4. COMPOSITION
Zila Parishad is at the apex in the third tier of the Panchayati Raj System.
Zila Parishad also has a term of 5 years.
Some of its members are directly elected and the Chairpersons of the Panchayat Samitis are ex-
officio members.
MPs and MLAs belonging to the district are also the members of Zila Parishad.
Chairperson of the Zila Parishad is elected from the directly elected members.
Not less than 1/3rd of the offices and seats are reserved for the women members.
Seats are also reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
5. FUNCTIONS
Providing essential services and facilities to the rural population, planning and executing the development
programs for the district;
Supplying improved seeds to farmers, informing them of new techniques of farming, undertaking the
construction of small-scale irrigation projects and percolation tanks, and maintaining pastures and grazing
lands;
Setting up and running schools in villages, executing programs for adult literacy, and running libraries;
Starting Primary Health Centers and hospitals in villages, managing mobile hospitals for hamlets, conducting
vaccination drives against epidemics and family welfare campaigns;
6. FUNCTIONS
Executing plans for the development of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, running ashram for Adivasi
children, and setting up free hostels for scheduled caste students;
Encouraging entrepreneurs to start small scale industries like cottage industries, handicrafts, agriculture
products, processing mills, dairy farms, etc., and implementing rural employment schemes; and
Constructing roads, schools and also taking care of the public properties;
7. FUNCTIONS
Prepares district plans and integrates Samiti plans into district plans for submission to the State Government.
Looking development works in the entire district.
Undertakes schemes to improve agricultural production, exploit ground water resources, extend rural
electrification and distribution and initiate employment generating activities, construct roads and other public
works.
Performs welfare functions like relief during natural calamities and scarcity, the establishment of orphanages
and poor homes, night shelters, the welfare of women and children, etc.
Perform functions entrusted to them under the Central and State Government sponsored programs.
For example, Jawahar Rozgar Yojana is a big centrally sponsored scheme for which money is directly given to the districts to undertake
employment-generating activities.
8. SOURCES OF INCOME
Income from taxes levied by Zila Parishad, license fees and market fees;
A share is given to Zila Parishad from the collected land revenue;
Income from various properties of Zila Parishad;
Grants from the State and Central governments;
Funds allotted by the State for developmental activities.
9. Zilla Sansad and its constitution. –
Every Zilla Parishad shall have a Zilla Sansad consisting of the following members:-
Pradhans of all Gram Panchayats,
Sabhapatis, Sahakari Sabhapatis and Karmadhyakshas of all Panchayat Samitis comprising the Zilla
Parishad,
and all members of that Zilla Parishad.
13. COMPOSITION
Panchayat Samiti is the intermediate or the middle tier of the Panchayati Raj System.
A Panchayat Samiti is constituted by the following members:
all the Sarpanches (Mukhias) or Chairpersons of the Gram Panchayats within the Block
MPs, MLAs, and MLCs of that Block.
Elected Members of Zila Parishad from that Block.
Some directly elected Members.
Some Government Officers of that Block.
The term of each Panchayat Samiti is five years in all States.
In its very first meeting, each Panchayat Samiti elects two of its members as Chairperson and vice-
chairperson.
Panchayat Samitis are at the hub of developmental activities.
14. ORGANIZATION
Chairpersonships of at least 1/3rd Panchayat Samities stand reserved for women members.
some of the offices of Chairperson are reserved for members belonging to Scheduled Castes.
The tenure of the Chairperson is coterminous with the tenure of the Panchayat Samiti.
The members of a Panchayat Samiti can remove the Chairperson by passing a resolution supported
by the 2/3rd majority.
A Panchayat Samiti usually meets at least six times in one year.
There cannot be a gap of more than two months between its two meetings.
A meeting of Panchayat Samiti is either ordinary or special.
The date of every meeting is fixed by the Chairperson of the Panchayat Samiti and in his/her
absence by the Vice-Chairperson.
Its chief administrative officer is Block Development Officer popularly known as BDO.
15. FUNCTIONS
Some functions are entrusted to them like agriculture, land improvement, watershed development, social and
farm forestry, technical and vocational education, etc.
The second type of functions relates to the implementation of some specific plans, schemes or programmes to
which funds are earmarked. It means that a Panchayat Samiti has to spend money only on that specific
project. The choice of location or beneficiaries is, however, available to the Panchayat Samiti.
Important functions are agriculture, land improvement, watershed development, social and farm forestry,
and technical and vocational education.
Implements certain schemes and programs for which specific funds are allocated by the State government or
Central government. It promotes and coordinates different development programs in its areas.
16. FUNCTIONS
It also has responsibilities like
Provision of drinking water in the villages,
Development and repair of rural roads,
Framing of rules and regulations for the markets,
Provision of improved seeds and chemical fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural tools, and implements,
Promotion of cottage industries such as handlooms, handicrafts, traditional art, and artisans,
The welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes and other backward classes, and
Promotion of the self-employment schemes in rural areas.
17. SOURCES OF INCOME
Income from levies taxes, levies and receives a fixed percentage of land revenue, license fees and market
fees;
Grants from the State and Central governments;
Funds allotted by the State for developmental activities.
21. COMPOSITION
At the village level, there is a Gram Sabha or Village Assembly and a Gram Panchayat having a
Chairperson known as Gram Pradhan or Sarpanch (Mukhia), a Vice-Chairperson and some Panches.
The members of Gram Sabha elect the members and also the Chairperson of Gram Panchayat.
A Vice-Chairperson is elected by the members of the Panchayat.
The tenure of the Village Panchayat is 5 years.
In every Panchayat, one-third of the seats are reserved for women. There are some States where the
percentage of seats reserved for women is even more.
Seats are also reserved for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Sarpanch (Mukhia) of the Panchayat is directly elected by all the voters of the village.
Some offices of Sarpanches are now reserved for women, and some for persons belonging to Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
22. ORGANIZATION
It is the most important unit of rural local self-government.
all the members of each Gram Sabha are voters who elect the members of the Panchayat by a
secret ballot.
In most of the States, a Village Panchayat has 5 to 9 members who are called Panches.
The main functions of Gram Sabha are to review the annual accounts of Panchayat discuss the audit
and administrative reports and the tax proposals of its Panchayat and accept community service,
voluntary labor and schemes for Panchayat.
The States have to ensure that all the Gram Sabhas in their respective areas are functional.
23. ORGANIZATION
The Gram Sabha has now been recognized as a legal body. It acts as the legislative body.
The Village Panchayat or Gram Panchayat is the executive committee of Gram Sabha.
In one year at least two meetings of the Gram Sabha has to be held.
Sarpanch calls the meetings of the Panchayat and presides over those meetings.
He/She is to call at least one meeting of the Panchayat per month.
In its first meeting, the Gram Sabha considers the budget of the Gram Panchayat.
In its second meeting, it considers the reports of the Gram Panchayat.
The Panthers can also request him/her for calling a special meeting.
He/She has to call such a special meeting within three days of the request.
Sarpanch keeps the records of the meetings of Panchayat.
The Panchayat can assign any special function to him/ her.
24. FUNCTIONS
All the major functions of Gram Panchayat are related to the welfare and development of the village.
OBLIGATORY FUNCTIONS:
Provision of safe drinking water, paving of streets, developing and maintaining good drainage system,
ensuring the cleanliness of the village, upkeep of street lights, dispensary, etc.
DISCRETIONARY FUNCTIONS:
Plantation of trees, setting up and maintenance of insemination center for cattle, developing and
maintaining playgrounds for sports and setting up and running the library.
Obligatory functions fulfill the needs and requirements of the villagers.
Discretionary functions can be performed if the Panchayat has the resources and funds.
25. FUNCTIONS
From time to time some other functions can be assigned to Panchayats by the State government or Union
government.
Along with these functions of Panchayats, every member of the village also has the duty towards his/ her
village.
One should keep the surroundings of his /her home clean, not waste drinking water and plant more and more
trees.
26. SOURCES OF INCOME
Over and above the Grants-in-aid, State governments have empowered Panchayats to levy taxes and collect
funds.
Taxes on property, land, goods, and cattle;
Rent collected for facilities like Barat Ghar or any other property of panchayat;
Various types of fines collected from the offenders;
Grants-in- aid from the State government and Union government;
A part of the land revenue collected by the State government given to the Panchayats; and
Donations collected from the villagers for some common cause.
28. ACTIVITY SESSION
ACTIVITY: Question
Answering session
(WHEEL DECIDE)
ACTIVITY TIME: 10 MIN
(WHEEL DECIDE)
Question: Was there a problem with the BPL list that the Gram
Sabha was finalizing? What was this problem?
29. ACTIVITY SESSION
ACTIVITY: Question
Answering session
(WHEEL DECIDE)
ACTIVITY TIME: 10 MIN
(WHEEL DECIDE)
Question : How can the Gram Sabha prevent the Panchayat from
doing what it likes?
30. A DAUGHTER'S WISH
Father inherited our house from his
father
And everyone says he’ll leave it to
brother
But what about me and my mother?
To expect a share in my father's
home,
Is not very womanly, I am told.
But I really want a place of my own,
Not dowry of silk and gold.
31. ACTIVITY SESSION
ACTIVITY: Question
Answering session
(WHEEL DECIDE)
ACTIVITY TIME: 02 MIN
(WHEEL DECIDE)
Question : What issue is the poem trying to raise? Do you think this
is an important issue? Why
