Q2 of 9 Page 193

Suppose you are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, what powers would you endow to the village panchayats to function as units of self-government? Mention any five powers and the justification in two lines for each of them for giving those powers.

Village panchayat is a decentralised independent body which functions as a unit of self-government. If I am entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, the following powers will be endowed in the panchayats:

1. Public Amenities – to ensure better health and life of citizens and providing them with all sort of facilities, Gram Panchayats would have the powers to make arrangements for basic civic amenities for the people in the village.


2. Social Welfare Activities – The Gram Panchayat will need keep the records of birth and death in the village, family planning and its welfare also to organize social cultural events to increase participation and cooperation between people. The village can also organize charity programs for good social cause.


3. Agricultural Development – The Panchayats should supervise programmes and policies related to the modern agricultural practices and introduce new technologies and ways to increase the agricultural production.


4. Growth Works – The Gram Panchayats will also be responsible for development and growth functions at village level, such as construction of roads, tanks, irrigation facilities, maintenance of building and healthcare like hospitals an pharmacy at people’s reach, etc.


5. Educational work – The Gram Panchayats would be made responsible for the education in their village. I would make sure that gram Panchayats has the power and enough funds to open and maintain schools, Libraries and other educational institutions in the villages.


More from this chapter

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1

Constitution of India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government. Think over the situation described in the following statements and explain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayats in becoming units of self-government.

A. Government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a huge steel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steel plant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolution that before establishing any big industries in the region, village people must be consulted and their grievances should be redressed.


B. The government has decided that 20 % of all its expenditure would be done through the panchayats.


C. A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building for village school, the government officials turned down their proposal saying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannot be spent otherwise.


D. The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a part of village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased to exist in government’s books.


E. A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region are depleting fast. They decided to mobilise village youth to do some voluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.

 3

What are the provisions for the reservations for the socially disadvantaged groups as per the 73rd amendment? Explain how these provisions have changed the profile of the leadership at the village level.

 4

What were the main differences between the local governments before 73rd amendment and after that amendment?

 5

Read the following conversation. Write in two hundred words your opinion about the issues raised in this conversation.

Alok: Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women. Reservations in local bodies for women ensure their equal share in power.


Neha: But it is not enough that women should be in positions of power. It is necessary that the budget of local bodies should have separate provision for women.


Jayesh: I don’t like this reservations business. A local body must take care of all people in the village and that would automatically take care of women and their interests.