Panchayat Raj

Question 1

Balwant Rai Mehta Committee

Answer 1

In January 1957, the Government of India appointed a committee to examine the working of the Community Development Programme (1952) and the National Extension Service (1953) and to suggest measures for their better working

Question 2

Ashok Mehta Committee

Answer 2

In December 1977, the Janata Government appointed a committee on panchayati raj institutions under the chairmanship of Ashok Mehta.

Question 3

G V K Rao Committee

Answer 3

The Committee to review the existing Administrative Arrangements for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation Programmes under the chairmanship of G.V.K. Rao was appointed by the Planning Commission in 1985.

Question 4

L M Singhvi Committee

Answer 4

In 1986, Rajiv Gandhi government appointed a committee to prepare a concept paper on ‘Revitalisation of Panchayati Raj Institutions for Democracy and Development’ under the chairmanship of L M Singhvi

Question 5

Thungon Committee

Answer 5

In 1988, a sub-committee of the Consultative Committee of Parliament was constituted under the chairmanship of P.K. Thungon to examine the political and administrative structure in the district for the purpose of district planning

Question 6

Gadgil Committee

Answer 6

The Committee on Policy and Programmes was constituted in 1988 by the Congress party under the chairmanship of V.N. Gadgil. This committee was as ed to consider the question of “how best Panchayati Raj institutions could be made effective”.

Question 7

Constitutional Amendment made for the Panchayat Raj is ?

Answer 7

73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 and came into force on 24 April, 1993

Question 8

73 Rd Amendment Act of 1992 and its Significance

Answer 8

• This act has added a new Part-IX to the Constitution of India.
• This part is entitled as ‘The Panchayats’ and consists of provisions from Articles 243 to 243 O.
• In addition, the act has also added a new Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution. This schedule contains 29 functional items of the panchayats. It deals with Article 243-G.

The act has given a practical shape to Article 40 of the Constitution which says that, “The State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government.” This article forms a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy.

Question 9

Gram Sabha

Answer 9

Gram Sabha

The act provides for a Gram Sabha as the foundation of the panchayati raj system.

It is a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls of a village comprised within the area of Panchayat at the village level.

Thus, it is a village assembly consisting of all the registered voters in the area of a panchayat. It may exercise such powers and perform such functions at the village level as the legislature of a state determines.

Question 10

Three-Tier System

Answer 10

The act provides for a three-tier system of panchayati raj in every state,

that is,

• Panchayats at the village,
• Intermediate, and
• District levels.

Thus, the act brings about uniformity in the structure of panchayati raj throughout the country. However, a state having a population not exceeding 20 lakh may not constitute panchayats at the intermediate level.

Question 11

Election of Members and Chairpersons of panchayat Raj

Answer 11

All the members of panchayats at the village, intermediate and district levels shall be elected directly by the people.

Further,

1. The chairperson of panchayats at the intermediate and district levels shall be elected indirectly—by and from amongst the elected members thereof.
2. However, the chairperson of a panchayat at the village level shall be elected in such manner as the state legislature determines.

Question 12

Reservation of Seats in Panchayat Raj

Answer 12

• The act provides for the reservation of seats for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in every panchayat (i.e., at all the three levels) in proportion of their population to the total population in the panchayat area.
• Further, the state legislature shall provide for the reservation of offices of chairperson in the panchayat at the village or any other level for the SCs and STs.
• The act 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 women belonging the SCs and STs).
• Further, not less than one-third of the total number of offices of chairpersons in the panchayats at each level shall be reserved for women.
• The act also authorises the legislature of a state to make any provision for reservation of seats in any panchayat or offices of chairperson in the panchayat at any level in favour of backward classes.
  *

Question 13

Duration of Panchayats

Answer 13

The act provides for a five-year term of office to the panchayat at every level. However, it can be dissolved before the completion of its term.

• Further, fresh elections to constitute a panchayat shall be completed before the expiry of its duration of five years; or
• in case of dissolution, before the expiry of a period of six months from the date of its dissolution.

But, where the remainder of the period (for which the dissolved panchayat would have continued) is less than six months, it shall not be necessary to hold any election for constituting the new panchayat for such period.

A panchayat reconstituted after premature dissolution does not enjoy the full period of five years but remains in office only for the remainder of the period.

Question 14

Disqualifications of Members of panchayat

Answer 14

A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as or for being a member of panchayat if he is so disqualified,

1. Under any law for the time being in force for the purpose of elections to the legislature of the state concerned, or
2. Under any law made by the state legislature.

However, no person shall be disqualified on the ground

that

he is less than 25 years of age if he has attained the age of 21 years. Further, all questions of disqualifications shall be referred to such authority as the state legislature determines.

Question 15

Powers of Funtions of Panchayats

Answer 15

Such a scheme may contain provisions for the devolution of powers and responsibilities upon Panchayats at the appropriate level with respect to

(a) the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice;
(b) the implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as may be entrusted to them, including those in relation to the 29 matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule.

Question 16

Finances of Panchayat

Answer 16

The state legislature may

(a) authorise a panchayat to levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and fees;
(b) assign to a panchayat taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied and collected by the state government;
(c) provide for making grants-in-aid to the panchayats from the consolidated fund of the state; and
(d) provide for constitution of funds for crediting all moneys of the panchayats.

Question 17

Exempted States and Areas from panchayat Raj law

Answer 17

The act does not apply to the states of

1. Jammu and Kashmir,
2. Nagaland,
3. Meghalaya and
4. Mizoram and certain other areas.

These areas include,

• (a) the scheduled areas and the tribal areas in the states
• (b) the hill area of Manipur for which a district council exists; and
• (c) Darjeeling district of West Bengal for which Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council exists.

However, the Parliament may extend the provisions of this Part to the scheduled areas and tribal areas subject to such exceptions and modifications as it may specify.