Grassroots Democracy – Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas — Class 6 Social Science
Exploring Society: India and Beyond · Chapter 11
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5- Mathematics
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- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
- Space weighted by chapter size
- Charts from the book's own data
- Traps corrected
Chapter summary
Key ideas & terms
- Panchayati Raj
- The system of rural local self-government in India, working at three levels (village, block, district).
- Gram Panchayat
- The village-level council, whose members are elected directly by the Gram Sabha.
- Gram Sabha
- The body of all enrolled adult voters of a village, which elects and oversees the Gram Panchayat.
- Sarpanch
- The elected head or president of a Gram Panchayat, also called Pradhan.
- Zila Parishad
- The Panchayati Raj institution at the district level, the top tier of the three-tier system.
- Bal Panchayat
- A children's council that lets children voice concerns and has helped fight child labour and child marriage.
Extra questions & answers
Why is local government important in rural India?
Because India has about 600,000 villages and nearly two-thirds of people live in rural areas, so they need to manage local issues themselves.
What is Panchayati Raj?
It is the system of rural local self-government, in which the village council (Panchayat) lets people take part in decision-making.
Name the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system.
The Gram Panchayat (village level), the Panchayat Samiti (block level) and the Zila Parishad (district level).
Who elects the members of the Gram Panchayat?
They are elected directly by the Gram Sabha, the body of all enrolled adult voters of the village.
Who is the Sarpanch?
The Sarpanch (or Pradhan) is the elected head or president of a Gram Panchayat.
What does the Patwari do?
The Patwari assists the Gram Panchayat by maintaining the villagers' land records, sometimes using maps that are generations old.
What is the Child-Friendly Panchayat Initiative?
It creates opportunities, through Bal Sabhas and Bal Panchayats, for children to express ideas on matters affecting their wellbeing.
How do the Panchayati Raj institutions support women and disadvantaged groups?
They reserve one-third of seats for women and have special rules so disadvantaged sections can make their needs heard.
What does the Panchayat Samiti do?
At the block level it links Gram Panchayats and the Zila Parishad, coordinating development plans and helping allot funds for schemes.
What does the ancient Arthaśhāstra show about local administration?
Written by Kauṭilya about 2,300 years ago, it described a structured administration from village to capital, showing such ideas are very old in India.
The Big Questions
1. What are Panchayati Raj institutions?
Panchayati Raj institutions are the system of local self-government in rural India. They are councils called Panchayats at three levels - village, block and district - that allow villagers to take part directly in governing their own areas and making decisions about local needs.
2. What are their functions?
Their functions cover almost all aspects of rural life such as building and maintaining roads, housing, water supply and watershed management, agriculture, education, health care, sanitation, social welfare and cultural activities. They also prepare local development plans, implement government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, maintain land records with the help of the Patwari and Secretary, and ensure benefits reach the grassroots.
3. Why are they important in governance and democracy?
They are important because they bring governance closer to the people and make democracy work at the grassroots. With about two-thirds of Indians living in villages, it is not possible to solve every local problem from the State or national capital. Panchayats give people a chance to participate directly through the Gram Sabha and through elected representatives like the Sarpanch, ensure inclusion of women and disadvantaged groups through reservation, and promote self-governance and local development.
THINK ABOUT IT
How do you think can these old maps be helpful for us? Can they tell us something about the past and the present?
Yes, old maps kept by the Patwari are very helpful. They show who owned which fields, where village boundaries, ponds, wells, roads and common lands were in the past. By comparing old maps with new ones we can see how the village has changed - for example if farmland has become housing, if a river has changed course, or if forests have reduced. They also help settle land disputes today and help historians and planners understand the history of the village and plan for water, roads and houses in the present.
LET'S EXPLORE
As a class activity, let four or five students form a Bal Panchayat and the rest of the class imagine they are the villagers. What issues will the Gram Sabha discuss? What challenges could it encounter? What solutions will it propose?
Issues the Gram Sabha and Bal Panchayat could discuss are cleanliness around the school, need for safe drinking water, repair of the playground, irregular attendance, child labour or child marriage, and need for a library or street lights. Challenges could be lack of funds, lack of interest from some adults, difficulty in convincing parents to send children to school regularly, and differing opinions. Solutions could be organising cleanliness drives, requesting the Gram Panchayat to build toilets and compound walls, starting awareness campaigns with teachers and elders, and forming Bal Sabhas to regularly share children's concerns with the elders.
THINK ABOUT IT
Why do you think it is important for the government to pay more attention to the needs and problems of the disadvantaged sections of society?
It is important because disadvantaged groups such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other poor or marginalised communities have faced historical inequality and have fewer resources, education and opportunities. Democracy means equality and justice for all. If the government does not give them special attention and reservation in Panchayats, their voices may not be heard and they may be left out of development. Helping them ensures fair development, reduces inequality and strengthens democracy by making it inclusive for everyone.
LET'S EXPLORE
What similarities and differences do you notice between the governance system at the Central level and at the Panchayat level? (Hint: refer back to Chapter 10 if required.)
Similarities: Both are democratic systems where representatives are elected by the people, both have a head who presides over meetings, both make decisions, make plans and implement welfare schemes, and both reserve seats to include women and disadvantaged groups. Differences: The Central government governs the whole country and deals with national matters like defence, railways and foreign affairs, while Panchayats govern only a village, block or district and deal with local matters like water, roads, sanitation and schools. The Central level has Parliament, Prime Minister and Supreme Court, while the Panchayat level has Gram Sabha, Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad. Panchayats allow direct participation of villagers in Gram Sabha meetings, which is not possible at the Central level due to large population.
If you get an opportunity to meet a few Panchayat members, what questions would you like to ask them? Discuss in small groups to create a questionnaire. Meet some Gram Panchayat members or invite them to your school. Ask them the questions in your questionnaire and write a short report.
A sample questionnaire for Panchayat members could be: 1) How were you elected and what is your main role in the Gram Panchayat? 2) What are the most important problems in your village at present? 3) How do you prepare the village development plan and decide how to spend funds? 4) How do you ensure women and disadvantaged groups participate in the Gram Sabha? 5) What government schemes have you implemented recently and what change have they brought? 6) What support do you get from the Block Panchayat and Zila Parishad? For the report, students can note the answers, observe how the members work together, and conclude that Panchayat members act as a bridge between villagers and higher levels of government and work to solve local problems through participation and cooperation.
Questions, activities and projects
1. Test yourself — without looking at the text above, can you name the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system? What are the key functions of each of the three tiers?
The three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system from bottom to top are: 1) Gram Panchayat or Village Parishad at the village level, 2) Panchayat Samiti or Block Panchayat or Mandal Parishad at the block level, and 3) Zila Parishad or District Panchayat at the district level. The Gram Panchayat is closest to the people, elected by the Gram Sabha, headed by the Sarpanch, and looks after day-to-day village needs like water, roads, sanitation, schools, health and implementation of local schemes with help of the Secretary and Patwari. The Panchayat Samiti coordinates among all Gram Panchayats in the block, collects their development plans, consolidates them and forwards them to the district and State for funds and schemes. The Zila Parishad coordinates the work of the blocks in the whole district, approves district-level plans, distributes funds and supervises development activities across the district.
2. Write a letter to the Sarpanch regarding the issue of plastic bags lying on the roadside in the village.
Respected Sarpanch ji, I am a student of Class 6 and a resident of our village. I want to bring to your notice that many plastic bags are lying on the roadsides and near the pond and school. They choke drains, make the village look dirty, harm cows and goats who eat them, and pollute our environment. I request you to kindly arrange regular cleaning, place dustbins at important places, and organise an awareness campaign in the Gram Sabha and school to encourage use of cloth bags and proper disposal of waste. We students are ready to help in a cleanliness drive. Thank you. Yours sincerely, [Your Name], Class 6, Date.
3. In your view, what type of person should be a Gram Panchayat member?
A Gram Panchayat member should be honest, helpful, and caring about the whole village, not just personal interest. They should be willing to listen to everyone including women, children and disadvantaged groups, be educated enough to understand records and schemes, be ready to work hard for cleanliness, water, education and health, and be able to work as a team and take fair decisions. Examples like Dnyaneshwar Kamble, Vandana Bahadur Maida and Popatrao Pawar show that a good Sarpanch or member serves the village selflessly with the motto lok seva, gram seva.
4. Let us suppose that you study in a village school. The school is located next to a highway and students find it difficult to cross the road when they come to school or leave at the end of the day. What are the options to solve this issue? Which institutions in the Panchayati Raj can help you? What can the students do?
Options to solve the problem are building a speed breaker or zebra crossing, putting up warning signs and signals, requesting a traffic police or volunteer at school time, constructing a small footbridge or underpass, and shifting the school gate to a safer side if possible. The Gram Panchayat can first discuss the issue in the Gram Sabha and pass a resolution; it can then take the matter to the Panchayat Samiti at the block level and the Zila Parishad at the district level, which coordinate with the district administration and Public Works Department for road safety work and funds. Students can write a petition to the Sarpanch, collect signatures from parents and teachers, maintain discipline while crossing, form groups to cross together, spread awareness about road safety, and offer to act as volunteers to help younger children.