cent of the world population),
consisting of 623.7 million males and 586.5 million females. Even though around half of our population
is women (48.5 per cent), the scope given for their political participation is very minimal. At the national
level, after 74 years of Independence, there are only 78 women representatives out of 542 elected
Members of Parliament in India (14 per cent).
In April 1993, the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act came into force, making the reservation of one-
third of the total seats for women in the local self-government institutions mandatory. Achieving
women empowerment through their active participation in politics is affected by many socio-economic
and personal factors like family pressure and casteism. However, the emerging number of all women
panchayats across the country shows us the ray of hope. These elected women representatives are
capable of overcoming such challenges effectively and can serve society better.
Panchayats, constitutionally being a state subject, the state governments have the full responsibility to
establish and control them in the rural and urban areas. The States have the powers to conduct
Panchayat elections, to enhance or reduce the area limit for conducting panchayat elections, cancel or
suspend a resolution passed by the panchayat for protecting common welfare, allow the RLBs and ULBs
to generate their financial resources by allowing them to levy and collect certain taxes, tolls and fees
and financially support them through State Finance Commission provisions.
However, we cannot ignore the role of the central government in promoting, protecting and guiding the
panchayat institutions across the country. It enacts model laws for PRIs, implemented by the state
governments concerned after making due improvements according to local needs. The Ministry of
Panchayati Raj takes care of the overall supervision and safeguarding of PRIs at the national level. The
Central government also provides sufficient financial support to PRIs through tied and untied grants of
the Central Finance Commission.
Model Questions
1. What do you mean by GPDP? What are the components of the GPDP plan cycle?
2. List out different types of plans for urban and regional development by urban local bodies.
3. Examine the unique features of model regional and town planning and development law 1985 and
suggest how to strengthen it further?
4. Analyze the reasons for poor involvement of women in PRIs? How to improve their participation?
5. Elaborate the types of control exercised by the State Governments over PRIs.
6. Examine the organizational structure and function of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in promoting,
protecting and guiding the PRIs to be efficient institutions of local self-government.

Reference
1. Guidelines for Preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan 2018, Ministry of Panchayati Raj,
Government of India
2. Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines, Vol.
I, January 2015, Town and Country Planning Organization, Ministry of Urban Development,
Government of India, http://tcpomud.gov.in.
3. Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation (URDPFI) Guidelines,
Volume II A and II B, Appendices to URDPFI Guidelines, 2014, January 2015, Town and Country
Planning Organization, Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India,
http://tcpomud.gov.in.

Chapter 5 Panchayati Raj System and Government Schemes
The government of India, with a view to bring a holistic
and inclusive development in rural areas, has launched
several people centric programmes. This chapter
introduces the readers about five most important rural
development programmes linked to panchayati raj and
are executed at village level. They are 1. Mahatma Gandhi
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA); 2.
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA); 3. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal
Vikas Yojana (PMKVY); 4. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA);
and 5. Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA).

To know how the MGNREGA has enabled millions of unskilled and semi-skilled rural adults
getting regular work opportunities and a guaranteed income.
To understand the objectives of SBA and its progress in India towards achieving the SDGs 6.2 of
UN.
To understand the objectives, approach, principles, and support structure of PMKVY 3.0 in
detail.
To understand the goals of UBA, organization structure and its significant areas of intervention.
To be familiar with the scheme of Jal Shakti Abhiyan, its administrative structure and execution.
Chapter Structure
5.1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
5.2. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
5.3. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
5.4. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan
5.5. Jal Shakti Abhiyan

5.1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
“This mad rush for wealth must cease and the labourer must be assured not only of a living wage but a
daily task that is not a mere drudgery” - Mahatma Gandhi
The 100 Days work programme or the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in
India was notified on 7th September 2005 with an ambition to provide at least 100 days guaranteed
wage employment to every household adult member interested in registering as a skilled or unskilled
worker under the scheme and earning a guaranteed wage income. It is a demand-driven scheme
primarily focusing on providing guaranteed wage employment.
Objectives of MGNREGA
The objectives of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act are as follows;
To provide social protection to vulnerable section of people through wage employment choices.
To ensure livelihood security for the poor by creating durable assets, improved water security,
soil conservation, and higher land productivity.
To ensure draught-proof flood management.
To empower the socially disadvantaged, especially women and the SC/ST.
To strengthen/decentralize participatory planning of various anti-poverty and livelihoods
initiatives.
To deepen the democracy at the grass-root level by strengthening the Panchayati Raj
Institutions.
To ensure greater transparency and accountability in governance.
Key Stakeholders of MGNREGA
Household Members: Members of village households

enjoy the right to demand work under MGNREGA at any
time of the year. The interested adult member has to
apply to the GP for getting a job card. After the issuance
of a job card, household members can submit their
application for work.
Gram Panchayat: The Gram Panchayat must implement at

least 50% of the works under the scheme. Social audit Fig. 5.1. Key Stake Holders of MGNREGA
must be conducted in the GP once in six months to
examine the scheme's work.
Other Implementing Agencies: In MGNREGA, the other implementing agencies could include line
departments, state bodies, district-level authorities and other civil society organizations
(CSOs). The implementing bodies have to send their plan of work to the GP for their approval.
Procedural System of the MGNREGA
This programme should observe the following procedures;
Receiving application for work and issuing the dated receipt for the application.
Registration of the household seeking employment by the Gram Panchayat

The implementing agency (Gram Panchayat or Programme Officer) allocates work and informs the
households who applied for work.
In addition, the Programme Officer will raise the e-Muster Roll for this scheme.
The supervisor appointed for each work will measure the amount of work done every day.
The Junior Engineer or the technical person engaged for this purpose will visit the workplace at an
interval of seven days and verify the measurement taken by the supervisor.
The measurement book will be supplied to the Gram Panchayat by the Programme Officer.
Wages should be disbursed every week, not later than 15 days from the date of work completion.
The applicant should get a work allotment within 5 km from the village where he/she resides.
If it is impossible to provide work to the applicant within the said distance, then work may be
provided within the block area, and the applicant should be provided 10% of the daily wages as
additional wages to meet the travelling expenses for moving beyond 5 km.
Applying* Application to GP Issue * Job Card is Application * Application to GP

for* Verification by GP of Job CardIssued within 15 days from
forApplication
Work
* Work allotted Within 15 Days
Job Card
Fig. 5.2. Work Application and Allotment Process under MGNREGA

Eligibility for Getting Work under MGNREGA
Any adult member above 18 years whose name included in the household can apply for a job
card and do the work under MGNREGA.
A differently-abled person can also get work if she/he has a job card and ready to work.
If a people's representative or Chairperson of a Gram Panchayat possesses a job card, there is
no bar for him/her working under the scheme.
Also, there is no bar to getting work under the scheme for those who receive any allowance or
pension, provided they have a job card.
All the household members taken together can get at the most 100 days of work in a financial
year.
Getting work under this scheme does not depend on poverty. People belonging below the
poverty line or above the poverty line are eligible to apply.
The Block Development Officer or BDO is the Programme Officer, and the District Magistrate is
the District Programme Coordinator under MGNREGA.
About the Job Card

The Gram Panchayat shall provide a job card to every registered household within 15 days of
enlistment and on receiving the application.
A job card is valid for five years from its date of issue or until a new job card is issued. There will
be only one job card per household.
The job card must contain the photograph of all persons mentioned in it as workers.
It is necessary to keep the job card always under the custody of the beneficiary.
The Gram Panchayat, Supervisor or any other person cannot retain the job card with them.
When the household members are engaged in different works simultaneously, anyone may
keep the original job card, and others will keep photocopies.

If the job card is destroyed or lost, the workers should apply for a duplicate job card.
The Gram Panchayat will issue a duplicate job card after proper verification.
The Gram Panchayat or supervisor cannot cancel the job card because the families did not join
the work allocation.
Application Process
Application is compulsory for seeking work under this scheme.
Application should be given to the Gram Panchayat in the prescribed format for MGNREGA
work.
More than one applicant can apply jointly to allocate work through a collective application.
Submit the joint application to the Gram Panchayat and collect a receipt for the
application.
Different members of the same household can submit separate applications for allocation of
work.
Application for work can be submitted any time during the year as there is no specific last date.
If a person is absent from any work, then he/she may apply again for allocation of work.
However, if the person is absent from work allocated to him on the date fixed for such work,
he/she will not be eligible to get an unemployment allowance for the following three months.
The Ceiling for Work Allotment

Workers can apply for 14 days (not exceeding six days per week) to work continuously at a time.
The provision means that more than one member of the same household can get work
simultaneously, but the household's total may not exceed 100 days.
For example, if there are four adult members in the same family, they will not get 400 days'
work together. The calculation should be household-based. Every household (inclusive of all
members) can get one hundred (100) days of guaranteed work under this scheme.
If anybody does not / could not join work even after allocating the said work in his favour, the
supervisor cannot deduct those days from 100 days. However, if the person applies again, he
/she can get the work allotment in his/her favour, and the household will be entitled to get at
least 100 days of work.
Restriction for Machine Use

The terms ‘lead and lift’ are frequently used in MGNREGA works. Lead means the distance between the
point of earth excavation and the soil's depository point after excavation horizontally. Lift means the
distance by which is carried vertically from the point of excavation. The more the Lead and Lift, the less
the quantum of the work (i.e., the quantum of work will be proportionately less). Machines are not
allowed to replace the manual work of unskilled labourer. If it is not possible to do any earth excavation
work without machines, the permission of the District Programme Coordinator, i.e. the District
Magistrate, should be obtained before doing such work. In such situations, to meet the expenditure,
40% of the funds available for material cost shall be used.
Work for Skilled, Semi-Skilled, Disabled and Aged Person

If the Gram Panchayat has no Junior Assistant to perform the technical works, or if it is
impossible to manage the workload through one Junior Assistant, one person with necessary
technical knowledge can be engaged on a contract basis with specific terms and conditions. The
person will be known as a skilled Technical Person and will get the wages at the rate of a skilled
worker.
Skilled or semi-skilled workers may be engaged in the scheme. At least ten unskilled labourers
are necessary to start a new work. A job card is not necessary for skilled and semi-skilled

workers to get work under this scheme. However, the cost of materials and wages of skilled and
semi-skilled labour taken together should not exceed 40% of the scheme's cost.
The Disabled or aged persons can perform the following types of work: (i) drinking water
arrangement; (ii) looking after the children brought to the workplace; (iii) planting trees; (iv)
sprinkling of water after new work; (v) land leveling; (vi) filling baskets with soil; (vii) carrying
lightweight materials, and (viii) pouring water. The work allotted to them should be as light as
possible according to their capability.
Wages of Unskilled, Semi-skilled and Skilled Workers
The ratio of wage costs to the material costs should be no less than the minimum norm of 60:40, and all
the implementing agencies should maintain this. Weekly wage payment is allowed, but it shall in no case
exceed 14 days from the date of completing the work. The wages for different types of workers with
effect from 1st April 2018 are as under:
wages of unskilled workers - Rs 191/- daily
wages of semi-skilled workers – Rs 286.50/- daily
wages of skilled workers – Rs 382/- daily
60 % of the cost Comprises the wage40 % of the cost Comprises the Material
Payments Total
Expenses
work cost under MGNREGA
Fig. 5.3. Wage to Material Ratio under MGNREGA is 60: 40

Procedure for Payment
The unskilled workers who work under this scheme will have to open accounts in their name at a bank
or post office, and the Gram Panchayat will pay their wages only through the said account. All family
members having their names on the same job card should preferably open separate bank accounts. The
workers can open zero balance savings bank accounts at the bank or post office for this purpose. The
muster roll, main job card and the Registration and Work Allocation Register will carry the details of
wages paid. Payment of wages at an average rate without measuring the work done is illegal and
therefore not allowed. According to law, every worker shall be paid wages proportionate to their work,
for which conducting the work measurement is crucial.
To Do Activity
Visit an MGNREGA worksite in the village, talk to a participant worker, and try to understand how the scheme has helped t
U responsible for scheme implementation.
nemployment
Generally, if it is impossible to provide work within 15-days of the date of application seeking
employment, the person will be entitled to apply for a daily unemployment allowance. The Programme
Officer must provide Unemployment Allowance. Application for unemployment allowance should be
made directly to the Programme Officer at the Block Level. One can apply for work directly through the
Gram Panchayat. In that case, the Gram Panchayat shall forward the application to the Programme
Officer with its comments. The unemployment allowance rate will be less than one-fourth of the daily
wage rate for the first thirty (30) days and not less than half of the daily wage rate for the remaining
period until the labour gets the work under MGNREGA.

Injury or Death of a Person at Work Site
In case of illness or injury to any labour, while working, the State Government will take responsibility for
the worker's treatment. In such a case, the Programme Officer will make all the arrangements. During
hospitalization, the injured worker will get the entire cost of treatment and 50% of the daily wage. In
addition, if a worker suffers accidental death or loses a limb, the disabled person or the legal successor
of the dead person shall get a one-time grant of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty-Five Thousand) or the
amount specified by the Government of India from time to time.
Fig. 5.4. Women Beneficiaries at MGNREGA Work Site

Type of Works Undertaken
The types of works generally carried out under MGNREGA are as follows;
1. Water conservation/ Water harvesting works like contour bunds, earthen dams, contour
trenches.
2. Works of drought proofing, including Afforestation and tree plantation.
3. Irrigation canals, micro and minor irrigation.
4. Provision of irrigation, dug out farm pond, horticulture, plantation farm bunding and land
development on land owned by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes households living
below the poverty line, beneficiaries of PMAY-G, and small and marginal farmers.
5. Land development works and renovation of traditional water bodies
6. Works related to flood control and protection, including drainage in waterlogged areas,
deepening and repairing flood channels.
7. Rural connectivity for providing all-weather access.
8. Agriculture related works, NADEP composting, Vermi composting
9. Fishery related works such as fisheries in seasonal water bodies in public land
10. Livestock related works such as poultry shelter, goat shelter, pucca floor, urine tank, and cattle
shed.
11. Rural sanitation-related works such as an individual household latrine, school toilet units,
Anganwadi toilets, and solid and liquid waste management
12. Construction of Anganwadi Centers and playfields.
Also, nurseries can be created in every Ward through Self Help Groups for plantation works. If it is not
possible to create a nursery in the own land of Gram Panchayat, they can use the land of Self-Help
Groups or leasehold land for creating the nursery. Provision of irrigation, dug out farm pond,
horticulture, plantation farm bunding, and land development is also available under this scheme.

Convergence with Other Schemes
The creation of durable assets and securing the livelihood of rural households become possible through
the convergence of MGNREGA works with resources of other programmes available with other
departments. In these cases of convergence, there will be two distinct parts of the project. For example,
while taking up the earthwork for a rural road under MGNREGA, funds for laying a bitumen layer can be
sourced from other schemes. Also, the convergence of MGNREGA works with other programmes may be
done with the departments like Agriculture, Irrigation and Waterways, Fisheries, Animal Resources
Development, Education and with other programmes like Swachh Bharat Mission, National Rural
Livelihoods Mission, Central and State Finance Commission, and Own Fund of the Gram Panchayat.
Role of Supervisors
The role of the MGNREGA supervisors is as follows;
To identify the persons who need work and assist in filling up the form for application for
work.
To collect all the records/documents like a work order, vetted estimate, copy of the
resolution, and muster roll from the Gram Panchayat.
To be duly informed about the works to be executed from the Junior Engineer/ Technical
Assistant in details from day 1.
To record attendance of the workers immediately before initiation of the work.
To explain to the workers the details of the work to be done and the wages to be paid.
To set up Citizen Information Board with MGNREGA logo at the work site containing essential
information like work details, estimated work in person-days, and the wage rate payable.
To measure the work and record it in the notebook.
To prepare muster roll after final measurement by the Junior Engineer or any other technical
officer on every seventh day.
To prepare a wage list for payment of wages and fill up the job card.
To report on the commencement of work and the number of workers engaged every day.
Role of GP in Implementation of MGNREGA

Following are the roles and responsibilities of Gram Panchayat (GP) under MGNREGA
To receive registration applications.
To verify the registered applications.
To register the households.
To issue Job Cards(JCs)
To receive applications for work
To issue dated receipts for these applications for work
To allot work within fifteen days of applying (or) from the date when the applicant wants to
work, in the case of an advance application, whichever is later.
To conduct periodic surveys to assess demand for work, identify and plan works, develop a
shelf of projects, and determine the order of work priority—this list of works sent to the
Programme Officer for scrutiny and preliminary approval.
To maintain records as specified in the MGNREGA Guidelines
To maintain accounts and provide utilization certificates in formats prescribed by the
Government.
To prepare an annual report contains the facts, figures and achievements relating to the
scheme.
To generate awareness and social mobilization.

To govern the GS for planning and conducting social audit
To make available all relevant documents, including the Muster Rolls, vouchers, bills, copies
of sanction orders, measurement books, and other connected books of account and papers,
to the GS to conduct the social audit.
To monitor the implementation at the village level.
To proactively disclose details of works completed and ongoing at worksites, names of
persons who have worked, the number of days worked, wages paid, quantity and price of
materials purchased for each project, and supplying material at worksites GP offices other
prominent public places.
To provide the information specified in Audit of Schemes Rules to the Social Audit Unit.
To organize Rozgar Diwas at every ward and Gram Panchayat level at least once a
month.
Weaknesses in the Implementation

In the last ten years, MGNREGA has created 13.04 crore Job Card holders, out of which 55 % are active.
However, specific challenges have come up during the implementation of MGNREGA works. The report Lok
Sabha Standing Committee on Rural Development (2013) on the implementation of MGNREGA outlined
the problems thatimpede the scheme's healthy functioning as follows;
Delay in Work Completion: The average work completion rate between 2006-07 and 2012-13 was 33.22 %
(Formula: Total work completed/Total work taken up X 100). Several reasons for the delay are there,
such as cost escalation during work, wagerevisions or increase in materials cost, leading to an increase in the
total project cost. In some cases, the labour budget has not accommodated the increase in cost and
therefore, they have abandoned those works. Other works are left incomplete because of the non--
‐feasibility ofthe task, e.g., detection of hard rock boulders, drying up of water bodies, and delay in
uploading data on the MIS portal, spill over of works from one financial year to the subsequent financial
year, lack of technical expertise of the Implementation Agencies etc.
Delay in Payment of Wages: The MGNREGA beneficiaries generally rely on 100 days’ work wages for
their daily subsistence. In this case, delay in wage payment becomes a significant road block for
successfully implementing the scheme. The delay in wage payment is accounted for by the lack of
adequate banking infrastructure, which hinders wages. As per the committee report, there are 56,000
rural branches and 1 52,000 post offices. Most of these post office branches are single employee offices.
The existing branch outreach network is woefully inadequate for the disbursal of wages on such a large
scale. The available financial services are not enough to handle the requirements created by the wage
disbursal under the scheme.
The Nature of Works: The works commissioned under the scheme are required to be durable. However,
there have been many complaints about the temporary and low-quality nature of the works. One of the
crucial factors that lead to the works' non-durability is the wages to the material ratio (60:40)
stipulated for the expenditure of any work. In some cases, where material procurement cost is high, like
hilly areas or flood-prone regions, the allotted material cost (40 %) is not enough to create suitable
quality structures to stand the test of time. Moreover, the material cost rises due to market variation,
leading to insufficient funds for good quality material. Besides, some other problems plague the scheme
like pilferages leading to leakage of funds, delay in the provisions of job cards, and lack of trained work
force at every level.
Case Study of Convergence on MGNREGA at Dhone Mandal, Kurnool

District in Andhra Pradesh
Currently, the convergence of projects is going on in 123 districts across 22 states. For
183
302 Pa example,
nchayati Raj the Andhra Pradesh Government (in the Dhone Mandal of Kurnool district) has R
formulated a convergence model for MGNREGA and the National Horticulture Board (NHB).
T adesh
h
e
y
h
a
v
e
d
e
v
el
o
p
e
d
a
m
ic
ro
-
ir
ri
g
a
ti
o
n
pr
oj
e
ct
in
c
ol
la
b
or
a
ti
o
n
w
it
h
th
e
A
n
d
hr
a
Pr
Recommendations for Strengthening MGNREGA
Adequate and Qualified Staff: There should be placed adequate and qualified workforce at every level.
States/UTs can utilize 6 % of the annual expenditure for the emoluments of the Programme Officer,
GRS, and other support staff. The authorities should ensure effective use of the fund for employing well-
qualified account assistants and engineers at every level, especially at the Gram Panchayat level, to
strengthen the PRIs and efficient utilization of resources.
Strengthen GP Capacity: The Gram Panchayat is required to hold social audits once every six months.
Despite the devolution of power in MGNRES, not much achieved towards enhancing the capacity of the
Gram Panchayat. Regular training sessions must be conducted within the GP to make all inhabitants
aware of the features and new developments in the scheme. Special sessions may be organized to spread
the importance of detailed record-keeping at the GP level. Also, self Help Groups (SHGs) and Civil Society
organizations (CSOs) could be involved for information dissemination and training.
Innovative Models for Wage Payment: To ensure maximum outreach MGNREGA benefits, innovative
models need to be experimented in their execution including the wage payment mechanism. For
instance, micro ATMs may be used to disburse wage payments. Another idea for spreading financial
services is the seeding of bank accounts with Aadhaar card. The Aadhaar -•based wage payments have
been fully operational in the state of Himachal Pradesh, according to the Sameeksha reports of MoRD.
The MGNREGA is the first attempt to codify development rights in a legal context. Though the
MGNREGA is not the key to the rejuvenation of rural areas or the end of poverty in India, it is
undoubtedly a chance for the rural poor that live on the margins to stake a small claim in the
development process. India has more than 260 million people living below the poverty line (BPL). The
scheme, although not flawless, could prove to be their chance to rise out of absolute poverty and reap
the fruits of development the rest of the country is enjoying. It would not be an exaggeration to call the
MGNREGA a boon to millions of rural adults, especially those under BPL, to get work opportunities in
sync with their skill level and thereby earn a guaranteed income for their livelihood.
5.2. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA)

“When there is both inner and outer cleanliness, it approaches godliness” - Mahatma Gandhi

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (In English: Clean India Mission) is the most significant cleanliness and solid
waste management campaign initiated by the Union Government in 2014. The SBA is a restructured
version of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2009, which failed to achieve the intended targets.
The SBA is a national level campaign launched by the Government of India covering 4041 statutory
towns across India. The SBA aims to eradicate open defecation before the 150th anniversary of
Mahatma Gandhi's birth (2nd October 2019). It plans to construct 90 million toilets in rural India at an
estimated cost of Rs.1.96 lakh crore (USD 27 billion). The core objective is to make India clean, hygienic
and self-sustained.
Objectives of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan - Phase I

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan focuses on constructing more toilets and establishing an accountable
mechanism for monitoring toilet use. For changing people's attitudes, mindsets and behaviours, proper,
dedicated ground staffs are employed at all levels of panchayats. The objectives of SBA are as follows;
To make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by 2019.
To eradicate the barbaric practice of manual scavenging.
To create separate toilets for girls and boys in all schools by 15.08.2015.
To ensure toilet facilities in all Anganwadis.
To construct individual, cluster and community toilets.
To increase public awareness about the drawbacks of open defecation and to encourage
latrine use.
To establish an accountable mechanism for monitoring latrine use.
To recruit dedicated ground staff to bring about behavioural change and promotion of latrine
use.
To keep the villages, clean with Solid and Liquid
Waste Management through gram panchayats.
To ensure water supply to all households by 2019
by laying water pipelines in all villages.
Launching of the Programme

The Swachh Bharat Mission, conceived in March 2014 at a
sanitation conference organized by UNICEF India and Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, is a part of the larger Total
Sanitation Campaign, which the Indian government launched
in 1999. Inaugurating the SBA mission at Rajpath in New
Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India's
best tribute to Gandhiji on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019
would be a 'Clean India'. While launching the mission, Prime Minister Modi addressed the citizens in a
public gathering held at Rajghat, New Delhi and appealed to everyone to join this campaign with
complete dedication.
He also mentioned in his speech a World Health Organization (WHO) report that people in India spent
around Rs. 6500 every year due to illness, absent to work and hospitalization caused by dirt and poor
sanitation. He also insisted that keeping India clean will help all her citizens save at least Rs.6500 each
year. The Prime Minister also flagged off a walkathon at Rajpath and surprised people by joining a long
march with the participants. Later, on that day, Modi himself wielded a broom, swept a parking area at
Mandir Marg Police Station, and cleaned a pavement in Valmiki Basti (a colony of sanitation workers)
near Connaught Place, Delhi.

Gandhi's Dream India
Gandhiji wanted independence to start from the villages. He wanted every village to be clean, hygienic
and self-sustained so that it could manage all affairs by its strength. His village republic was independent
of its neighbours for its vital needs by growing sufficient crops for food and cotton for cloth. Also, the
villages he suggested had a reserve for their cattle, recreation and playground for adults and children.
Gandhiji viewed sanitation as the first problem a village worker should solve. He believed that it was the
most neglected of all the problems that baffle workers, undermine physical well-being and breed
diseases. His ideal villages had perfect lanes and streets which were free from all avoidable dust. He
wanted the village worker to sweep them regularly.
Gandhiji wanted to create villages with good waterworks to ensure water supply for all in the village and
maintain controlled wells and tanks to avoid their sinful misuse. He said that it is universal medical
evidence that the neglect of purity of water supply is primarily responsible for many of the diseases
suffered by the villagers. Hence, he directed the village workers to maintain the village tanks and wells,
keep them clean, and get rid of dung-heaps.
Gandhiji suggested constructing fixed latrines at village houses as open defecation fouls the air and
brings diseases. He believed that when the excreta of animals and humans mixed with refuse, it could
become a valuable commodity, golden manure. He believed that this night soil turned manure could be
used to increase the productivity of the soil as he observed that the organic manure ever enriches, never
impoverishes the soil. He was confident that given the willing cooperation of the masses of India, this
country could not only drive out the problem of food grain shortage but could also provide the country
with more than required.
He thought a village worker ignorant of village sanitation methods, the one who could not become a
successful scavenger wielding broom and shovels in his hands with the same ease and pride as wielding
pen and pencil, cannot fit himself for village service. He expected the village worker to speak to the
villagers on the value of sanitation, the significant injury caused by its negligence, and how and where
they should perform daily functions to ensure sanitation and continue doing his work whether the
villagers listen to him or not.
Gandhiji knew that it needs a heroic effort to eradicate the age-old practice of insanitation. He
suggested that if the workers begin the work themselves, working like paid Bhangi each day and always
encouraging the villagers to join, the villagers sooner or later will cooperate. He said that cleanliness is
only next to Godliness and that village sanitation was more important than political freedom.
Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan

The Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) introduced by former Prime Minister Mr. Man Mohan Singh in 2012
was the revised version of the Total Sanitation Campaign. With the broader goal of eradicating open
defecation and ensuring sanitation facilities in rural areas, the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water
Mission, GoI launched a comprehensive programme called 'Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in 1999.
Under the TSC, Projects have been launched in entire rural India, covering 607 Districts in 30 States and
Union Territories. It was a demand-driven and people-centric programme based on the principle "From
low to No subsidy". An incentive was given to the poor rural households as a nominal subsidy to
construct toilets.

The critical intervention areas consisted of Individual
Household Latrines (IHHL), School Sanitation & Hygiene
Education, Community Sanitary Complex and Anganwadi
Toilets. The scheme laid a strong emphasis on
Information, Education and Communication (IEC),
capacity building, and hygiene education for effective
behaviour change with PRIs, community-based
organizations, and NGOs. The main objectives of the NBA
were as follows;
To improve the general quality of life in the

rural areas.
To accelerate sanitation coverage in rural
areas, achieve the visions of Nirmal Bharat,
and attain Nirmal Status in Gram Panchayats
by 2022.
To motivate communities and Panchayati Raj
Institutions promoting sustainable sanitation
facilities through awareness creation and health education.
To cover the remaining schools not covered under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and
Anganwadi Centers in the rural areas with proper sanitation facilities and undertake
proactive promotion of hygiene education and sanitary habits among students.
To eliminate open defecation and to minimize the contamination of water sources and food.
To convert dry latrines to pour flush latrines and eliminate manual scavenging practice
wherever found in rural areas.
Clean Village Award

A "Nirmal Gram" is an "Open Defecation Free" village where all houses, Schools and Anganwadis have
sanitary toilets, and all in the community are aware of the importance of maintaining personal and
community hygiene a clean environment. For the implementation of this scheme, the Gram Panchayat is
the basic unit. A project proposal that emanates from a district is scrutinized and consolidated by the
State Government and transmitted to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation as a State Plan.
The "Nirmal Gram Puraskar" (Clean Village Award) was started in 2005 to honour, felicitate and
encourage those Panchayati Raj Institutions which have achieved full sanitation coverage and become
Open Defecation Free and the clean village under the TSC programme. The scheme covered all needy
families in the area of operation without discriminating poor and rich. As per the available data, Sikkim
was the first Nirmal State to achieve total sanitation coverage.
Logo of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The logo for the Swachh Bharat Mission signifies the vision of Mahatma Gandhi, who wanted to see a
Swachh Bharat. It contains the spectacles of Mahatma Gandhi with the bridge of the spectacles in the
National Tri-colour. It signifies the entire nation uniting to achieve the vision of Mahatma Gandhi for a
Clean India.
The logo for the Swachh Bharat Mission signifies the vision of Mahatma Gandhi, who wanted to see a
Swachh Bharat. It contains the spectacles of Mahatma Gandhi with the bridge of the spectacles in the

National Tri-colour. It signifies the entire nation uniting to achieve the vision of Mahatma Gandhi for a
Clean India.
The tagline “one step towards cleanliness’ (in Hindi: ‘Ek Kadam Swachta Ki or’) exhorts all citizens to
contribute in their way towards achieving Swachh Bharat. Mr Anant Khasbardar from Kolhapur,
Maharashtra designed the pictorial depiction of Gandhiji's spectacle with 'Swachh Bharat' (clean India)
and Ms Bhagyashri Seth from Rajkot, Gujrat wrote the tagline. The designers received a cash prize of Rs.
50,000 and Rs.25 000 for the best entries for logo and slogan, respectively. Notably, India's new series
currency notes have this SBM logo and slogan on them.
Swachhta Pledge
While launching the mission, the Prime Minister led a cleanliness pledge at India Gate, which about
thirty lakh government employees joined. The Prime Minister said that Mahatma Gandhi dreamt for not
only free India but also to make India clean and developed. He said that Gandhiji had secured freedom
for Mother India and now we the people have to serve Mother India by keeping her neat and clean. He
urged the people to take a pledge to remain committed to cleanliness and devote time to this noble
cause. Some significant points from the excerpts of the pledge are as follows;
I will devote two hours per week and 100 hours per year to voluntary work for
cleanliness. Neither I will litter nor let others litter (in Hindi ‘Na Gandagi Karenge, Na
Karne Denge’)
I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with myself, my family, my locality, my village and in my
workplace.
I shall understand that the world countries that appear clean and hygiene are so because their
people do not indulge in littering, nor do they allow others to litter. Firmly believing this, I will
propagate the message of the Swachh Bharat Mission in villages and towns.
I will encourage 100 other persons to take this pledge which I am taking today.
I will endeavour to make them devote their 100 hours to cleanliness.
I am confident that every step I take towards cleanliness will help in making my country clean.
Management of the Programme

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) or Clean India Mission is a national level initiative introduced to
eradicate the age-old practice of open defecation and manual scavenging. The mission aims to provide
basic sanitation with the proper sewage system, safe and adequate drinking water supply, bathing
facility, lavatories, hand pumps, liquid and solid waste disposal systems, and rural cleanliness to every
citizen. The SBA Mission is financed and managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
in urban areas and by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MoDWS) in rural areas. SBA is
India's largest cleanliness drive to date; with three million government employees and students from all
over the country participated from 4043 cities, towns and rural communities.
The action plan includes constructing toilets, launching national-level media campaigns and involvement
of students to create awareness. Since most of India's population lives in rural areas, this campaign will
create health and hygiene awareness among rural people. It will also improve the country's GDP growth,
generate multiple employment sources, draw more tourists, and cause overall economic development.
Volunteers known as Swachha Grahis (Ambassadors of Cleanliness) promote Community Approaches to
Sanitation (CAS) and indoor plumbing in villages. The other activities of SBA consist of national real-time
monitoring and updates from non-governmental organizations such as SWaCH Pune (Solid Waste
Collection and Handling), the Ugly Indian and Waste Warriors.
To Do Activity
Adopt a village near your Institute and experience cleaning the village school, hospital1, 8t8emple, and
302 Panchayati Raj MGNCRE
any other public area and feel how proud it is to contribute to the process of making a Clean India.
Also, persuade villagers to join with your team in action and motivate them to continue in future.
Think what can be the best way to motivate them.
Achievements of SBA – Phase I
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan maintains the
relationship between cleanliness and better health
since its inception. Starting from the Prime Minister
to film actors and sportspeople, several public
figures have advocated with the public the need for
transferring clean India to a healthier India. In 1990,
deaths due to unsafe water and sanitation consisted of 13 per cent of total deaths across the country.
By 2016, this percentage had come down to 5 per cent. As per data from Global Health Observatory,
child diarrhea deaths in India decreased from 1 21,889 in 2014 to 1 02,813 in 2016. Within two years,
the percentage of under-five children dying from diarrhea had come down from 13% to 9%.
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have sanitation coverage of 80 per cent and
above, signaling stark changes in their sanitation figures.
According to the Annual Report 2020-21 released by the MoHUA, urban areas of 35 states and UTs have
become ODF. Only 32 ULBs from West Bengal are remaining to be ODF. A total of 4,340 cities (out of
4,372) have declared themselves ODF (99% progress), of which 4,258 cities/ULBs have been certified as
Open Defecation Free (ODF) after third party certification by 31.12. 2020. There are 4270 ODF certified
ULBs by March 2021.
For this, SBA has constructed (or under construction) 66.72 lakh units of Individual Household Toilets
(IHHL) against the target of 58.99 lakhs by 31.12.2020, which indicates 113% progress. Further, SBA has
planned to construct 3 lakh more IHHL units from January to March 2021. Also, the SBA has constructed
(or under construction) 6.28 lakh seats of Community and Public Toilet seats (CT/PT) against the target
of 5.07 lakhs by 31.12.2020, indicating 124% progress. Further, SBA has also planned to construct 25000
CT/PT from January to March 2021.
More than 42,000 public toilet blocks across 1400 cities have been mapped and visible on Google maps.
More than 81.5 thousand wards in urban areas have 100% door to door collection of solid waste. Nearly
65 thousand wards have started practicing 100% se gregation
Fig.5.7 The Chennai
of waste at Kids withSBA
source. theirhas
Swachh
around 65 % of the 150 thousand metric tons of s enabled
conducted by Ashoka University concluded that the c Boat olid waste generated in urban areas. A study
reduction in the incidence of sexual assault against women.
Swachh Bot: Robots joins Clean India Mission

Kidobotikz, a Chennai based private institute, has helped school students across the city to create a
robot that picks up garbage on Elliots Beach, Chennai, during the weekends. He is 'Swachh Bot', a robot
designed by 40 school students from across the city for cleaning the beach. He is swift, robust, looks
suave and wherever he goes, he gathers garbage.

The designers are the students of Kidobotikz, an institution where school students learn building robots
—situated at KK. Nagar Chennai, Kidobotikz was started by Sneha Priya and Pranavan, who conducts
regular robotic classes for kids during the weekends. A shared passion for robotics brought
these Anna University engineering students together, not just into an enduring romantic relationship
but a business partnership that launched SP Robotic Works, a brand that today makes a revenue of over
Rs Seven crore annually.
For class XI students and above, they run a one and a half year course and issue certificates. The classes
allow school kids to play with equipment and gain some practical experience. They also have fun-based
learning sessions for younger kids conducted at their center on weekends. "We have touched the lives
of nearly 50,000 in India. We want our kids to become innovators and not just users of technology,"
declares 30-year-old Pranavan, talking about the 75-center substantial enterprise spread across various
cities in the country, currently imparting training to about 12,000 students in the age group of six to 17.
Initially, it was not easy for them to construct a vehicle that could run on sand. For a month, these
students worked on Swachh Bot. Engineers helped the students at every stage. They worked on various
versions before coming up with the perfect one. This machine quickly drags the garbage on the sand,
which the volunteers will collect and throw into a dustbin. The students of this Institute had already
created robots to perform day-to-day chores, including cleaning their own houses. So, with Prime
Minister's Clean India Campaign gaining popularity, they decided to create a robot that cleans public
spaces and finally came up with the 'Swachh Bot'.
Swachh Bharat Mission- Phase II

As announced in the Union Budget, the Swachh Bharat Mission (Phase-II) will be responsible for sewage
management in all cities with less than 1 lakh. The SBM is currently framing the guidelines for a 'citizen
centric' Swachh Survekshan 2022, which will have more importance on technological solutions.
Primarily it focuses on the segregation of waste at the source or home level as it will reduce the cost and
labour. Phase 2 of the mission will take place between 2020–21 and 2024-25.
Objectives of SBA - Phase II

To sustain the open defecation free status.
To improve the management of solid and liquid waste by segregating them at the source.
To progress towards achieving the target No. 6.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
as established by the United Nations in 2015.
Swachh Survekshan
Swachh Survekshan, commissioned by the Ministry of Urban Development and carried out by the
Quality Council of India (QCI), is an extensive sanitation survey across several hundred cities. It aims to
check the progress and impact of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and foster a spirit of competition among the
cities. The six parameters used to evaluate the city performance are as follows;
1
302 Panchayati MGNC
1. Municipal solid waste, sweeping, collection and transportation
2. Municipal solid waste, processing, and disposal of solid waste
3. Open defecation free and toilets
4. Capacity building and eLearning
5. Provision of public toilets and community toilets
6. Information, education and communication, and behaviour change
The survey intends to encourage people participation on a large scale, create awareness amongst all
sections of society, and encourage or working together towards making towns and cities a better place
to live. The survey also aims to foster a spirit of healthy competition among cities and towns to improve
their service delivery to people and cleaner ci Fig. 5.8 SBA Latrines Unusable during Floods in
ties and towns. The responsibility of conducting
Swachh Survekshan is with the Ministry of Urban Bihar the
Drinking Water and Sanitation in rural areas. The Quality Council of India carries out the assessment.
Challenges in SBA Implementation
Reckless Number Chase: The target-driven construction of toilets has become the primary focus of SBA
instead of focusing on its effective utilization. As a result, there are many instances that the hasty
implementation of SBA and its survey system has turned this noble effort into a reckless number chase.
Around 34.6 per cent of villages in India have declared themselves open defecation free. However, in
most instances, the mission has ignored the essential factors such as the availability of water, quality of
toilet construction, soil type, groundwater level, solid and liquid waste management, and adaptability
and acceptance by villagers. For example,
Rahimpur Uttari, a gram panchayat in Bihar's
Khagaria district, has 100 per cent coverage,
but the toilets constructed there have many
structural limitations and defects. Many of the
toilets constructed there rendered unusable
in monsoon due to flood in Ganga. Instead of
achieving the intended SBA goal of
encouraging community involvement, if states
focus only on increasing their numbers for
record sake, achieving the core objective will
become a real challenge.
Diverted Fund Allocations: The core

objectives of SBA, such as eliminating open
defecation and improving solid waste management, were not give due care while implementing the
scheme. Often, the diversion of funds allocated for solid waste management towards toilet construction
became a critical issue. Also, for funding SBA, the allocations made for other sectors have been
drastically reduced. Though behavioural change is one of the mission's goals, only 1% of the mission's
outlay went on education and awareness. Most of the allocation made for the ‘information, education
and communication’ category was spent only on print, radio and television advertisements. There is a
criticism that this mission has been more subsidy-driven rather than community-driven.
Unabated Miseries of Manual Scavenging: Even though the eradication of manual scavenging is one of
the primary objectives of SBA, that barbaric practice still exists in many parts of the country despite its
prohibition since 2013. As per the reports of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis, though

there was no reported death registered due to manual scavenging, on an average, six people have died
every month in the last five years (376 people have died from 2015 to 2019) while cleaning sewers and
septic tanks across India.
According to Safai Karamcharis Andolan (SKA), a movement for eliminating manual scavenging in India,
one of the main reasons for the continuance of the practice is the usage of dry latrines. As per the 2011
census, there are 26, 07,612 dry latrines in India. In 2021, even five years after launching the program,
several thousands of Indians still work as manual scavengers in emptying bucket toilets and pit latrines.
There are 62,904 identified manual scavengers in the country from December 2013 to January 2020.
Many continue to work on contractual arrangements without the safety of their job and benefits that
would accrue from a government job. The SBA pins the responsibility on the contractual sanitation
workers to keep public places clean while freely allowing the public to dirt the public places by urinating,
defecating or littering. According to SKA data, manual scavengers, predominantly women, are paid Rs.
180-200 per month per household and their life span are about 40-45 years due to multiple health
issues — hepatitis, cholera, meningitis, typhoid, and cardiovascular problems. Almost 98 per cent of the
people involved in manual scavenging are women and Dalits.
Several Asian countries, including Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, have successfully tackled sewage
management. Some of them have adopted either sustainable methods of sewage disposal or use
machinery to treat effluent. The sewerage management of Malaysia has evolved in a phased manner
from primitive systems to more mechanical and automated systems since their independence in 1957.
The ecological sanitation model of Mexico closes the loop on sewage treatment. It is a waste
management model that treats wash water, urine and human excreta safely collected, stored and
treated for further use as agricultural resources. Americans use machinery, but there are proper tunnels
and equipment in place. Western countries follow strict industrial safety standards that specify and
distinguish between safe and unsafe work. There are supposed to be several safeguard mechanisms in
the sewage treatment plants they work. These include installing certain lamps within the plant, which
could promptly indicate harmful gases inside the plant. Such safeguards are rarely available in India.
Many people indicate the caste of the labours as the main reason why governments and officials do not
want to invest money in procuring any such machinery or safety mechanism for this dirty and unhygienic
work. They are mostly Dalits, working for meager wages without anyone's frown or apprehension from
the society. The Government and SBA officials have to formulate some focused plans to completely ban
this manual scavenging practice and remove this social stain altogether. Until this inhuman practice of
manual scavenging and septic tank deaths come to an end, there is no SBA achievement in true sense.
Inappropriate Containment System: Most toilets constructed under the mission rely on single
pit or twin pits or septic systems to contain faecal sludge for lack of sewerage systems. However, in
haste to achieve construction targets, their appropriateness for the local context is not considered much
in many cases; for example, most of the 7.85 million toilets constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.
Ninety-four thousand two hundred five million in the 15 extreme flood-prone districts of Northern Bihar
become unusable during the annual floods. Besides the inaccessible toilet, the containment structure is
also inundated with floodwaters making it unusable.
Other Interconnected Issues: Adding millions of on-site sanitation systems and not considering faecal
sludge management will further add to the pollution of the rivers in India. There is skepticism about the
success of SBA, which relates to sanitation workers, but the sanitation workers, who are the real

champions behind making India clean, are always 'invisible’ in the top-level planning of this national
level movement. Also, in many parts of the country, including Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar,
hundreds of beneficiaries have filed complaints that the authorities have siphoned off SBA money
without constructing the toilets. To make SBA successful, the government should identify a transparent
mechanism to monitor that the fund allocated reaches the actual beneficiaries and spent for the
intended purpose.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan mission is one of the world's most extensive sanitation programmes. The
mission has claimed to have provided millions of people access to toilet facilities and brought about a
change in its usage. Many argue that it has not eliminated open defecation as rapidly as the government
claims. However, it is still comfortable to see that the cases of open defecation are on the decline. It
should be the joint responsibility of all the 125 crore citizens of the country. As the Prime Minister
exclaims, "If Indians can reach from Earth to Mars at the cheapest expense, will it not be possible for
them to put one step towards cleanliness and make India Clean?"
5.3. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

“The future of rural India is intertwined with its ability to integrate science and technology”
- Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
Introduction
The PMKVY Scheme (or) the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is a unique initiative taken by the
Indian Government to encourage and promote skill development/ skill certification. It provides free
short duration skill training and incentivizes it by providing monetary rewards to the youth for skill
certification. The Yojana launched under the National Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Policy
2015 aims to offer meaningful, industry-relevant and skill-based training to 24 lakh Indian youth. The
overall idea was to boost up their employability corresponding to the industrial demand. The National
Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is the implementing agency for PMKVY.
Background
India is the second-largest populated country in the world, only after China. Currently, only a tiny
proportion of India's workforce has any formal skill training. Not surprisingly, several sectors in the
country faced a shortage of skilled people and are struggling with low productivity caused by the poor
quality of workers. At the same time, large sections of youth in the country are looking for adequate skill
training and employment opportunities. From this viewpoint, youth's skill training and certification have
become an essential need for the country. Providing skills to the youth population is essential for
economic development and would help fulfil youth aspirations for good quality, better-paid jobs, and
self-employment opportunities. Moreover, with a large pool of skill trained people, India has an
opportunity to become a skill-provider for the world, particularly the ageing developed world.
PMKVY 1.0 (2015-16)

The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 1.0 (PMKVY 1.0), India's largest Skill Certification Scheme, was
launched on 15th July 2015 on the World Youth Skills Day.
Implementation: The National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), under the Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE), implemented the PMKVY 1.0. Short Term Training, Special
Projects, Recognition of Prior Learning, Kaushal and Employment Mela were the key components.
Outcome: The NSDC trained a total of 19.85 lakh candidates under PMKVY 1.0 during 2015-16.

PMKVY 2.0 (2016-20)
After successfully implementing PMKVY 1.0 in 2015-16, the NSDC launched the PMKVY 2.0 on 15th July
2016 by scaling up the previous version Sector wise and Geography wise. The scheme has come up with
greater alignment with other missions of the Government of India like Make in India, Digital India, and
Swachh Bharat. The NSDC completed the execution of PMKVY 2.0 by 31st March 2020. The total
allocated budget of PMKVY 2.0 was Rs.12000 Crores.
Implementation: The PMKVY 2.0 was implemented in two components as follows;

i. Centrally Sponsored Centrally Managed (CSCM): The National Skill Development
Corporation (NSDC) implemented the CSCM component. 75% of the PMKVY 2.0 funds and
corresponding physical targets came under the CSCM allocation.
ii. Centrally Sponsored State Managed (CSSM): State Governments implemented this
component through State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs). As a result, 25% of the
PMKVY 2.0 funds and corresponding physical targets came under the CSSM allocation.
Outcome: More than 1.2 Crore youth population have been trained or oriented through a
standardized, improved skilling ecosystem in the country under PMKVY 1.0 and PMKVY 2.0.
PMKVY 3.0 (2020-26)

Based on the PMKVY 2.0 learnings and reorienting the
scheme in synchronization with the present scenario,
policy changes and changing priorities in different
sectors, the Government decided to introduce the
PMKVY 3.0. The implementation of PMKVY 3.0 has two
phases. First, the NSDC shall execute the 1st phase,
known as PMKVY 3.0, on a pilot basis during 2020-21.
Second, this phase shall initiate creating the
implementation framework for the second phase of
PMKVY 3.0. The period for the 2nd phase shall be 2021-26.
The scheme shall supplement various Central and State Governments schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi
National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), Deendayal
Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), National Apprenticeship Promotion
Scheme (NAPS), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), and
other programmes having goals similar to PMKVY 3.0 that aims to generate livelihood opportunities for
the candidates trained under the scheme. In addition, this training scheme will ensure a more significant
linkage of the schemes with the skills ecosystem.
Objectives of PMKVY 3.0

The primary objectives of PMKVY are as follows;
To create an ecosystem for the youth to make informed choices on the available skilling
avenues.
To facilitate eligible youth for skill training and certification.
To promote sustainable Skill Centers for greater participation of the private sector.
To benefit 8 lakh youth over the scheme period 2020-21.
Approach to Roll Out PMKVY 3.0

The Basic Premise: The basic premise for the scheme is to create a skilled and certified workforce that
can contribute to India's growth and drive the country into becoming the global skills capital. The NSDC
has envisaged significant core and peripheral reforms for the implementation approach of the scheme.
With the limited scope available for implementation, the scheme focuses on creating a detailed
framework for the training provisions and piloting them for a larger rollout in the second phase during
2021-26.The core principles of the scheme are as follows;
It shall be more trainee-centric or learner-centric, deviating from the earlier trainer-centric

model.
To plan from the below, with district-level plans being the fundamental instruments for
implementation.
To enhance the State and UTs participation in the entire implementation process of the scheme.
To strengthen District Skill Committees (DSCs), State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs), and
State Directorate of Technical Education through handholding, strategic and funding support.
To create a pool of certified trainers for direct funding for Training of Trainers (ToT)
programmes.
To increase productivity through keeping the primary focuses on up-skilling or re-skilling
focusing on future skills (industry 4.0) courses.
To focus on the online or digital mode of training for broader coverage.
To introduce significant reforms in the assessment ecosystem, including Common Assessment
Centers (CACs) and online assessments tools.
To undertake large scale grass-root publicity (including booklets and pamphlets distribution),
media campaigns, and awareness programs.
Fig. 5.9. Skill Development Programme for Village Students Provided at Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering
College, Affiliated to AKTU, Lucknow
Support Structure
The support structure used to achieve PMKVY 3.0 objectives are as follows;
To create nodal skill information and service centers at the district level.
To create awareness about skill development training and mobilizing youth to take up skill
training and become employable to earn their livelihood.
To conduct skill gap survey and analysis regularly to address the industry needs and
contemporary market demand.

To encourage standardization through complete training process and to create a registry of
skills.
To create sustainable and state-of-the-art Skill Training Centers.
To encourage Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and Centers of Excellence (CoE).
To encourage private sector participation with a greater focus on industry training.
To ensure maximum utilization of available infrastructure with Universities, Colleges, ITIs,
Polytechnics and Schools.
To coordinate with the Ministry of Education (MoE) for the phase-wise introduction of
vocational courses in schools.
To bring broader process convergence of multiple skill development schemes of the Central
Ministries with this scheme in a phased manner.
To make preferential target allocation for Aspirational, Left-wing Extremism (LWE), North
Eastern Regions (NER), Hilly Regions and any other focused districts or regions identified by the
GoI.
To provide a monetary reward to youth post their skill certification.
Add-on Bridge courses and language courses to make the scheme internationally compatible
and provide international employment opportunities to the Indian youth.
To Do Activity
Visit a PMKVY training center in the local area, talk to a participant trainee, and understand how the scheme has helped t
Training Target: PMKVY 3.0 is a demand-driven scheme. It has a dynamically fixed training target as
recommended by the Steering Committee (SC). Based on the PMKVY 2.0 experiences, the NSDC has
planned to train a total of 8 lakh youths (PMKVY Short Term Training 2.20 lakh and PMKVY Recognition
of Prior Learning 5.80 lakh) during 2020-21.
Fig. 5.10. Women Participants are taught Tailoring Skills under PMKVY 3.0
Implementation Structure
The PMKVY 3.0 shall be implemented in two components as listed below;

Centrally Sponsored Centrally Managed (CSCM): The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
implemented the CSCM component. As a result, 75% of the PMKVY 3.0 funds and corresponding
physical targets came under the CSCM allocation.
Centrally Sponsored State Managed (CSSM): State Governments implemented this component through
State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs). 25% of the PMKVY 3.0 funds and corresponding physical
targets came under the CSSM allocation. If required, the Steering Committee may reallocate the target
under CSCM / CSSM component at any time in any appropriate ratio to create competitiveness among
the States to effectively implement the Skill India initiatives.
Implementation Strategy
The implementation strategy for PMKVY 3.0 is as follows;
The PMKVY 3.0 envisages working more closely with the District and State machinery by
establishing District Skill Committees (DSCs) and State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs)
respectively.
In executing the PMKVY 3.0, the DSCs play a pivotal role under the guidance of SSDMs. The DSCs
shall mobilize the youth for training, counselling and batch formation. It would also take care of
monitoring and supervising the scheme at the district level. Furthermore, it will coordinate with
nodal centers and other ITIs to implement the STT. Also, the DSCs shall take care of providing post-
training support, handholding for placements/self-employment, verification of placements and
grievance redressal.
The State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs) are the nodal agency for implementing Skill
Development initiatives in the States/UTs. (Sector Skill Councils) SSCs are autonomous industry
bodies that play a vital role in bridging the gap between skilling demand and supply.
Institutions such as the Directorate General of Training (DGT), National Skill Development
Corporation (NSDC), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small
Business Development (NIESBUD), and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) shall provide the
handholding and mentoring support.
The NSDC will provide strategic support in areas such as Information Technology (IT)
interventions, capacity building of SSDMs, empanelment of Training Providers, curriculum
development and any other need-based support for smooth implementation of the scheme.
The National Skill Training Institutes shall provide Trainers (ToT) for Short-Term Training (STT)
trainers. In addition, the National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) shall build
a reformed assessment and certification system under this scheme as a unified regulatory
framework
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MoSDE) shall set up a Project
Management Unit (PMU) for supporting MSDE in the implementation of PMKVY 3.0. To set up the
PMU, the Ministry may use the Administrative Expenditure of the CSCM component.
Academic Institutions, Industry Bodies, Government ITIs or any other institution identified and
empanelled by NCVET may be added to the pool of assessment and certification bodies to
maintain a robust and smooth accreditation and certification process.

Efforts shall be made for capacity enhancement of SSCs by (i) Setting up regional Centers of
Excellence (CoEs) by SSCs, (ii) State level chapters of SSCs, (iii) Round the year ToTs by the SSCs,
(iv) Coordination with 33 NSTIs for ToT and developing CoEs.
In addition, the apprenticeship portal shall also provide registration support and post-training
linkages with Apprenticeship for trainees.
The overall administrative expenditure earmarked for DSC / SSDM / NSDC as (i) Administrative/
monitoring expenditure (6 % of total scheme outlay), (ii). Awareness and Mobilization expenditure
(3 % of total scheme outlay), (iii) Post-placement expenditure (2 % of total scheme outlay). The
division of expenditure shall be as follows;
Table 5.1 PMKVY Fund Flow for CSCM and CSSM for Various Heads
CSSM (25 % of
Funds Flow CSCM (75 % of outlay) outlay)
Admin/ Monitoring expenses: DSC (2 %), MSDE, NSDC (4 DSC (2 %), SSDM (4
6 % of outlay %) %)
DSC (2 %), MSDE, NSDC (1 DSC (2 %), SSDM (1
Awareness expenses: 3 % of outlay
%) %)
Post-placement expenses: 2 % of DSC (1 %), SSDM (1
DSC (1 %), NSDC (1 %)
outlay %)
Both NSDC and SSDM shall be responsible for implementing the Recognition of Prior Learning
(RPL). The particular focus shall be on RPL on Demand, RPL through SSC and SSDM. RPL Guidelines
shall be revised accordingly.
PMKVY 3.0, in coordination with the Ministry of Education (MoE), shall initiate the phase-wise
introduction of vocational courses in the school curriculum, with proper technical support.
DSC's role is central to the implementation of PMKVY 3.0. The SSDMs may provide support to
DSCs with additional handholding by NSDC if required. If DSC cannot perform its role, NSDC /
SSDMs may extend support of Training Providers to carry out activities under PMKVY 3.0.
Financial Management: SSDM and NSDC shall follow the General Financial Rules (GFR) regarding PMKVY
3.0. NSDC and SSDM have to adhere to the expenditure guidelines and submission of Utilization
Certificates (UCs). The Public Financial Management System (PFMS) platform shall manage the fund
transactions of this scheme. Direct monetary rewards paid to the candidates also managed under PFMS
by linking it with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Bharat Portal.
Convergence: To remove duplication, lack of standardization, varied norms for enrolment and Training,
PMKVY 3.0 (2020-21) seeks convergence with other skill development schemes of all Central Ministries
and States / UTs in a phased manner. This convergence may happen as discussed below;
Phase 1: The National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) aligns more than 3,000 job roles,
implements Common Cost Norms, and establishes a unified regulator through NCVET. It is an ongoing
process that has already achieved significant convergence

Phase 2: The Phase 2 activities of PMKVY 3.0 shall consist, the creation of a common database through
Skill India Portal (SIP), the establishment of Training Centers (TCs), Quality regulation through SIP,
accreditation and certification through SIP, and integration with State Management Information System
(MIS). The Application Programming Interface (API) shall integrate the National Council of Vocational
Training MIS portal with the Apprenticeship Portal. The process has already started.
Phase 3: This phase shall initiate the Aadhaar-based selection of trainees through Skill India Portal for all
skilling schemes. A standard single portal / App shall undertake all such activities as the registration,
selection and enrolment procedure for skilling programs under Central Ministries.
Mechanism for Financial Management

The detailed mechanism for the financial management of PMKVY is as follows;
1. The Central Component CSCM of PMKVY 3.0 (2020-21) shall be implemented through the National
Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) by availing of an interest-free grant from the National Skill
Development Fund (NSDF). The NSDC shall receive the grant from the fund.
2. The Centrally Sponsored State Managed (CSSM) schemes under PMKVY 3.0 will use funds from the
budgetary grant.
3. The fund flow mechanisms to the States/UTs under the State Component CSSM (Centrally Sponsored
State Managed) shall remain the same under the defined heads of the Budget provisions.
4. The Ministry shall form a committee headed by the Secretary (MSDE) for overseeing the release and
usage of funds to NSDC from NSDF. The AS&FA of MSDE shall also be a part of the Committee.
5. Any fund released to NSDC from NSDF for implementation of the scheme should get the concurrence
of this Committee in the same manner followed in Government expenditure.
6. Therefore, the budget of the MSDE shall replenish the grant given to NSDC from NSD in the next
three years. However, the Ministry cannot claim for budgetary augmentation stating the
replenishment of this grant as a reason.
7. The unspent balance of PMKVY 2.0, if any, may be utilized for PMKVY 3.0. Provision is there to
complete the remaining liabilities of PMKVY 2.0, if any, using the funds of PMKVY 3.0 in the form of
an NSDF grant.
8. Taking into the fact that there would not be any fund available in the current budget of the MSDE to
meet the fund requirement of the CSSM component of PMKVY 3.0, the current liabilities of PMKVY
2.0 relating to CSCM are met with the NSDF grant and the resultant savings to meet the CSSM liability
of PMKVY 3.0.
9. The existing Steering Committee constituted for the scheme are empowered for taking an
appropriate decision in matters relating to broad policy direction, dynamic fixation of targets and any
deviation in scheme concept note/guidelines without affecting the financial provisions.
10. Regarding setting up of PMU and hiring of the workforce, DoE's OM No. 7(2)/E.Coord/2020 dated
04.09.2020 should strictly have to adhere.
Administrative Structure
The administrative structure of PMKVY 3.0 contains the (i) Steering Committee and (ii) Executive
Committee.
(i). Steering Committee: A Steering Committee (SC) shall be constituted at the apex level by MSDE. It is
responsible for making broad policy direction, framing operational Guidelines, and dynamic fixation of
targets. It also takes care of corresponding fund reallocation between CSCM and CSSM and between
STT, RPL and Special Projects. In addition, the Steering Committee shall also take care of anything that

falls beyond the powers of the Executive Committee (EC), periodic review, monitoring and mid-course
correction. The Secretary, MSDE, shall chair the Steering Committee.
(ii). Executive Committee: An Executive Committee shall oversee the regular functioning of the scheme.
It will recommend to Steering Committee any policy or operational corrections for improving the
implementation of PMKVY 3.0. In addition, it will review and approve the proposals following the
guidelines or any other functions deemed fit by the Steering Committee. The Additional /Joint Secretary
shall chair the MSDE Executive Committee.
Components of the Scheme

The skill training under PMKVY 3.0 has three components in it, namely the STT, RPL and Special Projects
as described below;
(i). Short Term Training (STT): The school/college dropouts or unemployed youth in the country are the
target groups of the Short-Term Trainings (STTs). The training period for these courses shall extent from
2 to 6 months (200-600 hours). The accredited & affiliated training Centers, in alignment with the
National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), shall impart these training courses. Successfully certified
candidates shall get timely placement /entrepreneurship/apprenticeship assistance also.
(ii). Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): The individuals with prior learning experience or skills are the
target population of these training. The training centers shall assess their skills and certify them under
the RPL component of the scheme. The RPL enables Indian youth to obtain industry-relevant skill
certification. It mainly focuses on the individuals engaged in unregulated sector works. The training
period for these courses extent from 12- 80 hours.
(iii). Special Projects: This component is related to the projects that require some improvement from
the terms and conditions of STTs under PMKVY depending on particular needs in terms of geography,
demography and social groups. Special Projects component envisages training in particular areas and
premises of Government institutions, corporates or industry bodies, and training about unique job roles
not defined under the available Qualification Packs (QPs) / National Occupational Standards (NOSs). The
financial outlay and physical target for the Special Projects will be a part of the STT component.
Mode of Training
The mode of training may consist of a classroom-based approach and the blended approach.
(i). Classroom Teaching: Both theory and practical shall be conducted physically at PMKVY 3.0
affiliated Training Centers.
(ii). Blended approach: The candidates will get training on the theory portion through
digital/online mode, and by using the physical training infrastructure, the affiliated Training
Center shall provide training on the practical portion.
Unique Features of PMKVY 3.0

The unique features of PMKVY 3.0 are as follows;
The scheme will follow the Common Cost Norms of the National Skill Qualification Framework
(NSQF). The amendment in the norms will be effective after approval from Steering Committee
constituted under the scheme.

The Training Providers will receive 30% of the payment on the commencement of training
batches, 40% on the successful certification, and 30% on placement verification subject to
Common Cost Norms Committee revisions. Other incentives such as boarding & lodging, post-
placement support, conveyance and other support will be as per Common Cost Norms.
A candidate may enroll not more than twice for Training under PMKVY in the same sector for new
training of a different course in the scheme, provided there is a six-month gap between the date
of the first-course certification and the batch starting date of the next course. He/she can enroll
for the second time for a higher NSQF aligned job role only.
The payout against such candidates (which include payouts to candidates, PIAs and SSCs) is
available only for enrolment of two job roles, the maximum.
A unique research cell shall be created at NSDC to continuously match demand and supply and
strengthen the Atma Nirbhar Skilled Employee-Employer Mapping portal (or) ASEEM portal.
The SSCs or other suitable institutions shall be encouraged to create Centers of Excellence (CoE),
acting as the master training institutes and resource center for that sector. The target is to set up
at least one CoE for each sector.
Further, in coordination with the MoE, the scheme provides for the phase-wise introduction of
vocational courses in schools. The students of 9 to 12 classes are eligible for such skill
development and vocational training under this scheme.
The MSDE shall coordinate with Central Ministries and State Governments to recognize NSQF
certification as a pre-requisite for hiring contractual employees and mandating the
vendors/contractors to hire NSQF certified workforce as part of their contract.
Branding: Branding is an essential aspect of communicating the scheme. All the Training Centers need to
brand their respective centers with collaterals for promotional activities following these Guidelines. The
Training Centers shall also promote their center activities on various social media platforms. The scheme
guidelines for such branding and communication shall be issued separately.
IT Support: The NSDC shall provide the IT and technical support for implementing both the Central and
State component of the scheme. There are three stages of the training, namely the (i) pre-training
(center accreditation, target allocation, candidate registration and enrolment), (ii) training and (iii) post-
training (placement, placement tracking). Each of these three activities would require support from
multiple stakeholders, and the IT architecture would support the scheme.
Conclusion
India is the second-largest country in terms of population, only next to China's, and it has a considerable
youth population who are to be appropriately employed inside the country and outside the country. The
youth population needs proper skill training and motivation to get employment opportunities or
become successful entrepreneurs. In this context, the PMKVY will play a significant role in skill training
and employment generation. Along with this, the country's economy would find itself on the proper
track that leads to a stable economy in the world.
5.4. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan

“The rich cannot accumulate wealth without the co-operation of the poor in society”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Introduction

The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) programme is a
flagship programme of the Government of India that
aims to bring transformational change in rural
development processes by leveraging knowledge
institutions (KIs) to help to build an inclusive India.
The UBA mission is conceptualized as a movement
to enable processes that connect the higher
education institutes with local communities to
address the development challenges of rural India.
The stakeholder institutions aim to achieve this
through participatory processes and appropriate
technology interventions in the adopted villages for
accelerating sustainable growth with available
human and natural resources.
The UBA also aims to create a virtuous cycle between society and an inclusive university system as it
shall provide knowledge and practices for emerging professions and upgrading the capabilities of the
public and private sectors.
Historical Background
The UBA is an outcome-based programme designed on Mahatma Gandhi's dream, who believed that
real India lives in her villages and therefore the village development must be our top priority. As
foreseen by Gandhiji in his famous book, 'Hind Swaraj', the western development model based on
urbanization and centralized technologies has given rise to severe problems like increasing inequity
(leading to crime and violence), climate change rapid ecological degradation. In order to ameliorate
these problems, it is necessary to promote the development of rural areas in tune with the Gandhian
vision of self-sufficient 'village republics'. Such development should use only the local resources through
decentralized, eco-friendly technologies.
The core objective of such development is to locally meet all basic needs of food, clothing, shelter,
health care, sanitation, energy, livelihood, transportation, and education. Developing such self-
depending village republics should be the vision of the holistic development. Though 70% of the
population lives in rural areas engaged in agriculture activities directly or indirectly, where the
agriculture and allied sector employing 51% of the total workforce, it accounts for only 17% of the
country's GDP. There are substantial developmental disconnects between the rural and urban sectors.
For example, there is much inequity in health, education, incomes, basic amenities, and employment
opportunities, causing great discontent and large-scale migration of rural population to urban areas. The
imperatives of sustainable development felt more and more acutely worldwide also demand eco-
friendly development of the villages and create appropriate employment opportunities locally.
Increasing urbanization is neither sustainable nor desirable. So far, the contributions of our professional
higher education institutions were mainly towards the mainstream industrial sector. Barring a few
exceptions, these institutions have hardly contributed directly to the development of the rural sector.
Unnat Bhārat Abhiyan (UBA) is a much needed and highly challenging initiative in this direction.
The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan started with dedicated faculty members of the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) Delhi for a long time in rural development and appropriate technology. The MoE nurtured the
concept through broad consultation with the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) coordinators,

several technical Institutions, voluntary organizations, and other government agencies engaged in rural
development work. IIT Delhi conducted this Workshop in September 2014. The Council sponsored the
Workshop for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), Ministry of Rural
Development, Govt. of India. The Ministry of Education (MoE), formerly Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD), formally launched the programme on 11th November 2014, in which the
President of India was also present.
Vision: Unnat Bharat Abhiyan follows the vision of transformational change in rural development
processes by leveraging the knowledge institutions (KIs) to build inclusive rural India.
Mission: The Mission Unnat Bharat Abhiyan aims to enable the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to
work with the rural people, identify development challenges, and to evolve appropriate solutions for
accelerating sustainable growth in rural areas.
The UBA aims at creating a virtuous cycle between society and an inclusive academic system by
exploring knowledge and practices for emerging professions and upgrading the capabilities of both the
public and the private sectors in response to the development needs of rural India.
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 1.0 and 2.0

UBA 1.0 was the Invitation Mode programme that invited applications from the Participating Institutions
(PIs) to be a part of UBA. There were 143 participating Institutions in UBA 1.0. The UBA 2.0 is the
Challenge Mode of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan programme, where all Higher Educational Institutions
must adopt at least five villages willingly. At present, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 Mode is going on.
Goals of UBA
The goals of UBA are as follows;
To build an understanding of the rural development agenda within the Higher Education
Institutions and build the institutional capacity of training relevant to the national need (or)
rural India.
To re-emphasize the need for fieldwork, design for societal objectives and stakeholder
interactions as the basis for curriculum in higher education institutes.
To stress the rigorous reporting and useful outputs as a central requirement for developing new
professions.
Provide rural India access to the professional resources of the higher education institutes,
especially those with academic excellence in management, science, and engineering and
technology.
To insist on development outcomes due to research and to develop new processes and
professions to sustain and absorb the research outcomes.
Foster proper dialogue within the larger community on science, technology, and society to
develop a sense of dignity and collective destiny.
Significant Areas of UBA Interventions

In order to bring holistic development to villages, the UBA shall use two major domains, i.e. human
development and material (economic) development. The major components of these two domains are
given below and illustrated in Figure 5.13.
Fig.5.11MajorAreasofUBA Intervention
i. Human Development ii. Material or Economic Development

Health Organic agriculture and cow-based economy
Education and culture Water management and conservation
Values and perception development Renewable energy sources
Skills and entrepreneurship Artisans and rural
industries
Development and harnessing of local natural resources
Basic amenities & IT enabled E-support
Organizational Structure of UBA

Implementing such an ambitious rural development programme nationwide requires setting up a
robust structural network consisting of many nodal institutes and a proper mechanism to plan,
execute and monitor the activities regularly to create a tangible positive impact. It is also necessary to
facilitate synergetic collaboration between the concerned ministries, local Panchayat Raj Institutions,
voluntary organizations, and institutions participating in UBA. The structure of UBA shall be as follows;
04
2
Fig. 5. 12. Organizational Structure of UBA
The Sponsoring Ministry: The sponsoring Ministry of Education shall provide the essential funding for
setting up the structural network of UBA and for orientation of UBA teams to enable effective
participation (such as establishing UBA cells of PI, CIs, and MIs). Further, the requisite funding for the
working of SEGs to prepare resource materials and training workshops will also need to be provided by
the Ministry of Education. The UBA cell in an Institute is responsible for identifying a rural cluster
(around five villages) for development work. The base-level funding from the Ministry of Education
(MoE) will be made available for setting up the necessary infrastructure/human resources for the UBA
Cell of the mentoring and participating institutions.
National Steering Committee: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has constituted an empowered Steering
Committee to implement continuous guidance and monitoring of the UBA programme at the national
level. An eminent scientist and rural development enthusiast, Dr Vijay P. Bhatkar, is the Chairperson of
the National Steering Committee (NSC) and Dr Mashelkar (CSIR), Dr Ved Prakash (UGC) and Dr Sahasra
budhe (AICTE) are the other notable members. In the first meeting of UBA held at IIT Delhi on 29th April
2016, the NSC proposed to conduct quarterly meetings of the stakeholders to provide direction and
requisite thrust to the programme. The coordinators of the CIs, mentoring institutions and the SEGs will
regularly report to the NSC.
Coordinating Institute (CI): The IIT Delhi shall act as the Coordinating Institute (CI) for the UBA. It has
been taking the initiative to convene various consultative workshops and meetings. The IIT Delhi has
established the UBA Cell consisting of an Advisory Committee, an Executive Committee and a Core
Working Group. The Core working group consists of about forty faculty members drawn from various
departments and centers of the Institute. The RuTAG group of IIT Delhi, in collaboration with the Center
for Rural Development & Technology (CRDT), fully participates in the UBA activities. The CI has also
identified a few rural clusters for direct intervention and collaborates with various participating
institutions and voluntary organizations.
The main task of a CI will be to facilitate mutual interaction, consultation, active liaising and
responsibility allocation among the mentoring institutions and SEGs, and the MoE. The CI shall also
closely interact with the NSC in connection with the fund allocation and other facilitating activities to
ensure effective and smooth running and the nationwide proliferation of the UBA program.
The Regional Coordinating Institute (RCI) can also act as a Participating Institute (PI), provided it has
different PI and RCI Coordinators.

All the RCIs shall conduct an orientation Workshop twice a year or as per the requirement for their
newly selected PIs. RCIs can also hold meetings for the progress update from their PIs. The Program
Schedule Template for Workshops organized by RCIs is available in the UBA portal.
The PIs must attend the Workshop. In addition, the PIs need to maintain regular communication
with their RCI Coordinator. Maximum two faculty members from one Participating Institution can
attend the Workshop.
If a PI misses the orientation workshop, it should give a valid reason through an official email to the
respective RCI and NCI for not attending the orientation workshop. If a PI could not attend the
orientation workshop for some valid reason, they will be accordingly informed to attend the next
Workshop in their nearby region.
The RCI/NCI does not provide any TA/Accommodation for attending the Workshop. The
coordinators can use the seed money (Rs.50, 000) given to the Institute to incur the expenses.
An RCI shall receive financial support of Rs.10 lakh per year under UBA. It shall be centrally
supported and can raise their resources for UBA as needed. RCI may discuss any issue with the NCI.
The Standard Operating Process (SOP) for organizing workshops by Regional Coordinating Institutes
is available for clarification in the UBA portal under the Standard Operating Process for Regional
Coordinating Institutes at the RCI Login https://unnatbharatabhiyan.gov.in/erp/rci/sign-in.php.
The Quarterly Progress Report of RCI includes the compiled progress report of their respective
Participating Institutions and the progress made by RCI in a quarter. The PI should send all reports in
a compiled format to the National Coordinating Institute (NCI)/ upload through RCI Login. The RCI
can add media appraisals also by visiting the Media Appraisal section through RCI Login.
Mentoring Institutions (MIs): Currently many professional institutions do not have any prior experience,
expertise, or mechanism for meaningful interactions in the rural development process. They have
limited interaction through National Service Scheme (NSS) activities. However, a few apex institutions
such as IISC Bangalore, IIT Mumbai, IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur are actively working towards developing
and disseminating appropriate technologies in rural areas. They have also interacted with voluntary
organizations as well as selective government agencies in this process.
These institutions also have established centers focusing on rural technology and development. They
have the necessary expertise to act as Mentoring Institutions (MIs) and to facilitate the other
participating institutions in their vicinity. It shall be desirable to identify such mentoring institutions that
can act as nodal centers for networking, training, and orientation to groom other institutions. In the first
phase, the NCI has identified fifteen such institutions, but many more institutions will be needed to
provide an excellent spread of the programme awareness.

Subject Expert Groups (SEGs): To develop necessary resource material that describes the vision,
mission, future technologies, methodology of intervention, and success stories in the specific areas of
interventions, the apex committee proposed to develop nationwide subject expert groups (SEGs) in
these specialized areas. Initially, the NCI had identified ten broad subject areas for SEG. However,
following the brainstorming session held in November 2015 at IIT Delhi, the themes for twelve subject
expert groups (SEG), with coordinators and coordinating institutes, were finalized in the Workshop. The
SEGs will be responsible for developing the necessary resource material to benefit all the UBA cluster
teams. These experts will also conduct indicative training workshops and that are innovative.
Any interested PI can see the mapping of the themes and sub-themes of Panchayati Raj Institution
with UBA SEG projects and submit SEG proposal in the UBA portal
https://unnatbharatabhiyan.gov.in/new-uba/uba-sanctioned-projects.
The SEG should complete its project within six months from the date of the receipt of funds.
A PI can work on a maximum of three sanctioned projects at a time.
NCI will consider other proposed projects from the respective PI only when the PI has submitted the
final project completion reports of the sanctioned projects along with the Utilization Certificate.
The project's cost should follow the UBA norms, i.e., Rs. 1 Lakh for Technology Development and
Rs.0.50 Lakh to customize technology. NCI will not entertain the proposals whose cost budget
exceeds the mentioned limits.
Basic R&D projects shall not be considered under SEG-UBA if technology is already available in the
adopted village(s).
UBA can only provide funds for the implementation or customization of the technology in the
adopted villages.
UBA can provide funds only for scaling up the prototype technology implemented in the adopted
village as per the requirement analysis.
The proposal submitted by Participating Institutions should have a direct impact on the beneficiaries
in the adopted villages.
UBA does not consider projects related to Awareness Campaigns.
It takes about six weeks to approve the project from the date of submission of the project proposal
(two weeks - SEG Panel, two weeks - NCI panel, and two weeks - Fund release).
The project's approval will also depend upon the prompt response of the PIs against the
clarifications sought by the NCI or SEG experts.

State Nodal Officers: The Secretaries In charge of higher education/Technical Education in all state
governments will act as State Nodal Officer. They are also responsible for facilitating and monitoring the
interaction of institutions with PRIs/District Administration. In addition, the nodal officers shall
coordinate the UBA efforts at the state level by involving the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development,
SC/ST Development, Drinking Water, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Power, IT and Science &
Technology Departments and chalk out the plan of action for the state.
Aspirational Districts: The aspirational districts are those districts in India that are affected by poor
socio-economic indicators. UBA calls them aspirational because improvement in these districts can
improve the overall improvement in human development in India. There are 115 districts identified from
28 states as Aspirational Districts, at least one from each state. The UBA programme encourages the
adoption of villages in these Aspirational Districts.
Tech 4 Seva: Tech 4 Seva is a part of UBA and a platform for its technology demonstration for UBA. The
UBA need analysis is linked to the specific SEGs, and the Tech4Seva deals with its broader domain.
Participating Institutions (PIs): All participating institutions (PIs) must establish a UBA Cell responsible
for carrying out the activities of the UBA. Establishing UBA Cell involves developing an active working
group consisting of motivated faculty members drawn from various disciplines. In addition, there shall
be an Executive Committee and a local advisory committee chaired by the Head of the Institution in
each Institution for guiding and monitoring the activities of the UBA Cell.
The responsibility of a UBA cell will be primarily to develop linkage with selective rural clusters, involve
in the planning process, and promote the requisite S&T interventions to improvise and expedite the
developmental efforts in those clusters. It shall also be responsible for developing the competence of its
working group by appropriate orientation and training within the Institution towards creating
indigenous and sustainable rural development. The UBA cell also initiates requisite curricular
modifications and other facilitating measures. All PIs will be facilitated and mentored in their respective
mentoring institutions in their region.
The Participating Institutions (PIs) can find their respective RCI in the UBA portal and submit their
application to become a PI. A PI cannot change the RCI as the PIs are allotted district-wise to RCIs.
An applicant for PI will receive a welcome kit from the NCI after verification and approval from the
MHRD. This welcome kit is a confirmation for the applicant that their Institution has become a PI.
They have to check the registered email ID regularly after registration. The MHRD may take 2-3
months to complete the approval process.
The PIs may refer to the guidelines given in the Welcome Kit to know about the type of work they
are required to do in villages under UBA after their selection.
The PI should send a letter to the District Collector informing him that the college/institute is
adopting villages under his district under the UBA programme.
A PI can adopt villages in different districts by showing the NCI Letter to the respective district
administration for verification.

If the District Authorities are not supporting, the PIs may request them by showing the Letter they
received from MHRD. If the problem persists, they may inform the NCI at
unnatbharatabhiyaniitd@gmail.com.
The PI should use the Mandate Form to fill the Institution's bank details for fund release/monetary
transaction. Opening a bank account o UBA in the name of an individual is not allowed. PI can open
a bank account only in the name of the college or the designation of the authorized person.
The PIs cannot have a bank account for crowd-funding within their Institute. Also, the PIs should
have a separate bank account for UBA, though it is not mandatory.
The PIs will receive a baseline fund called seed money to meet the general expenses, such as
conducting survey and short-term awareness programmes in the adopted villages. However, PI
cannot use it to give the salary or honorarium.
The PI cannot create any Capital Asset with the seed money.
If the PI has any unspent fund, it may utilize the fund according to the UBA guidelines and shall
submit the Utilization Certificate (UC) before the deadline. UBA funds do not allow any interest
generation. If generated, the PI shall utilize it and fill it accordingly.
After selecting PI, it takes 1-2 months to receive the seed money per the mandate form. The grant
PIs get under UBA is recurring in nature.
The PI can generate additional funds for the development of the village under UBA from many
sources such as CSR Funds, Alumnus Support, Community Support and Other Government Schemes.
The PIs can upload the GPDP through their dashboards. It can upload only one village survey form
for every adopted village. If it has more than 200 households, it is not mandatory to survey each
house of the adopted village. The PI can go for random selection of the houses according to the
variation at least.
It is crucial to open the UBA Cell by the PI in their Institute and the village. A UBA team should work
within the village, and villagers should be well aware of that UBA Cell. The UBA Cell of the Institute
will help coordinate and execute the various projects planned under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.
The UBA banner gives support in executing various activities in the adopted village, and the village
authorities may allocate a particular place for the Institution in the village to be a part of the village.
The types of funds available to PIs under UBA consist of seed money, Perennial Assistance,
Appreciation Funding, and Technology Development or Customization. The PI should use the UBA
fund as per the Fund Utilization Guidelines given in the Welcome Kit.
The PI may upload the media appraisal reports through its dashboard in the prescribed format.
The PIs can upload their monthly/quarterly reports through their login in the prescribed format.
Also, they can upload their success stories and other activities through the PI Dashboard. The
success story will be scrutinized as per the UBA norms and then published on UBA Blog.

By mentioning the sanction number, the PIs can submit their component-wise Utilization Certificates
through their PI Login. The sanction number refers to the Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number.
The PI can retrieve the sanction number from its accounts department.
The Utilization Certificate (UC) requires the signature of the competent authority (Head of the
institution/ Finance Officer/ Accounts Officer/ Registrar) along with their respective stamps. No
audit is required.
No bills are required. The PI needs to submit only the Statement of Expenditure (SOE) according to
the money usage. The bills should be kept in the safe custody of the Institute for the next 3-5 years
for audit purposes.
The Head of the Institution/ Registrar/Finance Officer shall act as the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) for
UBA of PI. The Institute should adhere to the deadlines set by the NCI for submitting the UC and
should produce the same whenever demanded.
The PI may send a scanned copy of the UC (Form GFR 12A) on the email
unnatbharatabhiyaniitd@gmail.com and a hard copy to NCI with the same subject line as per their
email. The PI should compile the UC and the SOE (Statement of Expense) in one document in PDF
format ONLY. Annexure is not required.
How to Participate in UBA?

Any registered Educational Institution in India is eligible to join UBA as a PI. Any student volunteer of
Higher Education Institutions in India can be a part of UBA in any of the following capacity as per their
present status, competence and interest;
As a prospective Mentoring Institute As a Developmental Agency

As a Participating Institute As a Philanthropist or a CSR Promoter
As a Subject Expert As NSS Member
As a Voluntary Organization As an Enthusiastic Volunteer
Eligibility Criteria for Joining UBA

The eligibility criteria for joining UBA are as follows;
The Institution/ college must be a Higher Educational Institution in India.

It should have an All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) Code.
It should be willing to be involved in rural development activities.
It should be willing to identify at least five villages in its vicinity.
It should have at least two faculty members willing to be involved with rural development activities.
The application received from willing higher educational institutions shall be ranked based on
selection criteria set up by the ministry and accordingly will be allowed to join.
To Do Activity
Visit a village near your locality where any Institution of Higher Education has started its
development activity as a PI. Talk to the village beneficiaries and understand how the scheme has
helped their village from a development perspective. Also, ask for any difficulties faced by the
villagers or suggestions that he/she would like to be share about the programme and discuss the
same with the representatives of the PI to ensure better UBA implementation.

Benefits to Students, Teachers and Institutions
Students: Students can work for UBA and get credit scores under the Rural Internship Programme. The
University Grants Commission (UGC) is also a Subject Expert Group (SEG) of UBA and is responsible for
curriculum reforms & educational institutions social responsibility. It has approved a curricular
framework and guidelines for Fostering Social Responsibility and Community Engagement in Higher
Education Institutions in India.
Since students do most of the UBA work in the villages, every Participating Institution enrolled under
UBA must take necessary actions to encourage and connect students to work collectively and
progressively to achieve the ultimate goals of UBA. Institutions can provide unique scoring to UBA
students, issue certificates and organize various activities to create awareness about how they can help
the Nation's Capacity Building by working under UBA. For example, with IISER Thiruvananthapuram (RCI,
UBA) efforts, all the Institutions affiliated with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (AKTU) will
be eligible for awarding activity points, similar to NSS volunteers. The credit details are as given below;
Fig. 5.13 Credits given to College Students who undergo Internship Training under UBA
Teachers: There is a provision for faculty appraisal under the UBA programme, which may be helpful
when calculating their Academic Performance Indicators (API) for applying for new posts or promotion.
Institutions: Every Higher Education Institution does not need to join UBA. As per the UGC/AICTE
guidelines, it is up to the Institutions to join UBA or not. However, the Higher Educational Institutions
should notice that the Center has revised the ranking parameters for 'India Rankings 2020' under the
National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) to include UBA metrics for institutional participation in
government projects. Also, UBA will be a Key Indicator (KI) for NAAC accreditation.
Conclusion
The UBA initiative is a perfect example of practical learning where students apply what they learn in
technological, engineering and management institutes. This programme helps these students to
understand people's different ideologies and beliefs, look into issues holistically, and empathize with a

larger community. It gives the student community a sense of belonging and purpose to their education
by inspiring them to work for the greater good. It helps them start a journey through serving rural India.
The efforts of stakeholders such as the NCI, CI, SEGs and PIs have shown that it is possible to change the
village society through UBA interventions positively. The programme has the hope and potential to bring
more changes to these villages. Hope is growing that the efforts of these Higher Education Institutions
shall bring more fruits and smile in rural India.
5.5. Jal Shakti Abhiyan

“... And so I declare from the Red Fort today that in the days to come, we will take forward the Jal
Jeevan Mission….Today I am happy to share that every day we are able to provide piped water
connection to over one lakh households. In the last one year we have been able to provide tap water to
2 crore families especially to the tribals living in the forests and far-flung areas...”
- Narendra Modi
Introduction
India faces the challenge of serving 18% of
the world's population, 15% of global livestock,
by just about 4% of global freshwater resources.
Being designated as a water-stressed nation,
India stores less than one-tenth of the annual
rainfall. Further, the disproportionate use of
water for agriculture, excessive groundwater
pumping and deficient monsoon in the last
couple of years make the demand-supply gap
more critical. In order to address this problem of
water scarcity, it is vital to undertake efforts for
conservation, restoration, recharge and reuse of
water.
Keeping this in view, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a mission-mode water conservation campaign, was
launched by the union Jal Shakti minister Mr Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 01 July 2019. The
implementation of JSA has two Phases;
Phase 1 from 01 July to 15 September 2019 for all States and Union Territories; and
Phase 2 from 01 October to 30 November 2019 for States and UTs receiving the retreating
north-east monsoon (Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Pondicherry).
During the campaign, groundwater experts, scientists, and officers from the Government of India shall
work together with the state and district officials in India's selected, most water-stressed districts. They
will work for water conservation and water resource management by focusing on the accelerated
implementation of five target intervention. Scientists and experts from IITs will also join at the national
level to support the teams. The JSA aims to make water conservation a ‘Jan Andolan’ through asset
creation and extensive communication.
Objectives of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA)

The objectives of JSA are as follows;
To bring sensitivity to water conservation and give it a focused approach for better results.
To create the baseline of water.
To increase public awareness towards water conservation.
Coverage of Jal Shakti Abhiyan
The focus of the campaign is on water-stressed districts and blocks. Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) has

identified 256 Districts and 1592 Blocks, and 756 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the country as
water-stressed. The central government officers will visit and work with district administration in all
these 1592 water-stressed blocks in 256 districts to ensure five necessary water conservation
interventions.
Fig. 5.14 Precious Drops Source (The Hindu, 26 June 2019)

In the short run, the JSA campaign shall focus on integrating the demand-supply management of water
at the local level by creating adequate local infrastructure for water source sustainability. It shall
popularize the groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, and management of household
wastewater for reuse. In the long run, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) launched by the Government shall
ensure that all rural households get piped water supply by 2024.
Thrust Areas
The JSA has five thrust areas as follows;
i. Rain Water Harvesting (RWH)
ii. Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies
iii. Reuse of Treated Waste Water
iv. Rejuvenation of Water Bodies
v. Intensive Afforestation
i. Rain Water Harvesting
Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) collects and stores
rainwater from rooftops, roadside, and open areas stored
for further usage or recharged into groundwater to
augment water resources. Measures to be undertaken
during Jal Shakti Abhiyan for RWH are as follows;
i. Rain Water Harvesting

Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) collects and stores rainwater from rooftops, roadside, and open areas
stored for further usage or recharged into groundwater to augment water resources. Measures to be
undertaken during Jal Shakti Abhiyan for RWH are as follows;
a. Enforcement of Building Bye-Laws for RWH: All states/UTs should follow the Rain Water Harvesting

(RWH) Model Building Bye-law (MBBL) provisions 2016. Most States/UTs have already incorporated the
RWH provisions in their Building Bye-Laws. Cities also should incorporate the RWH provisions in their
Building Bye-Laws (BBLs). Further, an effective enforcement mechanism should provide RWH
structures in all buildings as stipulated under the Building Bye-Law of the city or State/UT.
b. Establishment of Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) Cell: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are required to
constitute a Rain Water Harvesting Cell responsible for effective monitoring of Rain Water Harvesting in
the city. The cell is responsible for monitoring the extent of groundwater extraction and groundwater
aquifer recharge. It shall display this information at prominent locations to create public awareness.
ii. Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies

India has a long history of human intervention in water management for agriculture because of the
country's distinctive climate – intense monsoons followed by protracted droughts. As the Indians have
formed the tanks as chains akin to cascades, our tank system has proved superior because of the
synergized hydrologic efficiency of the linkage between the tanks. As one of the still surviving, artificial
and ample common property resources of the society, they constitute a basic life support system in
most parts of India. Such marvelous and widespread life-supporting traditional tank systems have
deteriorated in the recent past due to poor maintenance and lack of interest among the users. The
relative importance of some of these Water Bodies has waned due to several reasons such as;
Shifting away from community-based tank system to individual beneficiary-oriented ground

water-dependent system
Prolonged and continuous neglect of maintenance
Heavy silting of the tank bed
Choked up feeder channels
Leaking and weak bund, leaky sluices and dilapidated surplus weirs and ill-maintained
distribution channels
Encroachments in the tank bund, foreshore, water-spread and supply channels
Deforestation and denudation in the catchment areas leading to the extinction of water bodies
as a whole for housing and urbanization
Indiscriminate use of tank beds as dumping yards
All these have also contributed to the deterioration of the water bodies as a whole. To revive, restore
and rehabilitate the traditional water bodies, the Government of India has launched a Scheme for
Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of water bodies. The JSA also gives due importance to
restoring our traditional water bodies by increasing tank storage capacity, groundwater recharge, and
increased water supply for drinking and agriculture.
iii. Reuse of Treated Waste Water

Considering the growing need for water demand in urban areas and depleting water resources, there is
a need to explore alternatives to freshwater. For optimizing water use, it is essential to undertake
wastewater treatment and reuse it. In order to promote the reuse of treated wastewater, State
Government and ULBs should undertake the following measures;
1. Provision of dual piping under Building By-Laws should be there in all government
(Central/State/UT/ULB) buildings, commercial complexes, and public buildings, including
educational institutions, to ensure the usage of treated wastewater in horticulture, toilet
flushing and fire hydrants.
2. When approving a building plan for government buildings/Group Housing Societies, public

buildings in city/state/UT/RRLs, it should be ensured that there should be a dual piping
provision.
3. In case the city has got sewage treatment plants (STPs), ULB should ensure the usage of treated
wastewater for the following purposes;
a. Recycling for use in agriculture/horticulture;
b. Fire hydrants;
c. Large scale construction activities;
d. Made available to the industries consuming water in bulk.
e. Supply water to power plants located within 50 Km of the city.
JSA
iv. Achievements
Rejuvenation of Urban Water Bodies (UWBs)
Urban water bodies such as ponds, lakes, step-wells, and baolis
have traditionally served the water requirements of drinking,
washing, agriculture, religious/cultural purposes and fishing.
However, surface water bodies and traditional water harvesting
structures in several places have either dried up or disappeared
from the picture due to encroachment, untreated sewage, and
garbage dumping. If revived, these water bodies can store water
and recharge groundwater besides improving the area's amenity
value. Therefore, every city should initiate such revival action at
least at one water body during the implementation of JSA. The
mission document insists the ULBs identify all the city's water
bodies and select at least one for rejuvenation through public
consultations.
v. Intensive Afforestation
The intensive afforestation or plantation plays a significant role in
the absorption of storm and rainwater for maintenance of
groundwater table, prevention of soil erosion and run-off and
encourages the growth of natural habitat for flora and fauna.
Therefore, ULBs should undertake plantation works near water
bodies, public spaces, parks, and roadside to improve green cover
and the water cycle.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) has delivered over 3.5 lakh water conservation measures in 256 districts.
Out of this, 1.54 lakh for rainwater harvesting and water conservation measures, 20000 for the
rejuvenation of traditional water bodies, 65000 for recharge of water bodies and 1.23 lakh for
watershed development projects. Overall, an estimated number of 2.64 crore people have already
participated in the Abhiyan, making it a Jan Andolan. JSA has created much buzz in the country, and it
will do much good in the years to come.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II

According to the NITI-Aayog data, nearly 600 million people in the country faces "high to extreme water
stress", and the country's water demand is likely to double by 2030, potentially costing a 6% loss the
gross domestic product by 2050. India's most water-stressed blocks are in Tamil Nadu (541), followed by
Rajasthan (218), Uttar Pradesh (139) and Telangana (137). On average, the country receives 1,170 mm
of rainfall, most of it during the summer monsoon months, but only 10 -20 % have taps at present.
Water is a state subject, and the respective state governments shall take steps for augmentation,

conservation, and efficient water resources management. The GoI shall augment the efforts of the State
Governments by providing technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and
programmes.
The National Water Mission (NWM) has been holding seminars, workshops, "Water Tech talks", and
monthly "Water Talks", "Catch the Rain: Dialogues with DMs", weekly webinars with selected District
Magistrates/District Collectors to spread awareness about the scheme. The Rural Development
Department is also taking up water conservation works in drought-prone areas of the country in all
States/UTs under the MGNREGA Scheme as per demand and following due process. The Jal Shakti
ministry, formed in 2019, integrates with other existing ministries to ensure ‘Har Ghar Jal’ by 2024.
In brief, to address water scarcity, it is essential to undertake efforts for conservation, restoration,
recharge and reuse of water. In this pursuit, the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), Government of India, has
launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) from 01 July 2019. For the successful campaign, the
States/UTs/ULBs need to carry out focused activities to promote and develop water conservation
culture in urban areas identified as water-stressed. The crux of this drive is building a large-scale
awareness campaign so that water conservation becomes a Jan Andolan.
The Union government will launch "Jal Shakti Abhiyan - II" to manage and conserve rainwater and
recharge the aquifers in the country from April 2021. It will be a part of the GoI target to tap drinking
water to every household by 2024. The programme will cover the whole country in 734 districts
covering over 600,000 villages. During the campaign, geo-tagging made on all water bodies across the
country will help the assessment and their rejuvenation efforts.
Jal Jeevan Mission

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide a safe and adequate
drinking water supply through individual household tap
connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. It will also
implement source sustainability measures such as recharge of
water, greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater
harvesting as mandatory elements. The JJM will be based on a
community approach to water and will include extensive
Information, Education and communication (IEC) as a vital
component of the Mission. It looks to create a “Jan Andolan” for
water, thereby making it everyone’s priority.
Vision: Every rural household has a drinking water supply of
adequate quantity with prescribed quality on a regular and
sustainable basis at affordable service delivery charges, leading to
improved living standards of the rural people.
Mission: The Jal Jeevan Mission is to assist, empower and
facilitate;
1 States/ UTs in planning participatory rural water supply strategy for ensuring potable drinking
water security on a long-term basis to every rural household and public institution, viz. GP
building, School, Anganwadi center, Health center, and wellness centers.
2 States/ UTs create water supply infrastructure so that every rural family has a Functional
Household Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024. The objective is to provide a regular and adequate
quantity of potable water with prescribed quality.

3 States/ UTs shall plan for their drinking water security and quality.
4 GPs/ sub-committees shall plan, implement, manage, own, operate and maintain their in-village
water supply systems.
5 States/ UTs to develop robust institutions focusing on service delivery and financial
sustainability of the sector by promoting utility approach.
6 To ensure capacity building of the stakeholders and create awareness in the community and
about the need for water conservation.
7 To provide and mobilize financial assistance to States/ UTs for implementation of the Mission.
Primary Objectives of JJM
The primary objectives of the JJM are as follows;
1 To provide FHTC service to every household in rural areas.
2 To provide FHTCs in quality affected areas, villages in drought-prone and desert areas, and
Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages on a priority basis.
3 To ensure functional tap connections to Schools, Anganwadi centers, Health centers, GP
buildings, wellness centers and community buildings.
4 To monitor and ensure that the tap connections are functional.
5 Monitor and ensure voluntary ownership among the local community and encourage
contributing cash, kind and voluntary labour (shramdaan).
6 JJM shall also ensure the sustainability of the water supply system, like water source, water
supply infrastructure, and funds for regular O&M.
7 To empower human resource in the sector such that the demands of construction, plumbing,
electrical, water quality management, water treatment, catchment protection, and O&M are
taken care of in the short-term and in the long term, and
8 To create awareness on various aspects and significance of safe drinking water and
involvement of stakeholders in a manner that makes water everyone's business.
Key Components Supported under JJM

The Key Components supported under JJM are as follows;
1. The JJM makes provisions for developing in-village piped water supply infrastructure to provide
tap water connection to every rural household.
2. Development of reliable drinking water sources and augmentation of existing sources shall provide
long-term sustainability of the water supply system.
3. The scheme provides to arrange bulk water transfer, treatment plants and distribution
network wherever necessary to cater for every rural household.
4. The JJM shall use technological interventions for the removal of contaminants where water
quality is an issue.
5. The JJM provides retrofitting ongoing and completed schemes to provide FHTCs at the minimum

service level of 55 lpcd.
6. Greywater management;
7. Adequate support activities, such as IEC, HRD, training, development of utilities, water quality
laboratories, water quality testing & surveillance, R&D, knowledge center, and capacity building of
communities, will ensure proper execution of JJM.
8. Also, JJM shall extend support to any other unforeseen challenges or problems that emerge due to
natural disasters/ calamities that affect the goal of providing FHTC to every household by 2024, as
per the Ministry of Finance guidelines on Flexi Funds. Sourcing of funds from different programmes
and convergence is one of the key tactics.
Strategy for Implementation

Rural women and adolescent girls spend a significant time and energy getting water for their day-to-day
use, which results in the lack of participation of women in income generation opportunities, loss of
school days for girls and adverse health impacts. JJM plays a significant role in bringing ease of living for
the rural community, especially women. It is necessary for women to lead JJM in their villages to meet
their need and aspirations. The JJM shall follow the strategy described below;
1. Re-verification and firming of baseline data of household tap connections by States/ UTs by
March 2020 and reporting the same on Integrated Management Information System(IMIS) of
the National Mission;
2. The facility of FHTC may be provided in every household with three delivery points (Kitchen-
washing& bathing -and toilet) to keep the water clean and prevent misuse. Out of the three,
funding is available for only one tap.
3. The rural water supply infrastructure created over the years is to be dovetailed, retrofitted and
renovated to provide FHTCs.
4. In villages where sufficient groundwater is available, JJM shall use the same local source for
water supply.
5. In villages where functional hand pumps are available, JJM suggests deepening their depth as
per need which can be used as a local water source to meet service delivery.
6. In tribal - hilly – forest areas, JJM prefers the gravity or solar power-based water supply schemes
with low O&M expenditure. In hills and mountain areas, springs as a reliable source for drinking
water to be explored;
7. In hot and cold deserts, JJM suggests using innovative approaches and technology interventions.
8. In villages where sufficient groundwater is available, but the quality issue persists, authorities
may explore in-situ suitable treatment technology.
9. In villages of drought-prone areas, JJM shall consider the conjunctive use of multiple water
sources such as ponds, lakes, and rivers.
10. In villages with water quality issues and the non-availability of suitable surface water sources in
nearby areas, bulk water transfer from a long distance may be appropriate.
11. In habitations where the water quality is affected, especially with Arsenic and Fluoride
contaminants, JJM suggests arranging the Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs) to
provide 8-10 lpcd potable water household to meet their drinking and cooking needs. However,
SWSM should prioritize such areas for providing potable water through FHTC by March 2021;
12. In states with water-scarce – rain shadow region with inadequate rainfall, water supply schemes
should cover both urban and rural areas by sourcing water from a perennial surface source.
13. In areas with harsh climatic conditions, viz. high-altitude cold deserts where FHTC is not feasible,
local innovations/ technological solutions can be explored to provide up to 8 –10 lpcd potable

water for drinking and cooking.
14. In semi-urban/ big villages with water scarcity, JJM suggests using a dual piped water supply
system (freshwater for drinking and greywater for non-potable use). Households may be
encouraged to use faucet aerators that save a significant amount of water.
15. JJM shall explore the innovative technology to ensure equitable distribution of water;
16. For source recharging, viz. dedicated bore well recharge structures, rainwater recharge, and
rejuvenation of existing water bodies needs to be adopted.
17. To enhance the recharge of aquifers in arid and semi-arid areas, the state government needs to
strengthen/ extend existing canal networks. It shall also build canals to transfer surplus
floodwaters from reservoirs and also recharge groundwater during the monsoon. Also, it may
dovetail the funds from other sources;
18. While planning for water supply projects involving high lift of water, energy costs, and meeting
monthly power bills also needs to be deliberated and policies made by states and UTs.
19. Institutional arrangements are to be established at all levels with linkages and convergence with
other programmes such as NJJM, SWSM, and DWSM at the national, state and district level,
respectively. At the village level, there may be GP, VWSC, Paani Samiti and User Groups.
20. The State Governments should issue a proper notification under PR Act to empower Gram
Panchayat and its sub-committees to plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain in-village
water supply system and levy and collect water service charges.
21. SWSM will plan quarter-wise and district-wise targets in a year and assess fund requirements
and expenditure;
22. SWSM will ensure seamless integration and maintain consistency among the state sector rural
water supply projects funded from other sources, including Externally Aided Projects in the
sector and JJM;
23. Village Action Plan (VAP) is to be prepared based on the scheme to be taken up in the village to
provide FHTC to every rural household. The VAPs are collectively used to prepare District Action
Plan (DAP), and DAPs are collectively used to prepare State Action Plan (SAP).
24. A VAP approved by Gram Sabha will be the village's main document for all water supply and
related work, and no work outside VAP will be taken up in the village just because a separate
funding source is available.
25. State Action Plan (SAP) and District Action Plan(DAP) will also include other activities taken up
under different schemes/ programmes long-term water security;
26. A suitable incentive and disincentive mechanism are to be built in the policy to discourage
wastage of water and meet recurring expenditure on bulk water transfer, treatment, and
distribution.
27. While deciding in-village water supply system, the list presented before the GP/sub-committee
for consideration should consist of three options with possible least-cost water supply systems.
While deciding the system and its location, JJM shall emphasize low O&M cost and consider the
local community's capacity to own, operate, and maintain it.
28. Data related to functionality, i.e., periodicity of water supply inadequate quantity of prescribed
quality, is to be captured using IoT based sensors and iCloud to monitor service delivery at
household level and take corrective measures wherever required;
29. The department will undertake water quality monitoring through laboratory tests, and the
community will undertake water quality surveillance through Field Test Kits (FTKs) and sanitary
inspection.
30. States/ UTs, in consultation with GP/sub-committees, may explore the option of providing a 24
X 7 water supply so that there will be no need for having individual household storage tanks.
31. With the provision of FHTCs, JJM proposes to use the additional greywater generated at the

household level for agriculture and non-potable use after treatment.
32. JJM shall explore the convergence with PMKVK to meet the enormous requirement of skilled
human resources such as masons, plumbers and electricians.
33. Implementation Support Agencies (ISAs), including Self Help Groups and NGOs, need to be
identified and empanelled to handhold the community.
34. Many States have empowered the GP and its subcommittee to shoulder the responsibility of
water supply management.
35. In the case of regional water supply/ bulk water transfer schemes and distribution network, JJM
suggests following the existing procedure in the state/ UT for implementation.
36. While finalizing the EPC contracts, JJM provides a relevant clause in the tender documents,
mentioning that materials to be procured for use in construction by the contracting agency
should adhere to the relevant Indian Standards.
37. A centralized e-tendering mechanism will be adopted to discover best rates, best agencies and
speed up the implementation of large-scale projects;
Schemes Subsumed into JMM
The NRDWP schemes subsumed into JJM are as follows;
1. The Neer Nirmal Pariyojana (or) Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSSP) for the Low-
Income States started in 2014 with World Bank and IDA assistance, for six years till March 2020,
covering 78 Lakh population across 4 States from Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh to
provide household tap connections at 70 lpcd to rural households.
2. The National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) started in March 2017 to provide safe drinking
water to identified 27,544 Arsenic/ Fluoride affected rural habitations by March 2021.
3. JJM subsumes the Japanese Encephalitis – Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (JE-AES) programme, and all
60 JE-AES affected districts as identified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shall be
provided safe drinking water through piped water supply (surface/ groundwater) schemes to
provide FHTCs at the service level of 55 lpcd.
4. JJM also subsumes the Swajal scheme implemented in selected aspirational districts through a
community designed and managed single village water supply scheme. The ongoing schemes will
continue under the existing Swajal guidelines. The JJM suggests completing these schemes on time,
and any new scheme planned in these aspirational districts shall come under JJM.
5. Water Quality Monitoring &Surveillance (WQM&S) involves testing water samples collected from
water sources in water quality testing laboratories. The community shall undertake surveillance
using Field Test Kits (FTKs) and sanitary inspection. JJM suggests collecting water samples from
FHTCs. The WQM&S is now subsumed under JJM and will receive up to 2% of JJM funds.
To Do Activity
Visit a Gram Panchayat. Discuss GP/ subcommittee members to understand how they prepared the VAP for their v
Think what improvements can be made in the existing method/service of JSA.
Ad ministrative Structure of
The national-state-district and village level structure of JJM is as follows;
National Level - National Jal Jeevan Mission: A senior officer with a directorate will head the National
Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM). The Mission will have all powers needed to successfully implement the
Mission for long-term drinking water security to rural communities. Roles and responsibilities of NJJM

Include the implementation and regular monitoring of JJM, carrying out timely corrective actions,
monitoring fund utilization at the state level to ensure expeditious implementation of the mission.
State-Level - State Water and Sanitation Mission: The State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM)
conceptualized in 1999 focuses on the coordination, convergence, and policy guidance at the State level.
The Chief Secretary of the State is the head of this SWSM. The SWSM shall be registered as a society as
decided by the State/ UT. The State/ UTs shall provide necessary powers to the SWSM for the successful
implementation of JJM.
District Water and Sanitation Mission: The DWSM is responsible for the overall implementation of JJM
in districts. The Deputy Commissioner/ District Collector (DC) shall be the head of DWSM. The DWSM
will convene monthly meetings to accord administrative approval for in-village water supply schemes,
plan protection and reservation of village water sources, greywater management, and preventing water
bodies/ sources from getting polluted. While making the district annual action plan, JJM suggests
soliciting the views of people representatives such as MP/ MLAs/ chairperson of district Panchayat.
Gram Panchayat and its Sub-Committees: The Gram Panchayat and its subcommittees include the
Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC), Paani Samiti and User Groups. The JJM document
envisages that the community will play a lead role in planning, implementing, managing, operating, and
maintaining in-village water supply infrastructure, leading to FHTCs in every rural household. The GP and
its sub-committees will function as a legal entity envisaged in the 73 rdAmendment to the Constitution.
The GP sub-committee may consist of 10-15 members and the tenure may be 2-3 years.
Action Plan for JJM

The action plan for JJM is prepared at the village, district and state level as described below;
Village Action Plan: The Gram Panchayat or its sub-committee shall prepare the Village Action Plan
(VAP), including water supply available in the village, details of any drought or flood, and water required
in the village among other plan details. The VAP shall be approved in the Gram Sabha when 80% of the
village community is present in the meeting. The submission of VAP to DWSM shall follow further
action. The PHED/ RWS Department/ Board shall accord technical approval of VAP.
District Action Plan: DWSM will prepare the District Action Plan (DAP) and include a strategic plan to
provide FHTC to all rural households by 2024, aggregation of all VAPs received, and other district-level
issues. The submission of DAP to SWSM shall follow further action.
State Action Plan: The State Action Plan needs to be prepared to achieve overall drinking water security
to avoid arranging water supply through tankers/ trains and installing hand pumps in villages. The SAP
shall be prepared and finalized by SWSM with the help of the PHED/ RWS Department based on DAPs.
Financial Planning
Every state has to prepare a five-year State Action Plan (SAP) that projects the annual target of FHTCs,
and corresponding financial requirements. The JJM suggests implementing all the sanctioned schemes
without additional cost and time overrun. It also suggests completing all the ongoing NRDWP schemes
as per the schedule, and the targeted FHTC to every rural household shall be provided by 31 March

2020. JJM shall allow no extension of time or cost escalation for these schemes. However, for
retrofitting, to provide FHTCs, additional fund from JJM can be utilized.
Conclusion
Water scarcity is a reality that India is staring at now. The situation in cities like Chennai has brought the
attention of influential people as far as the United States. However, there are thousands of villages
across the length and breadth of the country facing severe water scarcity. The monsoon has failed them
for the past four years. In such a scenario, the new initiative from the Government augurs well.
Rainwater harvesting, afforestation, watershed management, and efficient irrigation are time-tested
conserving water mechanisms. The initiative, with its broad mandate, is planning to involve all
stakeholders in water conservation. Let us hope the initiative will achieve success in its objective.
Chapter Summary
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted in 2005 with an ambition
to provide at least 100 days guaranteed wage employment to every household adult member interested
in working and earning a guaranteed wage income. The households, Gram Panchayat and other
implementing agencies are three types of stakeholders in MGNREGA. The procedure involves submitting
an application to GP for Job Card, applying for work after receiving a job card, allotment of work within
15 days from the date of applying. Delay in work completion, delay in payment of wages, escalation of
cost of material are some critical problems faced during the scheme execution.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) is the most significant cleanliness and solid waste management
campaign initiated by the Union Government in 2014. To eradicate open defecation and manual
scavenging are the primary objectives of the mission. The SBM is currently framing the guidelines for a
'Citizen Centric' Swachh Survekshan 2022, which will have more importance on technological solutions.
The responsibility of conducting the Swachh Survekshan is with the Ministry of Urban Development in
urban areas and with the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in rural areas. The Quality Council of
India makes the overall assessment.
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is a unique initiative taken by the Indian Government
to encourage and promote skill development/ skill certification. The GoI launched PMKVY 1.0 on 15th
July 2015, PMKVY 2.0 on 15th July 2016 and PMKVY 3.0 from 2020. The PMKVY 3.0 implementation shall
have two phases, 2020-21 and 2021-26. The administrative structure of PMKVY 3.0 consists of the (i)
Steering Committee and (ii) Executive Committee. The skill training under PMKVY 3.0 has three
components: the STT, RPL and Special Projects.
The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) is a flagship programme of the GoI to bring transformational change in
rural development processes by leveraging knowledge institutions (KIs) to help to build an inclusive
India. The Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a mission-mode water conservation campaign, was launched by the
GoI on 01 July 2019. The implementation of JSA has two Phases, Phase 1 from 01 July to 15 September
2019 for all States/UTs and Phase 2 from 01 October to 30 November 2019 for States and UTs receiving
the retreating north-east monsoon. The five Thrust Areas were (1). Rain Water Harvesting (RWH), (2).
Renovation of traditional water bodies, (3). Reuse of Treated Waste Water, (4). Rejuvenation of Water
Bodies, and (5). Intensive afforestation. The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) of India aims to create a "Jan
Andolan" for water, thereby making it everyone's priority.
Model Questions
1. What are the objectives of the MGNREGA Scheme? How a MGNREGA worker can get a job card?

2. Discuss the role of the supervisor in the execution of MGNREGA.
3. Describe the clean and hygienic India Gandhi has dreamt.
4. List out the critical challenges in the implementation of SBA? Please suggest how to handle
them.
5. What is the need for launching PMKVY? List out its primary objectives.
6. Discuss the administrative and implementation structures of PMKVY 3.0
7. Elaborate the organizational structure of UBA with a suitable diagram.
8. What do you mean by a Subject Expert Group? List out its responsibilities.
9. What are the objectives of the Jal Shakthi Abhiyan?
10. Write a note on the five thrust areas of JJM.
References
1. Government of India. National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. (2020). Model
learning materials for elected representatives of gram panchayats. (Book-3). Hyderabad, India:
NIRDPR.
2. Government of India. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. (2020). The guidelines for
pradhan mantri kaushal vikas yojana 3.0 (2020-21). Retrieved from https://pmkvyofficial.org/
App_Documents/News/PMKVY%20Guidelines%20 (2016-2020).pdf
3. Government of India. Ministry of Human Resource Development. (2018). Unnat bharat abhiyan 2.0.
Retrieved from https://unnatbharatabhiyan.gov.in
4. Government of India. Ministry of Urban and Housing Affairs.(2019). Guidelines for urban water
conservation jal shakti abhiyan. Retrieved from http://mohua.gov.in/upload/whatsnew/5d1c7709
d059eGuidelines_UWC _JSA 03072019.pdf
5. Government of India. Ministry of Jal Shakti. (2019). Operational guidelines for the implementation of
jal jeevan mission. Har ghar jal. Retrieved from https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/sites/default/files/
jjm_ebook/mobile/index.html

Editors' Profile
Dr W G Prasanna Kumar
Dr. W. G. Prasanna Kumar, PhD in Education with basic degree in Social Work and Master's Degrees in
Sociology, Public Administration and Political Science has professional education in Environmental
Economics, Public Relations, Communication and Training and Development. Presently Chairman,
Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE) under the Ministry of Human Resource
Development, in Government of India strives to promote resilient rural India through Higher Education
interventions. The national initiative of reviving Mahatma Gandhi's ideas of NaiTalim, spearheaded by
Dr. W. G. Prasanna Kumar, has met unprecedented success at both national and state levels. The
primary objective of this initiative is to promote Gandhiji's ideas on Experiential Learning, NaiTalim,
Work Education and Community Engagement, and mainstreaming them in School Education and
Teacher Education Curriculum & Pedagogy. As Professor and Head Centre for Climate Education and
Disaster Management in Dr MCR HRD Institute, conducted several capacity building and action research
programmes in climate education, disaster management and crowd management. He has handled many
regional, national and international environmental education programmes and events including UN
CoP11 to Convention on Biological Diversity and Media Information Management on Environmental
Issues.
He was Director in National Green Corps in the State Government for over 11 years and Senior Social
Scientist in State Pollution Control Board for 6 years. Conducted various curriculum and non- curriculum
related training programmes in environmental education. He was a Resource Person for AP Judicial
Academy, AP Police Academy, AP Forest Academy, EPTRI, Commissonerate of Higher Education and
Intermediate Education, State Council for Educational Research and Training and National Council for
Educational Research and Training New Delhi, CCRT, Bharathiya Vidyapeet University Pune, CPR
Environmental Education Centre Chennai and Centre for Environment Education Ahmedabad. Dr W G
Prasanna Kumar was trained in Community Consultation for Developmental Projects in EPA Victoria
Australia in 1997 trained as State Chief Information Officer by IIM Ahmedabad and MCRHRDI
Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2004 and trained in Environmental Education and Waste
Management Technique by JICA, Japan in 2011. He was awarded Best State Nodal Officer of National
Green Corps Award from Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, 2008, Jal Mithra Award from
Earthwatch Institute of India and Water Aid New Delhi, 2014 and Certificate of Commendation for the
services in UN Conference of Parties to Convention for Biodiversity conducted at Hyderabad from 1-20
October 2012 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh 2012.
Dr. K. N. Rekha
Dr. K. N. Rekha is a Ph.D. Graduate from IIT Madras. She has 16 years of experience in the training and
education Industry. She works at Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE),
Hyderabad, as Senior Faculty. She is involved in curriculum development on Rural Management and
Waste Management. Prior to this, she worked as a researcher at the Indian School of Business,
Hyderabad, a short stint at the Centre for Organisation Development (COD), Hyderabad. She has co-
authored a book on "Introduction to Mentoring", written book chapters, peer-reviewed research
papers, book reviews, Case studies, and caselets in the area of HR/OB. She also presented papers at
various national and international conferences. Her research areas include Mentoring, Leadership,
Change Management, and Coaching. She was also invited as a guest speaker at prominent institutions
like IIT Hyderabad.

Author’s Profile
Dr. K. Anbumani
Dr. K. Anbumani is the Principal and an Associate Professor in MBA Programme at the Institute of Co-
operative and Corporate Management Research and Training (ICCMRT), Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.He
received his master degree and PhD in Co-operation at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of
Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. He has attended 33 rd Faculty Development Programme at
IIM, Ahmedabad in 2011. He has been teaching management for the past 20 years. Previously he has
taught cooperative management at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science,
Coimbatore, Tamilnadu and at Vellalar College for Women, Erode in Tamilnadu. He has written and
published four text books and 27 articles in various national and international refereed journals. Also,
he is a widely sought after invited speaker for research, communication and cooperation topics. His
areas of interest are rural development, panchayati raj, cooperatives, women empowerment, business
communication and public speaking.

226

All Chapters March 18, 2022

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

All Chapters March 18, 2022

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 1 Panchayati Raj System in India: History and Legal Framework

Objectives of the Chapter

1.1 Panchayati Raj System in India: An Introduction Management

1.2. Legal Framework for Panchayati Raj System

1.3. Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996

1.4. Utilization of Central & State Finance Commission Grants by GPs

1.5. Role of Panchayats in Implementing the Rural Development Schemes

302 Panchayati Raj 1 MGNCRE

Gandhian Perspective of Panchayati Raj

Need for Village Movement

302 Panchayati Raj 2 MGNCRE

Panchayats in Pre-Independence Day

Panchayats in Independent India

302 Panchayati Raj 3 MGNCRE

302 Panchayati Raj 4 MGNCRE

Village Charkha / Khadi

Rural Education Village Tanning

Equal Right to Shanti Dals Cooperative

Fig 1.1. Gandhian Perspective of Panchayati Raj or Village Swaraj

302 Panchayati Raj 5 MGNCRE

302 Panchayati Raj 6 MGNCRE

302 Panchayati Raj 7 MGNCRE

302 Panchayati Raj 8 MGNCRE

302 Panchayati Raj 9 MGNCRE

302 Panchayati Raj 10 MGNCRE

The Modern System of Panchayati Raj

Table 1.1 Basic Data on Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)

1.2. Legal Framework for Panchayati Raj System

302 Panchayati Raj 11 MGNCRE

73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992

Salient Features of the Act

73rd Amendment, 1992 73rd Amendment, 1992

302 Panchayati Raj 12 MGNCRE

Panchayat Samitis at Block Level Zila Parishads at District Level

Zila Parishads at District Level

Certain scheduled areas and tribal areas in the states

302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

74thConstitutional Amendment Act of 1992

Salient Features of the Act

74th Amendment, 1992 (Panchayati Raj System for Urban Areas)

Nagar Panchayats for Transitional Areas

Local Self Government for Urban Areas

Municipal Corporations for Larger Urban Areas

302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

Local body grants recommended by the Central Finance Commission

302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

1.3. Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996

302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

Objectives of PESA Act

1. To include the constitutional provisions to the scheduled areas (Part IX).

Powers to Gram Sabha

Benefits of PESA Act

302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

1.4. Utilization of Central & State Finance Commission Grants by GPs

Own Resources of Gram Panchayats

302 Panchayati 1 MGNC

Central Finance Commission

302 Panchayati 2 MGNC

S.No Criteria (During the Financial Year) Weightage

302 Panchayati 2 MGNC

Distribution of the Performance Grant among the GPs

S.No Score as per Performance Criteria Quantum of PG Eligible for

Activities Carried out using the FFC Grant

Key Recommendations of the First Report of FFC (2020-21)