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Class 6 Grassroots Democracy: Local Government in Rural Areas: cheat sheet
CBSE Social Science. How villages govern themselves: the Gram Sabha, the Gram Panchayat and its Sarpanch, the three tiers up to the Zila Parishad, their work and their money.
Key ideas
- Grassroots democracy is democracy at the local level, where people take part in running their own area.
- The Gram Sabha is all the adult voters of a village; it meets to question the panchayat about its work and spending.
- The Gram Panchayat is the small elected body that does the day-to-day work, led by the Sarpanch.
- The village is divided into wards; each ward elects a panch, and elections are held every five years.
- A Gram Panchayat repairs roads and drains, provides drinking water, looks after street lights and keeps records of births and deaths.
- It gets money from local taxes (on houses and markets) and from state and central grants.
- At least one-third of the seats are reserved for women so that their needs are heard.
Remember
| Three tiers | Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block), Zila Parishad (district) |
| Gram Sabha | all adult voters of the village |
| Sarpanch | elected head of the Gram Panchayat |
| Panchayat Secretary | keeps the panchayat’s records |
| 73rd Amendment | 1992: panchayats in the Constitution in all states |
| Term / voting age | five years / 18 years |
| Seats for women | at least one-third |
Watch out
- Mixing up the Gram Sabha (all adult voters) and the Gram Panchayat (the elected body).
- Giving panchayats national jobs like issuing passports: those belong to the central government.
- Getting the tiers in the wrong order: village, then block, then district.
Worked example
Which TWO of these are jobs of a Gram Panchayat? (a) looking after street lights (b) issuing passports (c) keeping records of births and deaths
Working: issuing passports is done by the central government.
Answer: looking after street lights; keeping records of births and deaths
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