Chapter 10 – Democracy at the Village Level – Part 1: Governance
- What is Democracy? (What is Democracy?)
- Democracy is a form of government where people choose their government.
- In this, the people vote for their representatives, who govern on their behalf.
- India is the largest democracy in the world .
- In a democracy, the government is accountable to the people .
- Levels of Government
The government in India works at three levels:
- I. Central Government : Makes and governs laws for the entire country.
- ii. State Government: Makes and governs the laws for each state.
- iii. Local Government: Looks after the local issues of villages and cities. This includes the Panchayati Raj system.
- Gram Panchayat
- Gram Panchayat is the lowest tier of local self-government, which works in villages.
- It is responsible for solving the problems of the people at the village level and their development.
- Structure:
- Punch / Punch Ward Members: Every village or ward is divided into smaller wards. A representative is elected from each ward who is called a panch or ward member.
- Sarpanch / Sarpanch Pradhan : is the head of the Gram Panchayat. It is elected by the ward members or directly by the people of the village.
- Gram Panchayat Members: Panch and Sarpanch together form the Gram Panchayat.
- Panchayat Secretary: It is a government servant appointed by the government. It convenes panchayat meetings and keeps a record of the proceedings. It acts as a link between the elected representatives and government officials in the Panchayati Raj system.
- Gram Sabha
- The Gram Sabha is a meeting of all those who live in that panchayat area and are 18 years of age or above and whose names are in the voters’ list.
- It is the most important aspect of the Panchayati Raj system as it gives an opportunity to the people to directly participate in the work of the government.
- Role and Functions of Gram Sabha:
- Making Choices: Helping in the election of Panchs and Sarpanches.
- Monitoring of Gram Panchayat work: To ensure that the Gram Panchayat is functioning correctly.
- Approval of Plans: Approval of development plans prepared by the Gram Panchayat.
- Monitoring: To review the utilization of funds made by the Gram Panchayat.
- Ensuring Accountability: Holding Panches and Sarpanches accountable for their actions.
- Preventing Corruption: Exposing any kind of irregularity or corruption.
- Functions of Gram Panchayat
The Gram Panchayat performs a number of functions for the development and welfare of the village:
- Maintenance of Water Sources: Maintenance of wells, hand pumps, and ponds.
- Construction and Maintenance of Roads, Drains: Creating infrastructure in the village.
- Maintenance of Public Buildings: School buildings, community centers, etc.
- Collection of Local Taxes: Taxing the houses and markets in the village.
- Implementation of Government Schemes: Implementing government schemes that benefit the people of the village.
- Livestock Development: Working for the health and welfare of animals.
- Resolution of Disputes: Resolving petty disputes at the village level.
- Sources of Income for Gram Panchayat
The Gram Panchayat requires funds for its works, which it receives from various sources:
- Taxes on Houses and Marketplaces: Local taxes.
- Money received from various government schemes: The money given by the state government and the central government.
- Grants from Janpad Panchayat/District Panchayat: Grants received from higher level panchayats.
- Donations from the Community: Donations made by people for various events.
- Three Levels of Panchayati Raj
The Panchayati Raj system in India works at three levels:
- I. Gram Panchayat: At the lowest level (at the village level).
- ii. Janpad Panchayat Panchayat Samiti (Janpad Panchayat / Janpad Panchayat) Panchayat Samiti): At Block or Tehsil level. It involves a number of Gram Panchayats.
- iii. District Panchayat / District Panchayat Zilla Parishad (Zila Panchayat) Zila Parishad: At the district level. It consists of many district panchayats.
- These three tiers are interlinked and ensure local self-governance in rural areas.