Panchayati raj Social Studies - Panchayati raj

Who is responsible for calling the meeting of Gram Sabha?

Who is the head of the Tehsil?

To whom did Mohan meet at the police station to complain about what had happened with him:

The water problem in a village can be solved by planting trees, constructing dams and tanks. True/ False

The Gram Panchayat is prevented from misusing the village money by Gram Sabah. True/ False

The Gram Sabha meetings are presided by the Sarpanch. True/ False

What is Zila Parishad?

Sarpanch is the Panchayat's President.

Panchayati Raj system is in which level of a democratic government?

In the Hardas village, women go to get water from which river?

State the another name of Zila Parishad.

State the main objectives of Panchayati Raj.

What is the main objective of the Village Panchayat?

What is Nyaya Panchayat?

Who forms the Gram Panchayat and for what term they are elected?

Describe the s failure of the Panchayati Raj.

What are the duties of a District Commissioner?

What problems are discussed in the meeting of the Gram Sabha?

What are the functions of the Gram Sabha?

Examine the composition of Gram/ Village Panchayat at village level.

What are the objectives of ‘watershed development programme’?

How is Gram Sabha a key factor in making the Gram Panchayat play its role and be responsible.

Explain the role of the Chairman and Vice- Chairman of the Panchayat Samiti.

Examine the functions of Panchayat Samiti.

The Gram Sabha meeting begins with the Panchayat President (who is also called the Sarpanch) and the members of the Panchayat (the Panchs) presenting a plan on repairing the road that connects the village to the main highway. After this, the discussion moves to the subject of water and water shortages.
A villager called Tijia begins the meeting by saying, “The water problem in Hardas has become very acute. The handpump water has gone well below the point up to which the ground has been drilled. We hardly get any water in the taps. Women have to go to the Suru river which is 3 k.m. away to get water.” One of the members suggests piping water from the Suru and making an overhead tank in the village to increase the supply. But the others think that this will be expensive. It’s better, they feel, to deepen the handpumps and clean the wells for this season. Tijia says, “This is not enough. We need to do something more permanent as groundwater levels seem to be going down every year. We’re using more water than is seeping into the ground.”
Another member, Anwar then tells everyone that he has seen ways of conserving water and recharging (refilling) it in a village in Maharashtra where he’d once gone to visit his brother. It was called watershed development and he had heard that the government gave money for this work.
In his brother’s village people had planted trees, constructed check-dams and tanks. Everyone thought this was an interesting idea and the Gram Panchayat was asked to find out about it in detail.

1. What is a Gram Sabha?
2. In the meeting of the Gram Sabha so far what are the problems that are being discussed? What sort of solutions are being suggested?

Examine the functions of Gram Sabha.

Read the following news item :
Nimone is a village on the Chauphula-Shirur Road. Like many others, this village has also been facing a severe water shortage for the last few months and villagers depend on tankers for all their needs. Bhagavan Mahadeo Lad (35) of this village was beaten with sticks, iron rods, and axes by a group of seven men. The incident came to light when some villagers brought a badly injured Lad to the hospital for treatment. In the FIR recorded by the police Lad said that he was attacked when he insisted that the water in the tanker must be emptied into the storage tanks constructed as part of the water supply scheme by Nimone Gram Panchayat so that there would be equal distribution of water. However, he alleged that the upper caste men were against this and told him that the tanker water was not meant for the lower castes.
1. Why was Bhagavan beaten ?
2. Do you think that the above is a case of discrimination? Why ?

What is the difference between a Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat?

Answer the following questions based on the text :
1. Was there a problem with the BPL list that the Gram Sabha was finalising ? What was this problem ?
2. Why do you think Soorajmal kept quiet even though Saroj asked him to speak ?
3. Have you seen any similar incidents when people are unable to speak for themselves ? Why do you think that happened and what prevented the person from speaking ?
4. How can the Gram Sabha prevent the Panchayat from doing what it likes ?