Local Government in Rural Areas

Class 06 Social Science

The local government in rural areas is organised into a three-tier system. Democracy in the Panchayati Raj system works both through direct participation of people and through their elected representatives.

Panchayati Raj System

Every village in India has a system of local government called ‘Panchayat’, which refers to a village council. Panchayats bring governance closer to the people, making it possible for them to actively participate in decision-making processes. That is why the Panchayat system, also known as Panchayati Raj, is a form of self-government. Panchayats play a vital role in addressing local issues, promoting development and ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach the grassroots level.

The Panchayati Raj system works at three levels - from bottom up - the village, the block and the district. This is called a ‘three-tier system’. Together, these institutions’ responsibilities cover almost all aspects of life in the district, from agriculture, housing, maintenance of roads, management of water resources, education, health care and social welfare to cultural activities.

Gram Panchayat

The Gram Panchayat is closest to the people in rural areas. Its members are elected directly by the Gram Sabha, which is a group of adults from a village who are enrolled as voters. In the Gram Sabha, women and men discuss all matters related to their area and take decisions. Each Gram Panchayat elects a head or president called the ‘Sarpanch’ or ‘Pradhan’.

The Gram Panchayat is assisted by a Panchayat Secretary who performs administrative functions such as calling meetings and maintaining records. Most Gram Panchayats are also assisted by an officer called ‘Patwari’ in many parts of India, who maintains the villagers’ land records.

Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad

Similar institutions exist at the block level and the district level, which are above the village level. The Panchayat Samiti at the block level is the link between the Gram Panchayat and the Zila Parishad at the district level. The members of these institutions are elected by the local people, but they may have other members like Sarpanchs of the villages in the area and local members of the State Legislative Assembly.

The composition of the Panchayat Samitis differs from State to State, but their role in strengthening the participation of local people remains the same. They coordinate matters across Gram Panchayats, for instance, by collecting development plans from all Gram Panchayats and putting them together to present them at the District or State levels respectively. This facilitates the allotment of funds for such development projects and for government schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, which promotes the construction of all-weather roads in rural areas.

At all the three levels, special rules have been made so that disadvantaged sections of the population can make their needs and problems heard. These institutions also have a provision for reserving one-third of the seats for women.