Structure of rural local self government and the Gram Panchayat
Small problems of our class are solved by the class representative and school problems by the headmaster. In the same way village problems are solved by elected people of the village.
The local government body looking after village administration and development work is the Gram Panchayat. The three-tier structure of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad is called ‘Panchayat Raj’.
Key idea 1 : Three-tier structure of Panchayat Raj — The purpose of Panchayat Raj is that administration of village, taluka and district should be in the hands of local elected representatives. So three levels were made: Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (taluka), Zilla Parishad (district). This decentralised democracy and brought maximum powers to local representatives. The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992 gave Panchayat Raj institutions constitutional status.
Key idea 2 : Structure of the Gram Panchayat — The Gram Panchayat is the foundation of Panchayat Raj. In Maharashtra the number of members is 7 to 17 by village population; tenure 5 years. All members are elected by adult franchise and secret ballot and the candidate’s minimum age is 21. The village is divided into wards and a member is elected from each ward. Seats are reserved for SC, ST and OBC and in Maharashtra 50% seats are reserved for women. Elected members are called ‘Panch’. Earlier members chose the Sarpanch and Up-Sarpanch; now in Maharashtra the Sarpanch is elected directly by the people.
Key idea 3 : Number of members, Gram Sevak and group Gram Panchayat — Population up to 1,500 — 7 members; 1,501–3,000 — 9; 3,001–4,500 — 11; 4,501–6,000 — 13; 6,001–7,500 — 15; above 7,500 — 17. The Gram Sevak (new name ‘Gram Panchayat Officer’, by the Government Resolution of 23 September 2024) is the secretary and administrative head of the Gram Panchayat; he is appointed by the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad. When two or more villages together have a population of less than 600, it is a ‘Group Gram Panchayat’.
- Easy : How many members in a village of population 2,500? — 9 (1,501–3,000 band).
- Medium : What percent of Gram Panchayat seats are reserved for women in Maharashtra? — 50%.
- Exam-type : Who elects the Sarpanch in Maharashtra? — The people directly.
In the figure: Steps: village → taluka → district; above them the State government.
In 1882 Viceroy Lord Ripon presented a resolution on local self-government; it pointed to elected members in local bodies, so he is called the ‘father of local self-government in India’. In free India Pandit Nehru started Panchayat Raj at Nagaur in Rajasthan on 2 October 1959, on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. So this idea of village self-rule is more than a hundred years old.
Panchayat Raj = 3 tiers; Gram Panchayat = 7 to 17 members, 5 years, 50% women; age 21; Sarpanch directly elected.
Age for contesting Gram Panchayat is 21 and for voters in Gram Sabha is 18; two different ages.
Village-Panchayat; taluka-Samiti; district-Parishad. Memory clue: ‘Gaa-Taa-Ji’ — gram, samiti, parishad.
Spot the difference
| Population | Members |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 | 7 |
| 1,501 – 3,000 | 9 |
| 3,001 – 4,500 | 11 |
| 4,501 – 6,000 | 13 |
| 6,001 – 7,500 | 15 |
| Above 7,500 | 17 |
Practice questions
- 1What is Panchayat Raj?
- 2Which are the three tiers of Panchayat Raj?
- 3What are the tenure of a Gram Panchayat and the minimum age of members?
- 4How many seats are reserved for women in Maharashtra?
- 5How is the Sarpanch elected?
- 6Who is the Gram Sevak and who appoints him?
- 7When does a Group Gram Panchayat form?
- 8How many members in a village of population 5,200? Give the reason.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The three-tier local government of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad.
- 2Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, Zilla Parishad.
- 35 years; minimum 21 years.
- 450% of seats.
- 5Directly by the people.
- 6Secretary and administrative head of the Gram Panchayat; appointed by the CEO of Zilla Parishad.
- 7When two or more villages together have population below 600.
- 813 members; because it falls in the 4,501 to 6,000 band.
Gram Sabha, functions and income
At school the accounts of the annual function are told in front of all. In the village too the Gram Panchayat’s income and expenses are placed before all voters in the Gram Sabha.
The assembly of all registered voters of the village is the Gram Sabha. The Sarpanch presides over it; in his absence the Deputy Sarpanch. All voters aged 18 and above are in the Gram Sabha.
Key idea 1 : Functions of the Gram Panchayat — For the village’s development the Gram Panchayat: builds and repairs roads; manages electricity, drinking water and sewage; keeps records of births, deaths and marriages; keeps the village clean; provides primary education and health facilities; collects house tax and water tax; informs villagers about government schemes; installs street lights.
Key idea 2 : The Gram Sabha — In Maharashtra it is a legal duty to hold at least four Gram Sabha meetings a year: 26 January, 1 May, 15 August and 2 October. Besides these, the Sarpanch has power to call special meetings. A meeting of women is held before the Gram Sabha. The Gram Sabha examines and approves the Gram Panchayat’s accounts, approves the annual budget and decides the report of the last year and the programme of the current year. All decisions are recorded in a register.
Key idea 3 : Income of the Gram Panchayat — Local taxes (house tax, water tax) and grants from the Central Government, State Government and Zilla Parishad are the main sources of income. Besides these, money is raised from market tax, professional tax and rent from Gram Panchayat properties.
- Easy : On which dates are the four Gram Sabha meetings? — 26 Jan, 1 May, 15 Aug, 2 Oct.
- Medium : Who keeps birth-death records? — Gram Panchayat.
- Exam-type : To whom is house tax paid? — The Gram Panchayat.
In the figure: Four main works: roads, water-power, cleanliness and records.
Hiware Bazar, a small village in Ahilyanagar district, suffered from constant drought and low farm yield. The village did rainwater harvesting and watershed conservation work and planted many trees; so the groundwater level rose. With villagers’ cooperation the village became green and prosperous in a few years. Hiware Bazar became an ‘Ideal Gram Panchayat’ and the then Sarpanch Popatrao Pawar received the Government of India’s ‘Padma Shri’ award in 2020. (This information is from the textbook.)
Gram Sabha = all voters (18+); at least 4 meetings a year; 26 Jan, 1 May, 15 Aug, 2 Oct; approves accounts.
Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat are not the same; the Gram Sabha has all voters, the Gram Panchayat elected members.
Gram Sabha = all voters; Gram Panchayat = elected members. Memory clue: ‘Sabha of all, Panchayat of chosen Panchas’.
Spot the difference
| Point | Gram Sabha | Gram Panchayat |
|---|---|---|
| Who | All voters | Elected members |
| Chair | Sarpanch | Sarpanch |
| Work | Approves accounts and budget | Daily administration of village |
Practice questions
- 1What is the Gram Sabha?
- 2When are Gram Sabha meetings held?
- 3Which are the functions of the Gram Sabha?
- 4Write any five functions of the Gram Panchayat.
- 5Where does the income of the Gram Panchayat come from?
- 6State the difference between Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat.
- 7Through which activities did Hiware Bazar bring change?
- 8If you became Sarpanch which three works would you do?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The assembly of all registered voters of the village.
- 2At least four times a year — 26 January, 1 May, 15 August and 2 October.
- 3Approving accounts after examination, approving the budget and deciding the programme.
- 4Roads; water and electricity; cleanliness; birth-death records; primary education and health.
- 5House tax, water tax, market tax, professional tax, rent and government grants.
- 6Gram Sabha has all voters; Gram Panchayat has elected members.
- 7Watershed conservation, rainwater harvesting and tree planting.
- 8E.g. water scheme, cleanliness drive, village roads.
Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad
Above our class there is the school and above the school the education department. In the same way above the Gram Panchayat there is the Panchayat Samiti and above it the Zilla Parishad.
All villages of a taluka together form a ‘Development Block’ and the body managing its affairs is the Panchayat Samiti; it is a link between Gram Panchayat and Zilla Parishad. The Zilla Parishad is the apex body among rural local self-government bodies at the district level.
Key idea 1 : Panchayat Samiti — Members are minimum 15 and maximum 45 by population. The elected members elect one among themselves as Chairperson (Sabhapati) and another as Deputy Chairperson; tenure two and a half years. The Chairperson calls meetings, presides and implements orders of the Zilla Parishad. The administrative head is the Block Development Officer (BDO); selected through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission exam and appointed by the State Government. Functions: planning, supervising work on behalf of the Zilla Parishad, coordination between Zilla Parishad and Gram Panchayats, implementing development schemes in the taluka. The Panchayat Samiti has no independent income; its budget is part of the Zilla Parishad’s budget.
Key idea 2 : Zilla Parishad — Maharashtra has 36 districts but 34 Zilla Parishads, because Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban are fully urban. Members minimum 50 and maximum 75; tenure 5 years. Chairpersons of all Panchayat Samitis are ex-officio members. Members elect one among themselves as President and another as Vice-President; tenure two and a half years; the President is the ex-officio chair of the Standing Committee. The administrative head, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is an IAS officer appointed by the State Government.
Key idea 3 : Zilla Parishad committees and income — The Zilla Parishad has ten committees: Standing, Finance, Public Works, Agriculture, Social Welfare, Education, Health, Animal Husbandry and Dairy, Women and Child Welfare, and Water Management and Water Supply. Among them the Standing Committee is the most important. Through the committees work goes on like distribution of seeds and fertilisers, management of primary schools, rural roads and small bridges, primary health centres, vaccination and Anganwadi supervision. Income: water tax, pilgrimage tax, market tax; also State government grants in proportion to land revenue.
- Easy : How many Zilla Parishads in Maharashtra? — 34 (36 districts − 2 urban).
- Medium : BDO is administrative head of which body? — Panchayat Samiti.
- Exam-type : The CEO of Zilla Parishad belongs to which service? — IAS.
In the figure: Zilla Parishad: President-Vice-President, CEO, ten committees and 50 to 75 members.
What happened before the Balwantrai Mehta Committee report? The Community Development Programme began on 2 October 1952, but villagers took little part in it. In 1957 a committee under Balwantrai Mehta was asked to study why.
What happened after the Balwantrai Mehta Committee report? On 2 October 1959 Prime Minister Nehru inaugurated the three-tier Panchayati Raj at Nagaur in Rajasthan. In 1993 the 73rd Amendment gave panchayats constitutional status.
Samiti = taluka, Chairperson, BDO; Parishad = district, President, CEO; 10 committees; 50–75 members; 36 districts, 34 Parishads.
The head is Sabhapati in Panchayat Samiti and President in Zilla Parishad; different names. BDO is of the taluka and CEO of the district.
Village = Sarpanch + Gram Sevak; taluka = Sabhapati + BDO; district = President + CEO. Memory clue: ‘Sarpanch-Sabhapati-Adhyaksh’ — the ladder going up.
Spot the difference
| Point | Gram Panchayat | Panchayat Samiti | Zilla Parishad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level | Village | Taluka | District |
| Members | 7 to 17 | 15 to 45 | 50 to 75 |
| Head | Sarpanch | Chairperson | President |
| Officer | Gram Sevak | BDO | CEO |
Practice questions
- 1What is the Panchayat Samiti?
- 2State the number of members and tenure of the Panchayat Samiti.
- 3How is the BDO selected and appointed?
- 4Which are the functions of the Panchayat Samiti?
- 5Why are there 34 Zilla Parishads for 36 districts in Maharashtra?
- 6Who is the CEO of Zilla Parishad?
- 7Name any four committees of Zilla Parishad and their work.
- 8If the road to your village school is bad, to whom will you write and why?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The body managing the development block formed by villages of a taluka.
- 215 to 45 members; Chairperson and Deputy’s tenure two and a half years.
- 3Selected through MPSC exam; appointed by the State Government.
- 4Planning, supervision, coordination and implementing schemes in the taluka.
- 5Because Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban are fully urban.
- 6An IAS officer; appointed by the State Government; administrative head of Zilla Parishad.
- 7E.g. Agriculture — seeds-fertilisers; Education — primary schools; Health — PHCs; Public Works — roads-bridges.
- 8To the Gram Panchayat; because repairing roads is its work.