- a. Balwant Rai Mehta
- b. Ashok Mehta
- c. G V K Rao
- d. L M Singhvi
The Planning Commission appointed the G. V. K. Rao Committee in 1985.
c
- a. Chola
- b. Chera
- c. Pandiya
- d. Pallava
The Uthiramerur inscriptions date from the Chola period and show well-developed local self-government practices.
a
- a. 1992
- b. 1995
- c. 1997
- d. 1990
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts were enacted in 1992, providing constitutional status to rural and urban local bodies.
a
- a. Commissioner
- b. District Collector
- c. Councillors
- d. Mayor
The District Collector generally acts as the inspecting and supervisory authority for Village Panchayats.
b
Lord Ripon (Governor-General of India, 1880s) is commonly called the 'Father of Local Self-Government' for his reforms (Ripon Resolution) that promoted local self-government.
Lord Ripon
During the freedom movement Indian leaders emphasized restoration of local self-government (Gram Swaraj) as a core aim.
local self-government
The Kudavolai system (literally 'pot-leaf') was a secret ballot method used in Chola times to elect village council members.
Kudavolai
Local governments functioning in rural areas are called Panchayats or Village Panchayats.
Panchayats (Village Panchayats)
The Town Panchayat is administered by the elected Town Panchayat Chairman along with an Executive Officer appointed by the state government.
Town Panchayat Chairman (with an Executive Officer)
Common Village Panchayat levies include: house/property tax, water tax, lighting and conservancy charges, taxes/fees on shops and markets, profession tax, trade licence fees, and market tolls; exact powers vary by state law.
Village Panchayats levy several types of taxes to generate revenue for local development and services. These taxes include house tax, which is collected from residential properties; water tax, charged for the supply and use of water; lighting and conservancy tax, used for street lighting and sanitation services; tax on shops and markets, levied on commercial establishments; and profession tax, collected from individuals engaged in various professions. Additionally, Village Panchayats collect fees for trade licenses that permit businesses to operate within the village, and market tolls charged on goods bought and sold in village markets. These varied sources of taxation enable the Panchayat to fund local infrastructure, education, health services, and other community welfare programs.
Concise explanation of each feature: constitutional status ensured permanence; regular elections promote accountability; reservations ensure representation; finance/state election commissions improve fiscal autonomy and electoral management; schedules define functional responsibilities; District Planning Committees enable local planning.
Salient features:
- Constitutional recognition: 73rd (rural) and 74th (urban) give constitutional status to local bodies (Part IX/IXA).
- Regular elections every five years for local bodies.
- Institution of Gram Sabha (rural) and Gram Panchayats; three-tier Panchayati Raj (village, intermediate/block, district) where applicable.
- Reservation of seats for SC/ST and reservation of at least one-third seats for women (increased in some states).
- Provision for State Election Commission to conduct local elections.
- Creation of State Finance Commission every five years to recommend devolution of finances and grants.
- Eleventh Schedule (29 subjects) lists functions for Panchayats; Twelfth Schedule lists functions for urban local bodies.
- Establishment of District Planning Committees to prepare plans for districts.
- Strengthening decentralisation and local self-government autonomy.
Each problem affects service delivery: inadequate funds limit development works; lack of staff impedes project execution; weak devolution prevents local decision-making; political interference and low participation reduce accountability. Solutions include stronger fiscal devolution, capacity building, clear assignment of functions, and enhanced citizen engagement.
Major problems and challenges:
- Inadequate finances and irregular transfers of funds.
- Limited revenue-generating powers and weak tax base.
- Lack of administrative and technical staff, and capacity constraints.
- Centralized state control and limited real devolution of powers.
- Political interference and corruption.
- Low public awareness and participation in local governance.
- Overlapping functions with state departments leading to confusion.
- Rapid urbanisation and infrastructure strain in urban local bodies.
- Poor planning and weak implementation/monitoring of schemes.
Suggested steps:
1. Fix an appointment and explain purpose.
2. Ask about structure (members, officials), key functions (water, sanitation, roads), funding (taxes, grants), recent projects, and public participation (Gram Sabha/ward meetings).
3. Record responses and take photographs or documents if allowed.
4. Prepare a short report summarising administration, achievements, and problems to submit in class.
Activity — guidance: Prepare questions about local services, revenue sources, development schemes, citizen participation, meetings of the Panchayat/Municipality, and problems faced. Take notes on their duties, functions, recent works, and challenges. Summarise findings for class discussion.
The OCR on the page mixed rows; reconstructed intended pairs from chapter context: (1) Zilla Parishad corresponds to the district level (the Zilla Parishad is the district council). (2) Gram Sabha is the village assembly — so Gram Sabha → Villages. (3) Ward Committees are bodies within urban local governments and relate to municipal wards (so Ward Committees → Municipalities/wards). (4) Panchayat Union is the block/taluk-level rural body (a group of village panchayats) and is headed by an elected Chairman. (5) Municipal Corporations are headed by a Mayor — so Corporation → Mayor. (If your exercise requires one-to-one literal labels from the printed right column, match Gram Sabhas→Villages and Corporation→Mayor, and pair Panchayat Union→Chairman, Ward Committees→Municipalities, Zilla Parishad→District-level body.)
| # | Correct match |
|---|---|
| 1 | Zilla Parishad — District (Zilla/district level) |
| 2 | Gram Sabhas — Villages |
| 3 | Ward Committees — Municipalities / Ward-level units |
| 4 | Panchayat Union — Grouping of villages (block level) ## has an elected Chairman |
| 5 | Corporation — Mayor |
A Panchayat Union (Block Panchayat) is a rural local body formed by grouping several Village Panchayats within a block—not by grouping districts.
False. Correct statement: A Panchayat Union is formed by grouping of Village Panchayats within a block. It acts as an intermediate level of local self-government, coordinating activities and providing services to several village panchayats. This structure ensures that local governance is effective at different administrative tiers, from the village level up to the district level, facilitating better planning and implementation of developmental schemes.
District Panchayat (Zilla Parishad) is the local government body at the district level, not at the village level.
False. Correct statement: A District Panchayat is constituted for each district. It is the highest tier of the Panchayati Raj system at the district level, responsible for planning and implementing development programs for the entire district. It oversees the functioning of Panchayat Unions and Village Panchayats within its jurisdiction, ensuring coordinated efforts for local development and administration.
While many Municipal Commissioners are IAS officers, the law only requires an appointed administrative officer; the post may be filled by IAS or state service officers depending on the state government's decision.
False. The statement that the Municipal Commissioner will be a person from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is not entirely accurate as a universal rule. While it is true that in many larger municipal corporations, the Municipal Commissioner is indeed an IAS officer, especially in metropolitan cities, this is not always the case across all municipalities. The correct statement is that the Municipal Commissioner is an appointed administrative officer, appointed by the state government. This officer is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the municipal corporation. Depending on the size and classification of the municipality, this role might be filled by an IAS officer or by a senior officer from the state civil services. The appointment is made by the respective state government, and the officer serves as the chief executive of the municipal body, overseeing its various departments and ensuring the implementation of policies and projects approved by the elected municipal council or corporation.
Village Panchayat President (Sarpanch/President) and ward members are elected representatives chosen by the people of the village in local elections.
In a Village Panchayat, the President (also called Sarpanch or Pradhan) and ward members are elected representatives who are chosen directly by the people of the village through local democratic elections. These elections are conducted on the basis of universal adult suffrage, where all adult citizens of the village have the right to vote. The President and ward members together form the governing body of the Village Panchayat and are responsible for making decisions regarding local development, welfare programs, and community services. Their election ensures democratic participation and representation of the village population in local governance.