RBSE Class 11 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 8 Local Governments

Rajasthan Board RBSE Class 11 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 8 Local Governments Important Questions and Answers. 

RBSE Class 11 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 8 Local Governments

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. 
In which year 73rd and 74th. Amendments were passed?  
Answer: 
73rd and 74th Amendments were passed in
1992.

 

Question 2. 
Which amendments gave constitutional status to the local bodies?
Answer: 
73rd and 74th Amendments gave constitutional status to the local bodies.

Question 3. 
Who is called the pioneer of local government in India? 
Answer: 
Lord Ripon.

Question 4. 
Which is the first state in India to implement Panchayati Raj? 
Answer: 
Rajasthan.

Fill in the blank:

Question 5. 
The term of Zila Parishad is years.
Answer: 
Five
Correct and rewrite the sentence:

Question 6. 
Panchayat Samiti holds control over Zila Parishad.
Answer: 
Zila Parishad hold the control over Panchayat Samiti. Complete the sentence:

Question 7. 
The main sources of income of Zila Parishad are .
Answer: 
The main sources of income of Zila Parishad are House Tax and grants.
Question 8. 
Who said this: “Local Government means authority to determine and execute measure with in a restricted area inside and smaller that the whole state”.
Answer: 
H. Finer.

Multiple-Choice Questions

Choose the Correct Answers :
1. Panchayats have been established in:
(a) Villages 
(b) Town
(c) Small city 
(d) Big city.
Answer: 
(a) Villages 

2. According to 73rd Amendment, the tenure of Panchayats in all states is:
(a) Six years 
(b) Three years
(c) Five years 
(d) Four years.
Answer: 
(c) Five years

3. One-third of the total number of seats of Panchayats are reserved for :
(a) Backward Classes
(b) Scheduled Castes
(c) Women belonging to Scheduled Castes
(d) Women.
Answer: 
(d) Women.

4. Which of the following Rural Local Govt, systems exists in Haryana?
(a) Two-tier system 
(b) One-tier system
(c) Three-tier system 
(d) Four-tier system. 
Answer: 
(c) Three-tier system

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. 
What do you understand by Local Self-Government?
Answer: 
Local Self-Government means that the local affairs such as the management of roads, arrangements for sanitation, burial grounds, primary and middle school, etc., should be done by the institutions of Local Self-Government such as the Municipalities, Municipal Corporations, Gram Panchayat, etc. A Local Self-Government in India therefore means that the people of a particular locality should be given sufficient autonomy and share in the running of their administration.

Question 2. 
Mention the names of institutions of Local Self-Government in India.
Answer: 
Local Self-Government in India is of two types: 
(a) Urban Local Government and
(b) Rural Local Government.

(a) Institutions of Urban Local Government are Municipal Corporation, Municipal Committee, Municipal Boards, 
(b) Institutions of Rural Local Government are Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad.

Question 3. 
To what extent Panchayati Raj System has helped in strengthening the Indian Democracy at the grassroot level?
Answer: 
(a) Panchayati Raj has created awareness regarding the working of democratic institutions at the grass-root level.
(b) Panchayati Raj has established a democratic government in the village. The villagers themselves control the administration of their village.
(c) Panchayati Raj has created opportunities for participation and gaining experience as representatives at grassroot level.

two functions of Gram 

Question 4. 
Write two functiona of Grarn Sabba. 
Answer: 
(a) The Gram Sabha decides the broad policies for the development of the village.
(b) The Gram Sabha approves the annual budget of the village.

Question 5. 
State any two welfare functions of a Gram Panchayat.
Answer: 
The two welfare functions of a Gram Panchayat are given below :
(a) Constructions, repair and maintenance of public wells, ponds and tanks and supply of water for domestic use.
(b) Regulating places for disposal of dead bodies, carcasses and other offensive materials and disposal of unclaimed corpses and carcasses.
 
Question 6. 
Write two provisions of 73rd 
Answer: 
(a) According to 73rd Amendment, the tenure of Panchayats in all the states is 5 years.
(b) In all the institutions of Panchayati Raj, seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Backward classes and women.

Question 7. 
Mention two provisions of 74th Amendment Act. 
Answer: 
(a) Local bodies have become integral part of the Constitution. By 74th Amendment, constitutional status is given to urban local bodies.
(b) The people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been given representation in all urban local bodies in proportion to their population.

Question 8. 
Write two functions of Block Samiti.
Answer: 
(a) Block or Panchayat Samiti tries to promote agriculture in its area and distribute among the farmers good seeds, fertilisers and scientific instruments.
(b) It makes sanitary arrangements in its area. It takes steps for improving the health of the people.

Question 9. 
Write down the names of urban bodies. 
Answer: 

1. Municipal Corporation
2. Municipal Council 
3. Municipal Committee 
4. Cantonment Board 
5. Improvement Trust 
6. Port Trust.

Question 10. 
Mention any two problems of Panchayati Raj.
Answer: 
(a) The majority of the villagers are uneducated and most of the members of a Village Panchayat are also uneducated.
(b) The government exercises a greater degree of control on the working of Panchayats, Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads.

Question 11. 
Which are the two important developmental functions performed by the Zila Parishad?
Answer: 
Two important developmental functions of Zila Parishad are as follows:
(a) Zila Parishad is responsible for the promotion of measures to increase agricultural functions and to popularise the use of improved agricultural implements and the adoption of improved agricultural practices.
(b) Zila Parishad constructs, renovates and maintains minor irrigation works and lift irrigation. 

Question 12.
Give any two compulsory and two optional functions of Municipal Corporation.
Answer: 
Compulsory or Obligatory Functions.
(a) Supply of water and maintenance of water work.
(b) Providing street and road light.
Optional or Discretionary Functions.

• Construction of public parks, gardens, libraries, etc.
• Construction of public housing.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. 
Explain the organisation of Panchayati Raj System. 
Answer: 
The Panchayati Raj System as recommended by Balwant Rai Mehta Committee has been organised on a three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level and Zila Parishad at the district level. In Punjab and Haryana, Panchayati Raj is organised on three-tier basis. In Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana, Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad are directly elected. But there are some states where Panchayati Raj is organised on two-tier basis. States with less than 20 lakh population have been given the option to set up or not set up Panchayat Samiti.
 
Question 2. 
Write any four prebIem of Panchayati Rai in India. 
Answer: 
(a) The majority of the villagers are uneducated and most of the members of a Village Panchayat are also uneducated.

(b) The government exercises a greater degree of control in the working of Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads.

(c) The Panchayati Raj institutions do not have sufficient funds to meet their needs.

(d) The villagers might be influenced by communalism. During elections, people are generally divided on the basis of religion and caste.

Question 3. 
Give any four changes incorporated in the Panchayati Raj Act to improve Panchayati Raj.
Answer: 
73rd Constitutional Amendment has incorporated the following four important provisions in the Constitution to improve Panchayati Raj.
(a) Direct Election of the Members. According to 73rd Amendment, all members of the Gram Panchayat are directly elected by the voters of the Gram Sabha. For this purpose, the territorial area of each Gram Panchayat is divided into territorial constituencies-and one member is elected from each constituency.

(b) Tenure of Panchayat. According to 73rd Amendment Act, the tenure of Panchayats, in all the states is 5 years. If a Panchayat is dissolved or superseded before the expiry of its tenure, it is obligatory to hold election within six months.

(c) State Election Commission. For the supervision, superintendence and control of election staff of Panchayati Raj institutions, provision for the establishment of independent Election Commission at the state level has been made.

(d) Finance Commission. According to 73rd Amendment Act, the Governor of a State shall appoint Finance Commission to review the financial position of the Panchayats and to make recommendation to the Governor to improve the financial position of the Panchayats.

Question 4. 
Why do we need local Government?
Answer: 
(a) People’s Raj. There is no better administration than the administration by the people themselves.

(b) Direct Democracy. Local Govt is not in any way less than the establishment of a democratic government in the village. The villagers themselves control the administration of their village.

(c) Self-sufficiency. Local Govt aims at making people self-dependent for the purpose of making and executing its development plans were

(d) Self-confidence. Local Govt helps in the development of self-confidence among the people, and it helps in building up a great and grand nation.

Question 5. 
List any four functions of the Urban Local Self-Government. 
Answer: 
Following are the four important functions of the Council or Urban Local Self-Government.
(а) Sanitation. The urban local government is responsible for sanitary conditions for the city. It is the function of the committee to see that public roads are properly swept, cleaned and watered.

(b) Roads and Bridges. Municipal Committee constructs roads and bridges in its area and undertakes its repair and maintenance.

(c) Water Supply. Urban local Govt, or Municipal Committee makes arrangements of pure drinking water in its area. Arrangements of water pumps is
made in streets, bazaars and at public places. Water is also supplied in the houses of the people.

(d) Public Health. The preservation of public health is a very important function of Municipal Committee. Functions performed by Municipal Committee for the preservation of health are establishment and maintenance of hospitals and dispensaries, vaccination, prevention of the sale of adulterated food stuff, provision of maternity and child welfare centre, etc.

Question 6. 
Describe the main features of \ HBBI) the Municipalities after passing the ; 74th Amendment Act. (Imp) |
Answer: 
The 74th Amendment Act was passed in 1992. By this Amendment Act, Part IX A was inserted in the constitution. Following were the main features of the Municipalities after the passing of 74th Amendment Act.

1. Three types of municipalities: Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Councils and Municipal Corporations.
2. Five year tenure of all types of municipalities.
3. Appointment of Election Commission in each state to conduct elections of the local bodies.
4. Metropolitan and district planning committees in each state.
5. Appointment of a Finance Commission for local governments.
6. Reservation of seats of SCs, STs, OBCs and women.

Question 7. 
How is the Finance Commission of the state constituted? What functions does it perform regarding the local self-government?
Answer: 
The 74th Amendment provides for this commission to control the financial position. It is appointed by the Governor. Its number of members, qualifications, elections, etc., are to be decided by the state legislatures.
The functions it performs regarding the Local Self Government are as follows:

1. To determine the status of Finance in Panchayats.
2. To determine the distribution of taxes between the state government and Panchayats.
3. To determine certain principles in regard to taxes of Panchayats.
4. To perform such functions as is given by the Governor.

Long Answer Type Questions 

73rd Constitutional Amendment Act  

Question 1. 
Discuss the main features of the Panchayati Raj System with reference to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
Answer: 
The 73rd Amendment passed by the Parliament in December 1992 constitutes a major milestone in the history of rural local government in India. The 73rd Amendment became operative from 24 April 1993. In the Constitution, Part-IX and Schedule XI have been inserted containing certain provisions for Panchayat bodies at village, intermediate and district level. Some of the important provisions contained in the Act are as under:

1. Constitutional Sanction to democracy at the grassroot level. The 73rd Amendment Act has sought to provide constitutional sanction to democracy at the grassroot level by inscribing in the Constitution a new part and a new schedule relating to Panchayats in the Constitution. Before the passage of this Act, the Panchayats in India did not enjoy constitutional sanction.

2. Definition of Gram Sabha. The 73rd Amendment Act provides the definition of Gram Sabha. According to it, “Gram Sabha means a body consisting of persons registered in the electoral rolls relating to a village conprised within the area of Panchayat at the village level.”

3. Definition of Panchayat. According to 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, Panchayat means an institution of Self-Government constituted by the government for the rural area.

4. Constitution of Panchayati Raj Institutions. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act provides that the state government shall constitute Panchayati Raj institutions in its territory as under :
(a) A village Panchayat in every village level in rural area.
(b) Panchayat Samiti at the intermediate (Tehsil or Development Block) level.
(c) A Zila Parishad at the district level.

5. Direct Election of the Members. According to 73rd Amendment, all members of the Gram Panchayat are directly elected by the voters of the Gram Sabha. For this purpose, the territorial area of each Gram Panchayat is divided into territorial constituencies and one member is elected from each constituency. Minimum age of members of Panchayat is fixed at 21.

6. Reservation of Seats, 
(a) According to 73rd Amendment Act, seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in proportion to their population in the Gram Panchayat. Not less than one- third of the total number of the elected seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

(b) One seat is reserved for Backward Classes in a Gram Panchayat where population of Backward Classes in the Gram Sabha area is more than 20 per cent of the total population of the Gram Sabha area.

(c) Not less than one-third (including the number of elected seats reserved for women belonging to the scheduled castes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Gram Panchayat shall be reserved for women.

7. Tenure of Panchayat. According to 73rd Amendment Act, the tenure of Panchayats in all the states is 5 years. If a Panchayat is dissolved or superseded before the expiry of its tenure, it is obligatory to hold election within 6 months. Next elections of the Panchayat must be held before its term is over.

8. Powers and Functions of the Panchayati Raj Institutions. According to 73rd Amendment, the state government shall give the Panchayats powers and functions relating to subjects mentioned in the 12th Schedule.

9. Sources of Income of Panchayats. The 73rd Amendment Act provides to the evolution of resources to local bodies and also empowers them to raise resources of their own. Panchayats may be empowered by the State legislature to impose taxes and fees and duties and may be assigned a share in state government taxes and grants-in-aid.

10. State Election Commission. For the supervision, superintendence and control of election staff of Panchayati Raj institutions, provision for the establishment of independent election commission at the state level has been made. The State Election Commission shall be appointed by the Governor and can be removed only in the manner prescribed for the Judge of the High Court.

11. Finance Commission. According to 73rd Amendment Act, the Governor of a state shall appoint Finance Commission to review the financial position of the Panchayats and make recommendations to the governor to improve the financial position of the Panchayats. The Finance Commission shall make recommendations for distribution of income of the state between the government and the municipalities and Panchayati Raj institutions.

12. District Planning Committee. The 73rd Amendment provides for the constitution of a District Planning Committee. District Planning Committee is responsible for the consolidated development plan for the district on the basis of development plans of muncipalities and Panchayati Raj institutions of the district.

13. Audit of Accounts of Panchayats. The Legislature of a state may, by law, make provision with respect to the maintenance of accounts by the Panchayats and the auditing of such accounts.

14. Metropolitan Planning Committee. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act also provides for the constitution of Metropolitan Planning Committee for making development plans for a metropolitan area consisting of two or more municipalities and Panchayati Raj institutions.

15. Election Petitions. The 73rd Amendment has provided that the state legislature shall make laws for the hearing of election petition pertaining to the election of municipalities and Panchayati Raj institutions.

16. Part not to apply to Certain Area. Nothing in this part shall apply to scheduled areas referred to in Clause 

1. and the tribal areas referred to in Clause
2. of Article 244.

17. Bar to interference by Court in Electoral Matters. The 73rd Amendment Act puts a bar to interference by courts in electoral matters of Panchayats. According to 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, the state government will have to amend their existing Panchayat Acts accordingly. All the state governments have enacted the fresh Panchayat legislators. 

The Panchayati Raj, today, is functioning in all the states though there are inevitable variations from state to state. The following states have a three-tier structure Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Assam, Haryana, Manipur, Odisha and Kerala have a three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj while Jammu Kashmir, Sikkim, Tripura and Goa have only one-tier. 

The northeastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland have a traditional council of village elders and thus lie outside the network of modem Panchayati Raj institutions. Conclusion. New Panchayati Raj system as introduced by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act is a historical development in the Indian Political System. The most distinctive feature of the new system is that an election to constitute a Panchayat has to be completed before the expiry of its normal tenure of five years.

Gram Sabha

Question 2. 
Write a note on Gram Sabha.
Answer: 
The Gram Sabha is the general body consisting of all the voters residing in the jurisdiction of Gram Panchayat which extends over one village or a group of villages. In some states, the Gram Sabha is a statutory body while in some others it is a non- statutory body. Office bearers. The Gram Sabha elects a Gram Pradhan for five years. He is also the Pradhan or Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Sabha also elects executive council known as Gram Panchayat. Meetings.

The Gram Sabha meets at least twice a year. One meeting is held in December after the harvesting of the Sawni crop and the second meeting is held in June after the Harhi crop. The Gram Pradhan has a right to call special meetings of the Gram Sabha. Quorum of the Gram Sabha meeting is l/5th of the total members of the Gram Sabha. Functions of Gram Sabha

The following are the main functions of the Gram Sabha:

1. The Gram Sabha decides the broad policies for the development of the village.
2. The Gram Sabha approves the annual budget of the village and it deliberates on the taxes proposed by the Gram Panchayat and votes on impositions of taxes or tolls.
3. The Gram Sabha considers the audit report of the Gram Panchayat and also considers admi-nistrative report of the Gram Panchayat.
4. The Gram Sabha elects the Pradhan and the Panches of the Panchayat.
5. The Gram Sabha can remove the Pradhan and Panches of the Panchayat by passing a resolution by 2/3rd majority.
6. The Gram Sabha promotes programmes of adult education and family welfare within the village.
7. The Gram Sabha promotes unity and harmony among all sections of the society in the village.

The Gram Sabha is supposed to work as a watchdog of the Gram Panchayat. But in practice, it has not been functioning effectively and it also has not been meeting regularly. People show little or no interest in attending the meetings of the Gram Sabha. The microscopic minority dominates the show when Gram Sabha meetings are held. Iqbal Narain and P.C. Mathur observed that the Gram Sabha is yet to emerge as a forum of constructive criticism of the working of the Panchayati Raj institutions. Diwakar Committee has suggested that the Gram Sabha will have to be gradually brought into the picture by assigning to it a definite status. Organisation, Functions and Sources of Income of village Panchayat

Question 3. 
Describe the composition, functions and sources of income of Gram Panchayat.
Answer: 
The Village Panchayat is the main institution for running the administration of local affairs of the village. At present, more than 2,50,000 Village Panchayats are working in India. In the past also the Panchayats were attached with great importance. The village administration was run by these Panchayats. The Panchayats, peformed their functions efficiently even in small village. With the advent of the Britishers, the Panchayats got a big setback. After 1880, the British rule in India made efforts to revive the local self-government system. It was only in cities that local self-government institutions were established. After Independence, our Government paid special attention towards this end. Eighty per cent of India lives in the villages and if the conditions of the villages does not improve, the country cannot make any progress. 

Mahatma Gandhi stressed the need of establishment of Panchayats and of giving more powers to them. In 1952, the Punjab government established Panchayats in all the villages by passing a law to this effect. Steps were taken to establish Panchayats in other States also. At present there are more than two lakh and twenty-five thousand Panchayats in India. Composition. In Punjab, Panchayats have been established in all the villages whose population is two hundred or more.

If the population of a village is less than 200 then a joint Panchayat of two villages is established. The size of the membership of the Gram Panchayat varies from 5 to 31. In Haryana, membership of the Panchayat is between 6 and 20 while in Punjab it is between 5 and 13. The membership of a Panchayat is fixed on the basis of the population of the villages. In Punjab, every Gram Sabha elects a Sarpanch and such number of Panches as is indicated below against each slab of population.

Population	Number of Panches
(1) For population exceeding  200 but not exceeding 1,000	5
(2) For population exceeding  1,000 but not exceeding 2,000	7
(3) For population exceeding  2,000 but not exceeding 5,000	9
(4) For population exceeding  5,000 but not exceeding 10,000	11
(5) For population exceeding 10,000	13

Reservation of Seats : 
(1) Seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in proportion to their population in the Gram Panchayat. Not less than l/3rd of the total number of the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

(2) Seats are reserved for Backward Classes in a Gram Panchayat where population of Backward Classes in the Gram Sabha area is more than 20 per cent of the total population of the Gram Sabha area.

(3) Not less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the scheduled castes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Gram Panchayat shall be reserved for women. Election. The members of the Gram Panchayat are elected by the members of the Gram Sabha directly by secret ballot. Every adult who is a resident of the village has got the right to vote in the Panchayat elections. Any voter who is 21 years of age or more can contest the elction and become a member of the Village Panchayat.

Tenure. Before 73rd Amendment, the tenure of Panchayat in all the states was not uniform. Usually the members of a Panchayat were elected for a five- year term. But according to 73rd Amendment, the tenure of Panchayat in all states is five years. If a Panchayat does not perform its functions properly, the Director of Panchayat can dissolve it. But election to the dissolved Panchayat must be held within six months. Chairman. There is the head of the Panchayat who is called the Sarpanch. Other members of the Panchayat are called the Panches. Sarpanch is elected direcly by the voters. 

Offices of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayat in the district are reserved for Scheduled Castes in proportion to the population of Scheduled Castes to the total population of the district. Not less than one-third of the offices of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayat belonging to the Scheduled Castes shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Caste. Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Sarpanches in the district shall be reserved for women including the seats reserved for women belonging to Scheduled Castes. The offices of Sarpanches reserved shall be allotted by rotation to the different Gram Panchayats in such a manner as may be prescribed. The tenure of the office of the Sarpanch terminates with the term of the Gram Panchayat.

Functions of the Sarpanch : 
The following are the main functions of the Sarpanch :

1. The Sarpanch is responsible for convening the meetings of the Gram Panchayat and presides over its meetings.
2. The Sarpanch is responsible for convening the meetings of the Gram Panchayat and presides over its meetings.
3. The Sarpanch is responsible for the maintenance of the records of the Gram Panchayat.
4. The Sarpanch has the general responsibility for the financial and executive administration of the Gram Panchayat.
5. The Sarpanch exercises administrative supervision and control over the work of the staff of the Gram Panchayat.

Quorum : 
The majority of the members of Gram Panchayat constitute the quorum for the meetings. Procedure of Taking Decision. All the decisions of the Panchayat are taken by an ordinary majority. The Sarpanch has got the right to exercise a casting vote. Meetings. The Panchayat must hold its meetings at least once a month and the Sarpanch presides over the meeting of the Panchayat. Powers and Functions of the Village Panchayat.

Following are the main functions of the Village Panchayat :
1. Administrative Functions :
(a) It maintains peace and order in the village.
(b) It helps the police in the prevention of crimes and in the arrest of criminals.
(c) It can oppose the sale of wine in its jurisdiction by passing a resolution by 2/3rd majority.
(d) It keeps a watch on the work of the government officials in the village. The Village Panchayat can lodge a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner against the Patwari, Lambardar and Chowkidar if they do not perform their duties properly.

2. Public Welfare Functions :
(a) It makes sanitary arrangements in the village.
(b) It makes efforts for improving the health of the people, and for this purpose, it opens hospitals and dispensaries. It also establishes child welfare and maternity centres. It makes arrangements for giving small pox and cholera vaccinations to the people.
(c) It makes arrangements for pure drinking water and for pouring medicine in the wells, tanks, etc.
(d) It makes arrangement for street and road lighting.
(e) It also makes arrangements for providing primary education to the children.
(f) It opens libraries and reading rooms in the village.
(g) It looks after the public places and makes arrangements for their sanitation.
(h) It makes arrangements for cremation and burial grounds.
(i) It gets trees planted and looks after them.
(j) It tries for the promotion of animal husbandry.
(k) It is also the duty of the Panchayat to work for the promotion of agriculture. It makes arrangements for good seeds and acquaints the villagers with improved and scientific methods of agriculture.
(l) It tries for the development of cottage industry so that unemployed villagers get employment.
(m) It tries to improve the social life of the people by eradicating social evils from society.
(n) It helps people economically in case of floods, famine and drought.
(o) It makes arrangements for fairs, exhibitions, wrestling matches and kabaddi matches for providing recreation to the people.
(p) It constructs and maintains streets, roads and bridges in the village.
(q) It formulates and implements development programmes of the village.
(r) It works for the welfare of the backward sections of the village communities, especially the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

3. Judicial Powers. It decides minor civil and criminal cases within its areas. Now the villagers need not go to the tehsil or the District headquarters to get their disputes decided. In criminal sphere, the Panchayats can hear petty cases involving mischief, assault, theft of property, etc., on payment of nominal prescribed fees. They can hear civil cases of the value of? 200. They can impose a fine of upto? 200. One thing is to be noted that lawyers cannot appear before Panchayats.

Both parties are to appear before the Panchayat to plead their case. In criminal cases, the Panchayat can only impose a fine and it cannot sentence anybody to imprisonment. It can impose a fine of upto? 25 upon those who defy its orders. Normally, the decisions of the Panchayats are final but an appeal can be made to the court of District Magistrate with its prior sanction.  Sources of Income The Panchayat needs money to perform its functions. 

It gets this amount from the following sources:

1. It gets 10 per cent of the total revenue collected from the village.
2. It imposes house tax.
3. Anybody who approaches the Panchayat for deciding a case is to pay a nominal fee. This fee is to be given in cash.
4. It imposes fines on the criminals and keeps that amount with it.
5. It gets profit from the sale of fertilisers.
6. It imposes tax on animals, vehicles, profession, etc.
7. Income from water, if provided.
8. Fees for use of rest houses.
9. Drainage fee.
10. It can get subscription from villagers for performing important duties.
11. It imposes tax on village fairs, markets and exhibitions.
12. The Panchayats are given financial aid by the government annually.
13. The Panchayats issue various types of licences and get a fee for the same.
14. It takes money by selling the skin of dead animals.

Question 4. 
Discuss the Composition and Functions of Panchyat Samiti.
Answer: 
Composition of Panchayat Samiti. A Panchayat Samiti consists of the following four types of members :
1. Elected or Primary Members. In Punjab every Panchayat Samiti consists of six to ten directly elected members.

2. Representatives of the Sarpanches are directly elected from amongst the Sarpanches of the Gram Panchayats in the Panchayat Samiti area provided that ratio of the representatives of the Sarpanches.

3. Members of the Legislative Assembly State of Punjab, major portion of whose constituency falls in the Panchayat Samiti area.

4. Members of the Legislative Council of the State of Punjab, who are registered as electors within the Panchayat Samiti area. Reservation of Seats. Seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes, women and Backward Classes. Powers and Functions

The Panchayat Samiti performs the following functions:
1. The Panchayat Samiti looks after the working of Panchayats in its area.

2. It tries to promote agriculture in its area and distribute among the farmers good seeds, fertilisers and scientific instruments. It spreads information awareness regarding scientific methods of agriculture among farmers. It advances loans to farmers for the promotion of agricultural production. It tries to make better arrangements of irrigation in its area.

3. It tries to promote cottage industries in its area.

4. It takes steps for the promotion of animal husbandry.

5. It makes sanitary arrangement in its area. It takes steps for improving the health of the people. It opens hospitals, child welfare centres and maternity centres.

6. It makes arrangements for getting the people immunised or vaccinated against various diseases. It also takes steps for the prevention of diseases.

7. It makes efforts to protect crops from rats, locusts and other insects.

8. It constructs and maintains roads and bridges in its area.

9. It extends cooperation to the Cooperative Societies in its area.

10. It makes arrangements for village fairs, exhibitions and markets.

Question 5. 
Discuss the Composition and Functions of Zila Parishad.
Answer:
Composition. Zila Parishad comprises the following categories of members :

1. The members are directly elected from territorial constituencies in the district, each constituency electing one member. Directly elected members are between 10 and 25.
2. All Chairmen of Panchayat Samities.
3. The members of the Lok Sabha and members of the Legislative Assembly of the district.
4. Those members of the Rajya Sabha who are registered as voters within the district.

All members of a Zila Parishad whether elected or not from territorial constituencies in the ‘Zila Parishad area enjoy right to vote in the meetings of the Zila Parishad except in the election of its Chairman and Vice-Chairman, Reservation of Seats. In every Zila Parishad seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes Backward Classes and women. Reservation of Seats. In every Zila Parishad seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes Backward Classes and women.

Functions of the Zila Parishad:
Following are the functions and powers of the Zila Parishad:

1. Zila Parishad tries to promote agricultural production and it opens and maintains agricultural seed farms and commercial farms.
2. It establishes and maintains godowns and gives training to farmers.
3. Zila Parishad takes steps for development of irrigation and for this purpose it constructs, renovates and maintains minor irrigation works and lift irrigation.
4. Zila Parishad establishes veterinary hospitals and dispensaries ; poultry farms, duck farms and goat farms ; common cold storage facility for dairy, poultry and fishery products.
5. It tries to coordinate the working of Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis in the district.
6. The Panchayat Samitis pass their annual budget and send it to the Zila Parishad. The Zila Parishad gives its approval to the budget after considering it thoroughly.
7. It keeps a watch on the working of Panchayat Samitis in its area.
8. If a Panchayat Samiti does not perform its functions properly, the Zila Parishad can assist it in the performance of its duties.
9. It makes efforts to improve the standard of living in the village. It also tries for the development of village life.
10. It can give suggestions to the government regarding the development of villages.

Question 6. 
Discuss the main features of Urban Local Government with special reference to the 74th constitutional Amendment.
Answer: 
The Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Bill, providing for a new system of local bodies was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 16th September, 1991. The Parliament of India passed the Seventy-Fourth Constitution Amendment Act in 1992. The Act provides for a blue-print of the new system of urban local self-government. The main provisions of the Act are as 

under :
Lok Sabha passed it on December 22 and the Rajya Sabha on December 23, 1992 and it came into effect with effect from June 1, 1993. The salient features of the New System of Urban Local Bodies as provided by the Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992 are as below :

1. Provision of Municipalities. 
The Act lays down that there shall be constituted in every state :
(a) A Nagar Panchayat for a transitional area, that is to say, an area in transition from a rural area to an urban area; 
(b) A Municipal Council for smaller urban area;
(c) A Municipal Corporation for a larger urban area.
All these bodies are technically known as ‘Municipalities’ which means institutions of self-government. The government of a state is required to specify by public notification "a transitional area", "a smaller urban area", and "a larger urban area", while doing so the government will have due regard to the population of the area, the density of the population therein, the revenue generated for local administration, the percentage employment in non-agricultural activities, the economic importance or such other factors as it may deem fit.

2. Composition of Municipalities. 
All the seats in a Municipality are to be filled by persons chosen by direct election from the territorial constituencies in the Municipal area. 'Municipal area' means the territorial area of a Municipality as is notified by the government of a state. For the purpose of election of members each Municipal area shall be divided into territorial constituencies to be known as wards. The legislature of a state may, by law, make provision with respect to all matters relating to elections to the Municipalities.

3. Representation to persons of different categories. According to the Act, the legislature of a state may, by low, provide for the representation in a Municipality of:

1. persons having special knowledge or experience in Municipal administration. It is to be noted that such persons shall not have the right to vote in the meetings of the Municipality.
2. the members of the House of the People and the members of the Legislative Assembly of the state representing constituencies which comprise wholly or partly the Municipal area.
3. the members of the Council of States and the members of the Legislative Council of the state registered as electors within the Municipal area.
4. chairpersons of the Wards Committees.

4. Election of Chairperson. 
The Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992 empowers the legislature of a state to determine, by law, the manner of election of the Chairperson of a Municipality.

5. Wards Committee. 
The Act provies that Wards Committees shall be constituted within the territorial area of a Municipality having a population of three lakhs or more. A Wards Committee may consist of one or more wards. It is the function of the legislature of a state to make provisions, by law, with respect to :
(i) the composition and the territorial area of a Wards Committee.

(ii) the manner in which the seats in a Wards Committee shall be filled. It may, however be noted that a member of a Municipality representing a ward within the territorial area of the Wards Committee shall be a member of that committee.

6. Chairperson of Wards Committee. 
The Act lays down that where a Wards Committee consists of one ward, the member representing that ward in the Municipality shall be the Chairperson of that Wards Committee. But where a Wards Committee comprises of two or more wards, one of the members representing such wards in the Municipality shall be elected as Chairperson by the members of that Wards Committee.

7. Powers of Wards Committee. 
The legislature of a state may, by law, endow the Wards Committee with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to carry out the responsibilities conferred upon them. Such law may endow the wards committees with powers and authority in relation to the matters listed in the Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution.

8. Reservation of Seats. 
The Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1993 makes the following provisions with regard to the reservation of seats :
(i) Seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in every Municipality. Seats so reserved may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Municipality.

(ii) Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes as the case may be.

(iii) Not less than one-third of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Municipality shall be reserved for women, and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Municipality.

(iv) The office of Chairpersons in the Municipalities shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and women in such manner as the legislature of a state may, by law, provide.

(v) The Legislature of a State may make provision for reservation of seats in any Municipality or office of Chairpersons in the Municipalities in favour of Backward Class of citizens.

9. Duration of Municipalities. According to the Act, every Municipality shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer. A Municipality may be dissolved earlier than its normal duration under any law for the time being in force.

10. Constitution of a Municipality. According to the Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act 1992 an election to constitute a Municipality shall be completed:
(i) before the expiry of its duration of five years.

(ii) before the expiration of a period of six months from the date of its dissolution. But, if the legislature of the state passes a resolution to the effect that due to drought, flood, earthquake, or any other natural calamity or emergency, the election cannot be held before the expiration of a period of six months from the date of its dissolution, the said election shall be completed within a period of one year from the date of dissolution of the Municipality.

11. Suspension or dissolution of a Municipality. The Act empowers the legislature of a state to make provisions, by law, with respect to the suspension or dissolution of a Municipality. However, before a Municipality is suspended or dissolved, it shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard by such authority as is constituted by such law. It may be noted that the suspension of a Municipality shall not affect the continuation of the Wards Committee.

12. State Election Commission. Under the provisions of Seventy-Third and Seventy-Fourth constitutional amendments each state is required to constituted a State Election Commission for conducting free and fair polls to the Panchayats and Municipalities, to be constituted under the new systems as provided for in the Constitution by the aforesaid amendments. The Commission shall be headed by a State Election Commissioner, to be appointed by the state government. The Governor of the State will determine the rulers governing the conditions of service, and tenure of office of the State Election Commissioner. The State Election Commissioner shall not be removable from office except in a manner similar to, and on grounds similar to, those on which a judge of High Court can be removed from his office.

13. Powers and responsibilities of Municipalities. The Act has laid down that the legislature of a state may, by law, endow :
(a) The Municipalities with such powers as may be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of self-government. Such law may contain provisions for the devolution of powers and responsibilities upon Municipalities with respect to :
(i) the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice;

(ii) the performance of functions and the implementation of the schemes as may be entrusted to them including in relation to the following matters listed in Twelfth Schedule. The twelfth schedule has been included in the Constitution by Seventy- Fourth Constitutional Amendment.
TWELFTH SCHEDULE
1. Urban planning including town planning.
2. Regulation of land-use and construction of buildings.
3. Planning for economic and social development.
4. Roads and bridges.
5. Water supply for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes.
6. Public health, sanitation conservancy and solid waste management.
7. Fire services.
8. Urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects.
9. Safeguarding the interests of weaker sections of society, including the handicapped and mentally retarded.
10. Slum imporvement and upgradation.
11. Urban poverty alleviation.
12. Provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens, playgrounds.
13. Promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects.
14. Burials and burial grounds; cremations, cremation grounds and electric crematoriums.
15. Cattle ponds; prevention of cruelty to animals.
16. Vital statistics including registration of births and deaths.
17. Public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences.
18. Regulation of slaughter houses and tanneries.
14. Power to impose taxes. The legislature of a state may by law :
(i) authorise a Municipality to levy, collect and appropriate such taxes, duties, tolls and fees in accordance with such procedure and subject to such limits;

(ii) assign to a Municipality such taxes, duties, tolls and fees levied and collected by the state government for such purposes and subject to such conditions and limits;

(iii) provide for making such grants-in-aid to the Municipalities from the Consolidated Fund of the state; and

(iv) provide for constitution of such Funds for crediting all moneys received respectively, by or on behalf of the Municipalities as may be specified in the law and also for the withdrawal of such moneys therefrom.

15. Consititution of Finance Commission. The Act has provided for the appointment of Finance Commission to review, the financial position of the Municipalities. The commission shall be appointed by the Governor of a State as soon as may be within one year from the commencement of the Constitution (Seventy-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992, and thereafter at the expiration of every fifth year.

16. Composition of the Finance Commission.
The legislature of the state is empowered to provide for the composition of the commission and the qualifications which shall be requisite for appointment as members thereof. The manner of the selection of the members of the commission will also be determined by a law of the state legislature. The commission shall determine its procedure and shall have such powers in the performance of their functions as the legislature of the state may by law, confer on it.

17. Functions of the Finance Commission. The basic function of the Finance Commission is to review the financial position of the Municipalities. The Commission is required to make recommendations to the Governor as to the principles which should govern :
(i) the distribution between the state and the Municipalities of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the state and which may be divided between them.

1. the determination of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to, or appropriated by the Municipalities.
2. the grants-in-aid to the Municipalities from the Consolidated Fund of the State.

The Commission is also required to make recommendations to the Governor as to :
(a) the measures needed to improve the financial position of the Municipalities
(b) the extent to which the Consolidated Fund of the state needs to be augmented by the assistance from the government of India to supplement the resources of the Municipalities ;
(c) any other matter referred to the Finance Commission by the Governor in the interest of sound finance of the Municipalities.
The Governor of the state is required to cause every recommendation made by the commission to be laid before the legislature of the state. The recommendations of the commission must be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum as to the action taken thereon by the government.

18. Committee for District Planning. The Act has laid down that in every state a District Planning Committee at the district level shall be constituted according to the provisions of the law of the state. The legislature of a state may, by law, make provision with respect to :
(i)the composition of the District Planning Committees;

(ii) the manner in which the seats in such committees shall be filled. However, it is essential that not less than 4/5 of the total number of members of such committee shall be elected by the elected members of the Panchayats at the district level and of the Municipalities in the districts from amongst themselves. These elected members will be in proportion to the ratio between the population of the rural areas and of the urban areas in the district.

(iii) the functions relating to district planning which may be assigned to such committees;

(iv) the manner in which the Chairpersons of such committees shall be chosen.

19. Functions of the Committee for District Planning. The main function of the Committee for District Planning is to consolidate the plans prepared by the Panchayats and the Municipalities in the district and to prepare a draft development for the district as a whole. 
Every District Planning Committee shall in preparing the draft development plan, have regard to :
(i) the matters of common interest between the Panchayats and the Municipalities, such matters may include spatial planning, sharing of water and other physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environmental conservation.

(ii) the extent and type of available resources whether financial or otherwise.
The Chairperson of every District Planning Committee is required to forward the development plan, as recommended by such committee, to the government of the state.

20. Committee for Metropolitan Planning. According to the Act, in every Metropolitan area a Metropolitan Planning Committee shall be constituted to prepare a draft development plan for the metropolitan area as a whole. ‘Metropolitan Area’ means an area having a population of twenty lakhs or more. It may comprise one or more districts and consist of two or more Municipalities or Panchayats or other contiguous area. According to the Act, the government of a state shall specify a Metropolitan Area by public notification.

21. Composition of the Metropolitan Planning Committee. The Act lays down that the legislature of a state may, by law, make provision with respect to :
(i) the composition of the Metropolitan Planning Committee;

(ii) the manner in which the seats in such committee shall be filled. However, it is essential that not less than two-thirds of the members of such committee shall be elected by the elected members of the Municipalities and Chairpersons of the Panchayats in the Metropolitan areas. These elected members will be in proportion to the ratio between the population of the Municipalities and of the Panchayats in that area.

(iii) the representation in such committee of the government of India and the government of the state and of such organisations and institution as may be deemed necessary for carrying out the functions assigned to such committees.

(iv) the functions relating to planning and co-ordination for the Metropolitan area which may be assigned to such committees.
 
(v) the manner in which the Chairperson of such committees shall be chosen.

22. Functions of the Metropolitan Planning Committee. The main function of a Metropolitan Planning Committee is to prepare a draft development plan for the Metropolitan Area as a whole. The Constitution (Seventy - Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992 has laid down that every Metropolitan Committee shall, in preparing the draft plan, have regard to :
(i) the plans prepared by the Municipalities and the Panchayats in the Metropolitan Area.

(ii) matters of common interest between the Municipalities and the Panchayats. Such matters may include co-ordinated spatial planning of the area, sharing of water and other physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environmental conservation.

(iii) the overall objectives and priorities set by the government of India and the government of the state.
The Chairperson of every Metropolitan Planning Committee shall forward the development plan, as recommended by such committee to the government of the state.

23. Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters. The Act specifically provides that the validity of any law relating to the delimitation of constituencies or the allotment of seats to such constituencies shall not be called in question in any court. The Act further lays down that no election to any Municipalities shall be called in question except by an election petition presented to such authority and in such manner as is provided for under any law made by the legislature of a state.

Evaluation. The passage of the Constitution (Seventy- Fourth Amendment) Act, 1992 is an historic development in the Indian Political System. For the first time constitutional sanction has been accorded to the local bodies of urban areas. The existence of Municipalities has not been left to the whims of the majority party in the state legislature, rather the tenure of the Municipalities has been fixed and thereafter elections have been made mandatory.

The devolution of financial and administrative powers in favour of Municipalities is really a commendable step towards making them effective institutions of urban local self-government. The provisions of Wards Committees, State Finance Commission, District Planning Committees and Metropolitan Planning Committees are certainly great improvements upon the existing laws which govern the functioning of urban local self-government.
Municipality

Question 7. 
How is the Election of I nj^mMunicinalities held? Explain its ’ functions and sources of Income.  
Answer: 
Municipal Committee or Council is the most important institution of urban government. The Municipal Committees are governed by the Municipal Acts of the states. The Municipal Committees are generally set up in those cities whose population is more than 20,000. At present there are more than 1,600 Municipal Committees in India. Composition. The membership of the Municipal Committee is fixed by the state government on the basis of the population of the city. In U.P., The total members of the Municipal Committees vary from 20 to 45 according to population.

Members of the Municipal Committees are elected on the basis of adult franchise. Every adult citizen who lives within the Municipal jurisdiction has the right to vote. There is a provision for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Municipality, as the population of the Scheduled castes, in the Municipal area according to 74th Amendment. One-third of total elected seats are reserved for women. One seat is reserved for Backward classes. All members of the Legislative Assembly of the state representing constituencies comprising wholly or partly the Municipal area are members of the Municipal Committee.
Qualifications. Only that person can contest Municipal elections who possesses the following qualifications:

1. He should be a citizen of India.
2. He should have completed 21 years of age.
3. He should not hold any office of profit under the government or a Municipal Committee.
4. He should be a resident of that city and his name should exist in the voters’ list of that area.

Tenure. Before 74th Amendment, the tenure of Municipal Committee varied from three to five years. In Punjab and Haryana, the tenure of Municipality is five years. The government can suspend or supersede the Municipal Committee even before the expiry of its term and can appoint an administrator to run the municipal administration. President. The members of the Municipal Committee elect a President from among themselves. The members of the Municipal Committee can remove the President from office by a majority vote. There are two Vice-Presidents of the Municipal Committee-the Senior Vice-President and the Junior Vice-President.
 
Secretary. There is a Secretary of the Municipal Committee who is given a fixed salary. He runs the day- to-day administration of the Municipal Committee. He is appointed by the Municipal Committee. In some Municipal Committees there is an Executive Officer instead of a Secretary. Besides this, there are many permanent officials in the Municipal Committee. For example, the Engineer, Health officer, Sanitary Inspector and Octroi Inspector, etc. Functions of the Municipal Committee. The local bodies run the administration of local affairs. 

The Municipal Committee performs the following functions:
1. Sanitation. The municipal administration is to look after the sanitary condition of the city.

2. Public Health. The preservation of public health is a very important function of the Municipal Committee. The Municipal Committee makes arrangements for giving vaccinations of small pox to the people.

3. Roads and Bridges. It makes arrangement for the construction of roads and bridges within its area. Pucca roads are constructed in the bazaars and the streets. It also gets the roads and the bridges repaired whenever necessary. It provides every facility to the people for the purpose of movement.

4. Education. The Municipal Committee also makes arrangements for providing education to the people.

5. Water and Electricity. It is another important function of the Municipal Committee to make arrangement of pure drinking water of the area. Previously, the Municipal Committees used to dig wells for this purpose but now water is supplied in the houses of the people. Arrangement of water pumps is made in streets, bazaars and at public places. The municipality also makes arrangement of providing street fights. The arrangement of supply of electricity nowadays is made by the State Government, but previously the Municipal Committee used to do all this.

6. Transport. People experience great difficulty in big cities in going from one place to another. The Municipal Committee makes arrangement of tramways to remove this difficulty of the public. It issues licences to rickshaws, tongas and auto-rickshaws.

7. Other Functions
(a) The Municipal Committee makes arrangements for cremation grounds, 
(b) It makes arrangements for extinguishing the fire and maintaining fire brigade stations for this purpose, 
(c) It makes arrangements for killing mad dogs and wild animals.
(d) It makes arrangements for playgrounds, parks and gardens
(e) It approves plans for constructing houses.
(f) In big cities it makes arrangements for providing pure milk, vegetable oil and butter to the people, 
(g) It also pays attention to the recreational activities of the people and makes arrangements for fairs, exhibitions and games for the people.

Sources of Income. The Municipal Committee requires a huge sum of money for the performance of its functions. It gets the money from the sources given below:
(a) Octroi. The main source of the income of a Municipal Committee is the octroi tax. This tax is imposed on all those things which come to the city from the village. This tax is imposed only upon those things about which the Municipality has already decided. The rate of octroi tax is different on different things.

(b) House Tax. The Municipal Committee imposes house tax on all the houses in its jurisdiction.

(c) Licence Fees. The Municipality imposes tax on the possession of certain things for example, tonga, cycle, rickshaw, tempo and other vehicles. The Committee issues licences to this effects.

(d) Toll Tax. In certain cities a tax is imposed on the use of a bridge or a stream. Such tax is very much imposed in Uttar Pradesh.

(e) Water and Electricity Tax. The Municipal Committee makes arrangement for the supply of water and electricity in the streets and bazaars and for this purposes it imposes water and electricity tax on the owners of the house. It charges separately for the consumption of water and electricity in homes.

(f) Professional Tax. It imposes tax on trade professions in its jurisdiction.

(g) Entertainment. The Municipal Committee imposes tax on theatres, cinemas and wrestling matches.

(h) Tax on Animals. It imposes tax on the possession of animals by the people.

(i) Income from its Property. The Municipal Committee has its own property also which is given on rent. The rent from property is a great source of income.

(j) Grants-in-aid from the State Government. The income of the Municipal Committee is not enough by which all its needs can be satisfied. Every year the State Government gives grants-in-aid to the Municipal Committees.

Question 8. 
Discuss the Composition and Functions of Municipal Corporations.
Answer: 
Composition. The members of the Municipal Corporation are called councillors and are elected directly on the basis of adult franchise. The government determines the number of elected councillors for a corporation. All members of the Legislative Assembly of the state representing constituencies comprising wholly or partly the Municipal Corporation are ex¬officio members of the Municipal Corporation. In every corporation seats are reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Functions of Municipal Corporations.

1. Supply of water and maintenance of water works.
2. Scavenging, removal and disposal of filth and rubbish.
3. Supply of electricity.
4. Construction and maintenance of roads and streets.
5. Lighting, watering and cleaning of public streets and public places.
6. Maintenance of fire-brigade.
7. To establish, manage and supervise schools.
8. Arrangement of transport facilities.
9. The removal of obstructions and projections in or upon streets, bridges public places.
10. Prevention of epidemic diseases and distribution of medicines.
11. Checking food adulteration in markets,
12. Regulation of places for disposal of dead bodies.
13. Registration of births and deaths.
14. Vaccination and inoculation.
15. Prevention of water pollution in the city area and air pollution from poisonous gases in industrial area within the city.

Question 9. 
What are the challenges of Local Government. Discuss remedies.
Answer: 
Challenges of Local Govt:
1. Illiteracy. People are illiterate and uneducated. No local self-government institution can be a success unless both the electors and the elected are educated.

2. Ignorance. Majority of the people are ignorant about the aims of the local Govt.

3. Communalism During elections to the local Govt, the people are always divided on the basis of religion and caste. The society is very much caste-ridden and they always vote on the basis of caste. Even after the elections the caste system always remains at the forefront.

4. Groupism. The people form their groups on the eve of elections. The whole mass is faction-ridden. The elections are contested by the people on the basis of their affiliations to political parties. As a result of all this, the local Govt, cannot function successfully.

Remedies to Local Govt.
1. Spread of Education. The spread of education is a must for making the local Govt, system a success. An educated person will make the proper use of his vote and will rise above caste and religion. Educated people can run the administration of their village or city in a better way than uneducated people. 

2. Less Governmental Interference. The local Govt, institution should be given more independence and autonomy in the discharge of their duties. The government, instead of interfering in the working of local bodies, should give them proper guidance.

3. More Financial Aid. The local Govt, institutions always run short of funds. The government should give liberal financial aid to these institutions. The government should give adequate funds to these institutions for all their schemes which aim at raising the living standard of the people and as eradicating poverty.

4. Ban on Political Parties in the Elections of Local bodies. The elections to the local bodies should not be held on the basis of political parties. The local self-government institutions will function successfully only when educated and intelligent persons are elected as its members.

Question 10. 
Study the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Local governments got a fillip after the 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts. But even before that, some efforts in the direction of developing local government bodies had already taken place. First in the line was the Community Development Programme in 1952, which sought to promote people’s participation in local development in a range of activities. In this background, a three-tier Panchayati Raj system of local government was recommended for the rural areas.

Some states (like Gujarat,   Maharashtra) adopted the system of elected local bodies around 1960. But in many States those local bodies did not have enough power and functions to look after local development. They were dependent on the State and central goernments for financial assistance. Many States did not think it necessary to establish elected local bodies. In many instances, local bodies were dissolved and the local government was handed over to government officers. Many states had indirect elections to most local bodies. In many States, elections to the local bodies were postponed from time to time.

1. 73rd Constitutional Amendment is related to which type of government in India?
2. 74th Constitutional Amendment is related to which type of government in India?
3. When did Community Development Programme start in India?

Answer: 

1. 73rd Constitutional Amendment is related to Rural local government in India.
2. 74th Constitutional Amendment is related to Urban local government in India.
3. Community Development programme started in 1952.

Question 11. 
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The Municipal Committees are generally set up in those cities whose population is more than 20,000. At present there are more than 1,600 Municipal Committees in India. The membership of the Municipal Committee is fixed by the state government on the basis of the population of the city. In U.P., the total members of the Municipal Committees vary from 20 to 45 according to population. Members of the Municipal Committees are elected on the basis of adult franchise. Every adult citizen who lives within the Municipal jurisdiction has the right to vote. There is a provision for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Municipality, as the population of the Scheduled castes, in the Municipal area according to 74th Amendment.

11.1. Almost how many population required for Municipal Committee?
(a) 10,000 
(b) 20,000
(c) 30,000 
(d) 40,000
Answer: 
(b) 20,000

11.2. How many municipal committee are there in
India?
(a) More than 1,600 
(b) More than 2,000
(c) More than 2,200 
(d) More than 2,600
Answer: 
(a) More than 1,600 

11.3. Who cast vote in Municipal Committee election?
(a) Ageofl8years 
(b)Ageof20years
(c) Age of 22 years 
(d) Age of 24 years
Answer: 
(a) Ageofl8years 

11.4. Which Amendment belong to Municipal Committee?
(a) 70th 
(b) 72nd
(c) 73rd 
(d) 74th
Answer:  
(d) 74th

HOTS QUESTIONS

Question 1. 
What role is played by the local bodies in a Democracy?
Answer: 
The local bodies are the backbone of democracy. A democratic government at the top cannot succeed unless grassroots democracy through the local bodies is provided for. The local bodies impart sufficient political education to the general masses which prove very helpful in making them enlightened citizens of the country. Local bodies play an important role in providing for training to the leadership also. The leaders who actively participate in the institutions of Local Self-Government certainly prove to be good leaders at the state and at national level. In fact, local bodies are the basis on which the edifice of democracy is built.

Question 2. 
Explain the meaning of Panchayati Raj System.
Answer: 
Panchayati Raj may be described as a complex system of rural local self-government in India. Panchayati Raj is that system of administration in which the village people are given the right to manage their own local affairs and to satisfy their needs themselves. The villagers use this right through the Panchayats and it is called Panchayati Raj. The three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj is working in India.
 
Question 3. 
What are the three-tiers of the Panchayati Raj institutions?
Answer: 
Panchayati Raj may be described as a complex system of Rural Self-Government in India. The Panchayati Raj System as recommended by Balwant Rai Mehta Committee has been organised on a three-tier structure. Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level and Zila Parishad at the district level.

Question 4. 
What do you know about Zila Parishad?
Answer: 
Zila Parishad is at the apex of the Panchayati Raj System. Zila Parishad is established at the district level. It is known by different names. In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it is known as the Development Council.

Question 5. 
Describe in brief, the machinery that conducts the election of the Panchayati Raj institutions.
Answer: 
The 73rd Amendment provides for the machinery that conducts the elections of the Panchayati Raj institutions. The state government is required to appoint a State Election Commission who would be responsible for conducting elections to the Panchayati Raj institution. 

SELF-EVALUATION TEST

1. In which year 73rd and 74th Amendments were passed? 
2. Which amendments gave constitutional status to the Local Bodies? 
3. Who is called the Pioneer of Local government in India? 
4. According to 73rd Amendment, the tenure of Panchayat.s in all states is: 

• Six years 
• Three Year
• Five years 
• Four years

5. What do you understand by Local Self. Government? 
6. Mention the names of institutions of Local Sell. Government in India. 
7. Write two functions of Block Samiti. 
8. Give any two compulsory and two optional functions of Municipal Corporation. 
9. Why do we need Local Govt? 
10. List four functions of the Urban Local Self-Government. 
11. Describe the main features of the Municipalities after passing the 74th Amendment Act. 
12. How is the Finance Commission of the State constituted? What functions does it perform regarding the Local Self-Government? 

13. Study the passage given below carefully and answer the question that follows: 
Local governments got a fillip after the 73 an 74th Constitution Amendment Acts. But even before that, some efforts in the direction of developing local government bodies had already taken place. First in line was the Community Development Programme in 1952, which sought to promote people’s participation in local development in a range of activities. In this background, a three-tier Panchayati Raj system of local government was recommended for the rural areas. Some states (like Gujarat, Maharashtra) adopted the system of elected local bodies around 1960.

But in many States those local bodies did not have enough powers and functions to look after the local development. They were dependent on the State and central governments for financial assistance. Many State8 did not think it necessary to establish elected local bodies. In many instances, local bodies were dissolved and the local government was handed over to government officers, Many states had indirect elections to most local bodies. In many States, elections to the local bodies were postponed from time to time. 

• 73’ Constitutional Amendment is related to which type of government in India?
• 74th Constitutional Amendment is related to which type of government in India?
• When did Community Development Programme start in India?

14. Discuss the main features of Panchayati Raj system with reference to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. 
15. Describe the composition, functions and sources of income of Gram Panchayat. 
16. How are Election of Municipalities held ‘ Explain their functions and sources of income.