Panchayati Raj - Revision Notes
CBSE Class 06 Social Science
Since ancient times, India has always possed a good system of local administration even at rural level.
This was rooted through the institution of Panchayati Raj at the rural level.
Literally Panchayat means a committee of five people.pic1
• Panchayati Raj in India:
(i) Panachayati Raj consists of three levels: pic 2
(a) Gram Sabha at the village level.
(b) Panchayat Samiti at the block level.
(c) Zila Parishad at the district level.
• Gram Sabha:
(i) Gram Sabha is a general body consisting of all the village voters residing in village.
(ii) Every village Panchayat is divided into wards,i.e.smaller areas.Each ward elects a representative who is known as Ward Member or Panch.
(iii) All the members of the Gram Sabha also elect a Sarpanch who is the Panchyat President.The Ward Member or Panch,and the Sarpanch form the Gram Panchayat.The Gram Panchayat is elected for five years.
(iv) The Gram sabha acts as a legislative body whereas the gram panchayat is an executive body at the village level.
(v) Nyaya Panchayat is established for providing justice and resolving minor disputes .
Gram Panchayat at Village Level: pic 3
(i) Gram Panchayat is elected by Gram Sabha.The Gram Panchayat has a Secretary who is also the Secratary of the Gram Sabha. This person is not an elected person but appointed by the government. The Secretary is responsible for calling the meeting of the Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat and keeping a record of the proceedings.
(ii) Gram Panchayat elects Sarpanch who presides over the meetings of the Panchayat.
(iii) Gram Panchayat performs public welfare activities, looks after the health and education and records death and birth in the village.
Works of Gram Panchayat:
(i) The work of the Gram Panchayat has to be approved by the Gram Sabha.It is the place where all plans for the work of the Gram Panchayat are placed before the people.
(ii)The Gram Sabha prevents the Panchayat from doing wrong things and plays an important role in keeping an eye on the elected representatives.
(iii) The work of a Gram Panchayat includes construction and maintenance of water resources,roads,drainage,school buildings and other common property resources.
(iv) The Gram Panchayat also levys and collects local taxes,executes government schemes related to generating employment in the village.
Panchayat Samiti at Block Level:
(i) To examine the working of Gram Panchayat, there is provision of Panchayat Samiti at the block level.
(ii) The panchayat samiti has many gram panchayats under it . It supervises the working of panchayats in a block .
Zila Parishad at District Level:
(i) Zila Parishad is the highest governing body under panchayati raj system .The Zila Parishad makes the developmental plans at the district level.
(iii) It coordinates the functioning of Panchayat Samitis and finanaces the gram panchayats and panchayat samiti for public welfare works.
The constitution of India provides guidelines within which each state of the countryhas its own laws with respect to Panchayats.The idea is to provide more and more space for people to participate and raise their voices.
