Panchayati Raj PDF 2020-2021

UNIT - III Adm in A d Ad Ad n m io m m A i o n iniiss tration iissstttrrraaattiion dmiGovernment i nna...

UNIT - III Adm in A d Ad Ad n m io m m A i o n iniiss tration iissstttrrraaattiion dmiGovernment i nnand at Local trn dmiin is ra tion i i AAdministration s n t is t m ion rraatio in Ad ti n m on Ad 2020-21 2020-21 Chapter 5 What happens after people elect their Panchayati Raj representatives? How are decisions made? Let's look at how this takes place in rural areas. Here, we look at the Gram Sabha, which is a meeting where people directly participate and seek answers from their elected representatives. I t's a special day today! Everyone's rushing to get to the Gram Sabha! Do you know why? Because the Gram The people of Hardas village are keen to find out what their new Panchayat leaders have planned for the village. Sabha is holding its first meeting after Gram Sabha the election of the new Gram Panchayat. The Gram Sabha meeting begins with The Gram Sabha is a meeting of all the Panchayat President (who is also adults who live in the area covered called the Sarpanch) and the members by a Panchayat. This could be only of the Panchayat (the Panchs) one village or a few villages. In some states, as in the example above, a presenting a plan on repairing the road village meeting is held for each that connects the village to the main village. Anyone who is 18 years old highway. After this, the discussion or more and who has the right to vote moves to the subject of water and is a member of the Gram Sabha. water shortages. 2020-21 44 / Social and Political Life We need to do something more Every village Panchayat is permanent as groundwater levels seem divided into wards, i.e. smaller to be going down every year. We're areas. Each ward elects a using more water than is seeping into representative who is known as the ground." the Ward Member (Panch). All the members of the Gram Sabha Another member, Anwar then tells also elect a Sarpanch who is the everyone that he has seen ways of Panchayat President. The Ward conserving water and recharging Panchs and the Sarpanch form (refilling) it in a village in Maharashtra the Gram Panchayat. The Gram where he'd once gone to visit his Panchayat is elected for five brother. It was called watershed years. development and he had heard that the The Gram Panchayat has a government gave money for this work. Secretary who is also the Secretary of the Gram Sabha. In his brother's village people had This person is not an elected planted trees, constructed check-dams person but is appointed by the and tanks. Everyone thought this was government. The Secretary is an interesting idea and the Gram responsible for calling the Panchayat was asked to find out about meeting of the Gram Sabha and it in detail. Gram Panchayat and keeping a record of the proceedings. 1. What is a Gram Sabha? 2. In the meeting of the Gram Sabha so far what are the problems that are being A villager called Tijia begins the discussed? What sort of solutions meeting by saying, "The water problem are being suggested? in Hardas has become very acute. The hand pump water has gone well below The next item on the agenda for the the point up to which the ground has Gram Sabha is the finalisation of the been drilled. We hardly get any water list of people below the poverty line in the taps. Women have to go to the (BPL) which had to be approved by the Suru river which is 3 k.m. away to get Gram Sabha. As soon as the list is read water." One of the members suggests out people begin to whisper. "Natwar piping water from the Suru and making has just bought a colour T.V. and his an overhead tank in the village to son has sent him a new motorcycle. increase the supply. But the others How can he be below the poverty line?" think that this will be expensive. It's Soorajmal mutters to the person sitting better, they feel, to deepen the next to him. Saroj says to Sukhi bai handpumps and clean the wells for this "How did Birju's name get on to the list? season. Tijia says, "This is not enough. He has so much land. This list should 2020-21  Panchayati Raj / 45 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 have only poor people. And Om to the persons who Prakash is a landless labourer who can elected them. barely make ends meet, yet his name is not on the list." "You know that both families says, "Om Prakash's house Natwar and Birju are friends of was locked when I went there. He may Amirchand. Who can counter have gone somewhere to look for work." Amirchand's power?” Sukhi bai says, The Sarpanch gives instructions that "Amirchand was the earlier Zamindar Om Prakash's family income be looked (landowner) of the village and still has at and if it is less than what has been control over a lot of land. But we should decided by the government, his name get Om Prakash's name put in." should be included in the list. The Sarpanch (Panchayat Presi- 1. Was there a problem with the BPL dent) notices people whispering and list that the Gram Sabha was asks if anyone has anything to say. finalising? What was this problem? Saroj tries to provoke Soorajmal to ask 2. Why do you think Soorajmal kept about Natwar and Birju. But he keeps quiet even though Saroj asked him to quiet. Amirchand is sitting in the Gram speak? Sabha keeping an eye on everyone. 3. Have you seen any similar incidents when people are unable to Then Saroj gets up and says that Om speak for themselves? Why do you Prakash's name should be in the BPL think that happened and what list. Others agree that he and his family prevented the person from speaking? are very poor. The Sarpanch asks how 4. How can the Gram Sabha prevent his name had been missed out. The the Panchayat from doing what it person who did the survey of BPL likes? 2020-21 46 / Social and Political Life The Gram Panchayat The work of a Gram Panchayat The Gram Panchayat meets regularly includes and one of its main tasks is to 1. The construction and maintenance implement development programmes of water sources, roads, drainage, for all villages that come under it. As school buildings and other you have seen, the work of the Gram common property resources. Panchayat has to be approved by the 2. Levying and collecting local taxes. Gram Sabha. 3. Executing government schemes related to generating employment In some states, Gram Sabhas form in the village. committees like construction and development committees. These Sources of funds for the committees include some members of Panchayat ! Collection of taxes on houses, the Gram Sabha and some from the market places etc. Gram Panchayat who work together to ! Government scheme funds received carry out specific tasks. through various departments of the government – through the Janpad and Zila Panchayats. ! Donations for community works etc. Let's see what the Hardas Gram Panchayat was able to do. Do you remember the options that were suggested to solve the water problem in the Gram Sabha of Hardas village? When the Hardas Gram Panchayat held a meeting, this point was brought up again by some of the members (Panchs). This meeting was attended by the Sarpanch, Ward Members (Panchs) and the Secretary. Gram Panchayat members first discussed the suggestion to deepen two handpumps and clean one well, so that the village would not go without water. The Sarpanch (Panchayat President) Two village Panchs from Maharashtra who were suggested that since the Panchayat had awarded the Nirmal Gram Puruskar in 2005 for received some money for maintenance the excellent work done by them in the Panchayat. of handpumps, this could be used 2020-21  Panchayati Raj / 47 Watershed management has transformed this barren slope to a green meadow in just two years. for completing this work. The members agreed and the Secretary recorded their decision. The members then went on to Three Levels of Panchayats discuss the options for a long-term After reading about what happened in solution. They were sure that the the Gram Sabha and the Gram Gram Sabha members would ask Panchayat in Hardas village you can questions at the next meeting. Some understand that the Panchayati Raj Panchs asked whether the watershed System is a process through which programme would make a substantial people participate in their own difference to the water level. A lot of government. In rural areas, the Gram discussion followed. In the end it was Panchayat is the first tier or level of decided that the Gram Panchayat democratic government. The Panchs would approach the Block and the Gram Panchayat are Development Officer and get more answerable to the Gram Sabha information on the scheme. because it is the members of the Gram Sabha who elected them. What decisions were taken by the Gram panchayat? This idea of people's participation in the Panchayati Raj system extends Do you think it was necessary for them to take these decisions? to two other levels. One is the Block Why? level, which is called the Janpad Panchayat or the Panchayat Samiti. From the above description, write The Panchayat Samiti has many Gram down one question that people Panchayats under it. Above the could ask of the Panchayat in the next Gram Sabha meeting. Panchayat Samiti is the District Panchayat or the Zila Parishad. The 2020-21 48 / Social and Political Life Zila Parishad actually makes more and more space for people to developmental plans at the district participate and raise their voices. level. With the help of Panchayat Samitis, it also regulates the money Ask your teacher to invite any of distribution among all the Gram the elected persons such as the Panchayats. Panch, Sarpanch (Panchayat President) or member of the Within the guidelines given in the Janpad or Zila Panchayat and Constitution each state in the country interview them on their work and has its own laws with regard to the projects undertaken by them. Panchayats. The idea is to provide QUESTIONS 1. What problem did the villagers in Hardas village face? What did they do to solve this problem? 2. What, in your opinion, is the importance of the Gram Sabha? Do you think all members should attend Gram Sabha meetings? Why? 3. What is the link between a Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat? 4. Take an example of any one task done by a Panchayat in your area/nearby rural area and find out the following: a. Why it was taken up. b. Where the money came from. c. Whether or not the work has been completed. 5. What is the difference between a Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat? 6. Read the following news item. Nimone is a village on the Chauphula-Shirur Road. Like many others, this village has also been facing a severe water shortage for the last few months and villagers depend on tankers for all their needs. Bhagvan Mahadeo Lad (35) of this village was beaten with sticks, iron rods and axes by a group of seven men. The incident came to light when some villagers brought a badly injured Lad to hospital for treatment. In the FIR recorded by the police Lad said that he was attacked when he insisted that the water in the tanker must be emptied into the storage tanks constructed as part of the water supply scheme by Nimone Gram Panchayat so that there would be equal distribution of water. However, he alleged that the upper caste men were against this and told him that the tanker water was not meant for the lower castes. Adapted from Indian Express, May 1, 2004 a. Why was Bhagvan beaten? b. Do you think that the above is a case of discrimination? Why? 7. Find out more about watershed development and how it benefits an area? 2020-21