Category: Local Government

Village Assembly (Gram Sabha)

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Village Assembly (Gram Sabha)

The Gram Sabha (Village Council) is the sabha of the electorate. This means that members of the Gram Sabha include all the people who are above the age of 18 years, live in the village and have their names included in the electoral rolls for the Gram Panchayat at the village level.

The Gram Sabha forums are used to discuss matters of local governance and development, and to design need-based plans for the village. It is under the supervision and monitoring of the Gram Sabha that the Gram Panchayat implements various developmental initiatives. All decisions of the Gram Panchayat are routed through the Gram Sabha. None of the decisions can be official and valid if the Gram Sabha does not consent to it.

The decisions taken by the Gram Sabha cannot be annulled by any other body. Only the Gram Sabha has the power to anul its own decisions. Small villages that have a low population can be combined to form one Gram Sabha.

 

Village Level: Gram Panchayat

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Village Level: Gram Panchayat

The Gram Panchayat (Village Council, Village Panchayat) is the only grassroots-level body to be formalized under the PRI's in India at the village or small-town level. 

A Gram Panchayat comprises a total of 7 to 17 members. These members are elected from the wards of the village and are referred to as Panch. A Sarpanch serves as its elected head. The Panch is selected by the village people, and one-third of the total seats are reserved for women. One term served by members of a Gram Panchayat spans 5 years. A Gram Panchyat can be established in a village only if its population consists of at least 300 people who are of voting age (18 years and above).

Following is an indicative list of key functions of a Gram Panchayat:

  1. Constructing and repairing roads in villages
  2. Maintaining street lights
  3. Keeping a record of births, deaths, and marriages in the village
  4. Providing facilities for sanitation and drinking water
  5. Providing free education
  6. Organizing meetings of Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat
  7. Providing health services and facilities
  8. Implementing development schemes related to agriculture and animal husbandry
  9. Planting trees in and around the village and to protect the environment
  10. Maintaining public parks and playgrounds
  11. Implementing various government schemes

Block Level: Panchayat Samiti

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Block Level: Panchayat Samiti

In the Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), Panchayat Samitis (Block Development Councils, Kshetra Panchayat, Mandal Panchayat, Taluka Panchayat) are rural local governments at the intermediate or block level. Different states refer to them differently. It coordinates the work of the panchayats located in one block.

The diverse rules passed by each state determine the organization and functions of different Panchayat Samitis. The ex-officio members of Zila Parishad become the Chairmen of all the Panchayat Samitis in one district.

One term of a Panchayat Samiti spans over 5 years in all states. Every Panchayat Samiti elects two of its members as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson in its very first meeting. One-third of a Panchayat Samitis Chairpersonship is reserved for women. Similarly, certain offices of Chairperson are reserved for individuals from Scheduled Castes. The Chairperson can be removed by the members through passing a resolution supported by a two-thirds majority.

A Panchayat Samiti meets a minimum of 6 times in one year. Taking a break of more than 2 months between 2 meetings is not allowed.

Following is an indicative list of key functions of a Panchayat Samiti:

  1. Provision of drinking water in the villages
  2. Development and repair of rural roads
  3. Frame rules and regulations for the markets
  4. Provision of improved seeds and chemical fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural tools, and implements
  5. Promote cottage industries such as handlooms, handicrafts, and traditional art
  6. Ensure welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes
  7. Promote self-employment schemes in rural areas

District Level: Zila Parishad

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District Level: Zila Parishad

Zila Parishad (Zila Panchayat, District Council, District Panchayat) are the Apex or District level panchayats in the Panchayat Raj Institutions. They work directly with the state government, but they are not part of the state government.

A Zila Parishad needs to have at least 50 and at most 75 members. Some seats reserved for people who belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and also, women.

The administrative setup of the Zila Parishad is headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This individual needs to be either an IAS officer or a senior state service officer. They are assisted by Deputy CEOs and other officials at the District and Block level. Zila Parishad members include individuals from the state legislature and members of the Parliament of India. Based on the manner in which a district structures its Zila Parishad, members can serve for 4 to 5 years.

The key functions of the Zila Parishad, with some variations across different states, are as follows:

  1. Providing essential services and facilities to the rural population
  2. Planning and executing the development programs for the district.
  3. Supplying improved seeds to farmers, informing them of new techniques of farming, undertaking the construction of small-scale irrigation projects and percolation tanks, and maintaining pastures and grazing lands.
  4. Setting up and running schools in villages.
  5. Executing programs for adult literacy, and running libraries.
  6. Starting Primary Health Centers and hospitals in villages, and conducting vaccination drives against epidemics and family welfare campaigns.
  7. Executing plans for the development of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
  8. Encouraging entrepreneurs to start small scale industries like cottage industries, handicrafts, etc., and implementing rural employment schemes.
  9. Constructing roads, schools, and maintaining public property.

Panchayati Raj Institutions

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Panchayati Raj Institutions

Local government bodies that operate in rural areas are a part of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI). Constitutional status has been provided to them through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.

PRI's are responsible for building democracy at the grassroots level in the country. They are responsible for working on rural development in India. PRI's in a state exist at the District Level (Zilla Parishad), Block Level (Panchayat Samiti), and Village Level (Gram Panchayat). They look over the work of local bodies who have been elected by the local people to manage their local affairs.

 

Town Councils (Nagar Panchayats)

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Town Councils (Nagar Panchayats)

A Town Council (Nagar Panchayat) or Notified Area Council (NAC) in India is an urban local government body. It is established specifically in those areas that are changing from being rural areas to urban areas. Therefore, it is a form of an urban political unit that can be compared to a Municipality. An urban center that has a population of more than 11,000 and less than 25,000 people is classified as a Town Council. It consists of anywhere between 9 to 20 members based on the population of a town. A Town Council is responsible for looking after the following activities: 

  • Availability and maintenance of water supply
  • Maintenance of drainage, sewer, and sanitation systems
  • Provision of primary education
  • Working on slum improvement

Municipal Councils (Nagar Palikas)

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Municipal Councils (Nagar Palikas)

A Municipal Council (Municipality, Nagar Palika, Nagar Palika Parishad) is an urban local government body. They administer a city which has a total population of 1 lakh people or more. However, there are exceptions to this. Previously, Municipal Councils were set up in urban areas with a population of over 20,000 people, and thus, previously, all the urban bodies even those with a population of less than 1 lakh people were classified as Municipal Councils.

Administratively, a Municipal Council is a part of the district where it is created but it interacts directly with the state government. Usually, the smaller district cities and bigger towns have a Municipal Council. The members of the council are elected representatives for a term of 5 years. The elected representatives are chosen representatives from each ward (created based on population) in a municipal area. These members elect a President among themselves who controls and conducts all meetings.

Following is an indicative list of key functions of a Municipal Council. They focus on providing access to:

  1. Water supply
  2. Hospitals
  3. Roads
  4. Street lighting
  5. Drainage systems
  6. Fire brigade
  7. Market places
  8. Records of births and deaths
  9. Waste management
  10. Gardens, parks, and playgrounds
  11. Education for the economically weaker section of society

Ward Committee

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Ward Committee

A Municipal Corporation or Municipal Council comprises various Ward Committees. The Ward Committees were established with the intent of empowering and engaging citizens at the local urban level, similar to the way a Gram Sabha does the rural level. They are based on the idea that if citizens can partake in decision-making through Ward Committees then we can move towards having a participatory democracy at the lowest level of Governance. Key functions carried out at the ward level include management of public spaces, water and electricity supply, garbage disposal and drainage systems, and provision of streetlights.

A Ward Committee consists of one member from each ward in a municipal area. A ward is a specifically demarcated territory in a municipal area. The population of an area determines the total number of wards that can be established in that area. The Ward Committee thus comprises a Councillor and a few residents from that ward. It is meant to be representative of the population of the ward at large. Certain seats are reserved for individuals from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and female candidates.

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Municipal Corporations (Mahanagar Palikas)

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Municipal Corporations (Mahanagar Palikas)

A Municipal Corporation (Mahanagar Palika) is an urban local government body in India. They to administer urban areas that have a population of more than 10 lakh people. Municipal Corporations' role is to provide essential community services in the areas of health care, education, housing, transport etc.

In India, a total of 14 cities have the largest Municipal Corporations in India. This includes Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Kanpur, Lucknow, Vishakhapatnam, Surat, Jaipur, and Nagpur. The richest Municipal Corporation in India is Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

In a Municipal Corporation, the Mayor is a ceremonial head while the Municipal Commissioner is an administrative head. The state government is in-charge of appointing a Municipal Commissioner who must be an IAS officer. The job of the Municipal Commissioner is to implement the policies of the Municipal Corporation and create the budget.

Following is an indicative list of key functions of a Municipal Corporation:

  1. Urban planning including town planning.
  2. Regulating of land-use and construction of buildings
  3. Planning for economic and social development
  4. Ensuring the provision of water supply for domestic, industrial, and commercial purposes
  5. Working on public health, sanitation, and solid waste management
  6. Safeguarding the interests of economically weaker sections of society, and differently-abled people
  7. Working on the improvement of slum housing
  8. Ensuring the provision of amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds
  9. Ensuring availability of burial grounds, cremation grounds, and electric crematoriums
  10. Preventing cruelty towards animals
  11. Maintaining a record of births and deaths
  12. Provide public amenities including street lighting, parking areas, and bus stops

Urban Local Government

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Urban Local Government

Local government bodies operating in urban areas are commonly known as Urban Local Governments (ULGs). Constitutional status has been provided to them through 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.

Urban Local Governments (ULG) are of three types: (i) Town Councils (Nagar Panchayats) for areas in transition from being rural to urban; (ii) Municipalities (Nagar Palikas) for smaller urban areas; (iii) Municipal Corporations (Mahangar Palikas) for larger urban areas. The role of ULGs became more key after they were statutorily responsible for providing basic infrastructural facilities and ensuring their maintenance. ULGs often have the burden of limited financial resources and the unlimited needs for public services.

Additionally, Cantonment Boards also come under ULGs. These boards are created to provide municipal administration for the civilian population which lives in cantonment areas (where army troops are permanently stationed).

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