Chapter 5: Panchayati Raj

Gram Sabha

The Gram Sabha is the foundation of the Panchayati Raj system. It is a general body meeting of all adult citizens, aged 18 years or older with the right to vote, who reside within the area of a Gram Panchayat. It is a forum for direct democracy, where ordinary people can participate directly in the governance of their village, discuss local issues, and hold their elected representatives accountable.

Discussions and Decision-Making in the Gram Sabha

The meeting in Hardas village illustrates the vital functions of a Gram Sabha. The discussion centered on two critical issues:

1. Water Scarcity: A villager named Tijia highlighted the severe water shortage, noting that handpumps were running dry and women had to travel 3 km to a river for water. The members discussed various solutions:
   • Short-term fixes: Some suggested deepening handpumps and cleaning wells. Another idea was to pipe water from the Suru river, but this was considered too expensive.
   • Long-term solution: A member named Anwar proposed implementing watershed development, a method of water conservation he had seen in Maharashtra. This involves planting trees and building check-dams to replenish groundwater levels. The Gram Sabha tasked the Gram Panchayat with researching this permanent solution.
2. Scrutiny of the BPL List: The Gram Sabha reviewed the list of families Below the Poverty Line (BPL). Villagers pointed out serious inaccuracies. For instance, Natwar and Birju, who were financially well-off, were on the list, while Om Prakash, a very poor landless labourer, was excluded. Despite the influence of a powerful ex-landowner, Amirchand, a villager named Saroj bravely spoke up. This led the Sarpanch to order a review of Om Prakash's financial status for inclusion in the list.

The Role and Importance of the Gram Sabha

The Gram Sabha is crucial for ensuring transparency and accountability in local governance. Its primary roles are:

• A Watchdog: It keeps a close watch on the elected members of the Gram Panchayat, ensuring they perform their duties responsibly.
• Prevents Misuse of Power: It acts as a check against the Panchayat misusing funds or showing favoritism towards certain individuals.
• Approves Plans and Budgets: All development plans and expenditures of the Gram Panchayat must be presented to and approved by the Gram Sabha.
• Ensures Accountability: It makes the elected representatives answerable to the very people who elected them.

The Gram Panchayat

The Gram Panchayat is the executive body of the village-level government, elected by the Gram Sabha for a term of five years. It is responsible for implementing development programs and making decisions for the village, based on the approval and feedback from the Gram Sabha.

Its structure includes:

• Panchs (Ward Members): The Panchayat area is divided into smaller areas called wards, and each ward elects one representative, the Panch.
• Sarpanch (Panchayat President): The head of the Panchayat, who is elected by all members of the Gram Sabha.
• Panchayat Secretary: This is an administrative position, not an elected one. The Secretary is appointed by the government to call meetings and maintain official records of both the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat.

Key Responsibilities of the Gram Panchayat

The main tasks of a Gram Panchayat include:

• Construction and maintenance of common public resources like water sources, roads, drainage systems, and school buildings.
• Levying and collecting local taxes on houses, marketplaces, etc.
• Executing government schemes aimed at generating employment in the village.

Sources of Funds

The Gram Panchayat gets its funds from several sources:

• Collection of local taxes.
• Funds from government schemes, which are channelled through the Janpad and Zila Panchayats (Block and District levels).
• Donations from the community for specific projects.

Decision-Making in Action: The Hardas Panchayat Meeting

Following the Gram Sabha meeting, the Hardas Gram Panchayat met to act on the suggestions. They made two key decisions:

1. For the immediate water problem, they decided to use funds already received for handpump maintenance to deepen two pumps and clean a well.
2. For the long-term solution, they decided to contact the Block Development Officer (BDO) to gather more detailed information about the watershed development scheme.

Three Levels Of Panchayats

The Panchayati Raj System in India is a three-tiered structure of rural local self-government. It was established to ensure democratic participation from the village level up to the district level. This system was given constitutional status through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992.

The three levels are:

1. Gram Panchayat (Village Level): This is the first and most fundamental tier. It is directly accountable to the Gram Sabha, the body of all voters in the village.
2. Panchayat Samiti (Block Level): This is the intermediate tier, also known as the Janpad Panchayat or Block Panchayat. It serves as the link between the Gram Panchayat and the Zila Parishad. It consists of multiple Gram Panchayats under its jurisdiction.
3. Zila Parishad (District Level): This is the highest tier in the Panchayati Raj system, also known as the District Panchayat. It is responsible for making overall development plans at the district level and oversees the allocation of government funds to the Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats.

The main idea behind this structure is to provide increasing space for people to participate in their own governance and to raise their voices on issues that affect them, thereby strengthening democracy at its roots.