SOCIAL SCIENCE
CLASS – 7
CHAPTER – 3
LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT: Rural and Urban Administration
I. Tick (✓) the correct option.
1. a)
2. c)
3. b)
4. a)
5. c)
II. State whether the following statements are true or false. Rewrite the corrected
statements in your notebook.
1. False. The local government in India functions at two levels.
2. True
3. False. The head of the Gram Panchayat is called the Pradhan or the
Sarpanch.
4. True
5. False. The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary
Education, popularly known as the Mid-day Meal (MDM) scheme was
launched on 15 August, 1995 to cover all the students of primary classes.
III. 1. The local self-governing bodies in rural areas work at three levels, such as
follows:
At the lowest level (village) is the Gram Panchayat.
At the middle level (block) is the Block Samiti or Panchayat Samiti.
At the highest level (district) is the Zila Parishad.
2. The head of the Gram Panchayat is called the Pradhan or the Sarpanch. The Up-
Pradhan takes on the responsibilities of the village in the absence of the Sarpanch.
3. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or the Swachh Bharat Mission is a nation-wide
campaign for cleanliness spearheaded by the Government of India. The Mission was
launched on 2 October 2014.
4. The local self governing bodies in a city are :-
• Municipal Corporation (Nagar Nigam)
• Municipal Council/Municipality (Nagar Palika)
• City Council (Nagar Panchayat)
Municipal corporations are for cities with a population of over 1 million, municipalities are
for cities with a population of over 100,000, and city councils are for cities with a
population of 11,000–25,000.
5. FUNCTIONS OF URBAN LOCAL BODIES
Obligatory functions of urban local bodies include
• Water supply, construction and maintenance of roads, streets, bridges, subways and
other public works
• Street lighting, drainage and garbage collection
• Prevention and control of epidemics
In addition, urban local bodies can perform certain discretionary functions, too. These are:
• Construction and maintenance of rescue homes and orphanages
• Housing for low-income groups
• Provision of treatment facilities
IV. 1. The significance of the local government can be traced through following points :
• Local people know their problems well and hence, they can solve them better
by taking part in the local governance themselves.
• Participation of the local people in the process of governance generates a
spirit of cooperation and involves them in the decision-making process.
• Local self-government provides opportunities to the elected representatives
to acquire training and experience in administration,
• Local self-government lightens the burden of the central and state
governments, provides a link between the people and the central government.
2. The functions of Gram Panchayat are :-
• To prepare plans and schemes for economic development,
• To promote schemes to enhance social
• To record statistics of births and deaths, establishment of child welfare and
maternity centres,
• To construct and repair village roads,
• To construct and repair village tanks and wells,
• To provide clean drinking water,
• To provide light on roads,
• To manage sanitation and public health,
• To manage hospitals,
• To manage fairs and markets and to organise recreation and entertainment
programmes
3. COMPOSITION: The members of the Municipal Corporation are elected by the adult
citizen of a city for a term of five years. For the purpose of elections, the city is divided into
wards. The Municipal Corporation has a Municipal Commissioner or the Chief Executive
Officer who is appointed by the state government. It is the Commissioner’s duty to ensure
that the decisions made by the Corporation are implemented.
FUNCTIONS
Some of the important functions of a Municipal Corporation are to arrange for the
collection and disposal of garbage, maintain a proper drainage system, establish hospitals
and dispensaries in the areas, registration of births and deaths and build and maintain
schools at all levels.
4. There are several ways in which citizens may express their grievances or protest in case
they are not satisfied with the government and local civic bodies. Apart from holding
dharnas people can file cases in special courts such as the Lok Adalat. People can go to the
consumer courts. They are entitled to use their Right to Information to obtain information
from public authorities. People may also sign petitions and send them to the Municipal
Councillor, or write to newspapers, in order to be heard.
5. The main features of Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005 are:-
The Act was passed with the objective of empowering citizens.
It promotes transparency and accountability in the working of the government.
It provides citizens the right to secure access to information under the control of public
authorities
It helps to contain corruption and make democracy work for the people in true sense.
V. 1. Gram Sabha meeting is being held in the village.
2. Panchayati Raj are important in India for many reasons including:
It strengthens the foundation of Indian democracy.
It provides representation to the weaker sections of the society, namely, Scheduled
Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and women.
Panchayats aid in local development.
Panchayats assist people in resolving disputes through cooperation.
Panchayats reduces the burden on state governments.
The Gram Panchayat maintains water sources, village wells, tanks and pumps,
street lighting and drainage system.
3. i. Lack of proper health care.
ii. Scarcity of clean drinking water.
iii. Poor educational infrastructure
iv. Unreliable electricity supply
v. Limited transportation and connectivity
4. Gram Panchayat
