| Textbook | NCERT |
| Board | CBSE Board, UP board, JAC board, HBSE Board, Bihar Board, PSEB board, RBSE Board, UBSE Board |
| Class | 6th Class |
| Subject | Civic| Political Science | Social Science |
| Chapter | Chapter 5 |
| Chapter Name | Panchayati Raj |
| Topic | Panchayati Raj CBSE Class 6 Civic Chapter 5 Notes |
| Medium | English |
| Especially Designed Notes for | CBSE, ICSE, IAS, NET, NRA, UPSC, SSC, NDA, All Govt. Exam |
Panchayati Raj
Gram Sabha
The Gram Sabha’ is a meeting of all adults who live in the area covered by a Panchayat. Anyone who is 18 years old or more and who has the right to vote is a member of the Gram Sabha.
Every village Panchayat is divided into wards, i.e. smaller areas. Each ward elects a representative who is known as the Ward Member (Panch).
All the members of the Gram Sabha also elect a Sarpanch who is the Panchayat President2. The Ward Member, or Panch, and the Sarpanch form the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayat is elected for five years.
The Gram Panchayat
- The Gram Panchayat meets regularly and one of its main tasks is to implement development programmes for all villages that come under it.
- The Gram Panchayat has a Secretary who is also the Secretary 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.
Works of Gram Panchayat
The work of the Gram Panchayat has to be approved by the Gram Sabha. The Gram Sabha is a key factor in making the Gram Panchayat play its role and be responsible. It is the place where all plans for the work of the Gram Panchayat are placed before the people.
The Gram Sabha prevents the Panchayat from doing wrong things like misusing money or favouring certain people. It plays an important role in keeping an eye on the elected representatives and in making them responsible to the persons who elected them.
The work of a Gram Panchayat includes construction and maintenance of water resources, roads, drainage, school buildings and other common property resources. The works of Gram Panchayat also include levying and collecting local taxes, executing government schemes related to generating employment in the village.
In some states, Gram Sabhas form committees like construction and development committees. These committees include some members of the Gram Sabha and some from the Gram Panchayat who work together to carry out specific tasks.
In the end, it was decided that the Gram Panchayat would approach the Block Development Officer and get information on the scheme.
Three Levels of Panchayats
- Panchayati Raj system is the grass-root level of the government. The Panchayati Raj system is a process by which people participate in their own government. The level of local government can be understood through the following points.
- The first level or first tier of democratic government is Panchayati Raj system, where the Gram Sabha is an important part because the Panchs and the Gram Panchayat are answerable to the Gram Sabha. It is the members of Gram Sabha who elect the Panchs and the Gram Panchayat.
- This concept of people’s participation in the Panchayati Raj system extends to two other levels:
- The first level is the Block level, which has many Gram Panchayats under it. It is also known as the Janpad Panchayat or the Panchayat Samitiª.
- The second level is the Zila Parishad 5 or the District Panchayat. The Zila Parishad makes developmental plans at the district level. With the help of Panchayat Samitis, it also regulates the distribution of funds among all the Gram Panchayats.
- In short, you can understand the three levels through the following hierarchy:
- At District level-Zila Parishad works
- At Block level-Panchayat Samiti works
- At Village level-Gram Sabha works
- The Constitution of India provides guidelines within which each state of the country has its own laws with respect to Panchayats. The idea is to provide more and more space for people to participate and raise their voices.
Sources of Funds for the Panchayat
Sources of funds for the Panchayat are as follows:
- Collection of taxes on houses, market places, etc.
- Government scheme funds received through various departments of the government, through the Janpad and Zila Panchayats.
- Donations for community works etc.
- Gram Sabha It is a meeting where adult members of the village directly participate and seek answers from their elected representatives.
- Panchayat President The Panchayat President, or the Sarpanch, heads the Panchayat and is elected by members of the Gram Sabha.
- Panchs The Panch are the members of the Panchayat.
- Panchayat Samiti It is a local government body at the Tehsil level in India. It works for the villages of the Tehsil that together are called a development Block.
- Zila Parishad it is the third tier of the Panchayati Raj system. Zila Parishad is an elected body that makes developmental plans at the district level.
