❓ Question 1: What is Local Government?
🏘️ Answer:
Local Government refers to the government institutions at the local level that work closest to the people.
📍 It deals with the day-to-day needs, issues, and development of local communities.
(स्थानीय लोगों की रोज़मर्रा की समस्याओं से जुड़ी शासन प्रणाली)
🗣️ Local Government allows direct public involvement in discussions and decision-making on local matters.
🤝 It ensures a people-friendly administration, where governance becomes more accessible and responsive.
🔄 It also promotes decentralization — meaning powers and resources are distributed (विकेन्द्रित) from the central and state governments to local bodies.
❓ Question 4: Who introduced the Gram Panchayat system in India?
🏛️ Answer:
👤 Lord Ripon, the Viceroy of India in 1882, is credited with introducing the Gram Panchayat system in India.
📜 He took the initiative to create local governments, which were then called Local Boards.
🌟 Lord Ripon is known as the “Father of Local Self-Government” in India.
(स्थानीय स्वशासन का जनक)
🗣️ He believed in greater public participation in local affairs and wanted people to handle their own issues at the grassroots level.
🔄 He strongly supported decentralization of power and administration.
❓ Question 5: How do Local Governments strengthen democracy?
🗳️ Answer:
Local Governments play a key role in making democracy stronger and more effective at the grassroots level.
👥 People’s Participation:
Local people and their elected representatives handle local issues directly — they understand them better.
🗣️ Better Representation:
It allows citizens to have a voice in decisions that affect their daily lives.
🧑⚖️ Accountability and Control:
Local communities can keep a close check on decision-makers and administrators, making governance more transparent.
🏡 True Grassroots Democracy:
When power reaches the people, democracy becomes more real, responsive, and relatable.
🔗 So, strengthening local governments means strengthening local democracy itself.
❓ Question 6: Discuss Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of Local Government.
🙏 Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed in the idea of grass-root democracy 🌾 — where power lies with the people at the village and community level.
🏘️ He advocated for local self-government in both rural and urban areas, so that people could directly take part in their governance.
⚖️ His vision was to achieve economic and political decentralization —
(यानी आर्थिक और राजनीतिक सत्ता का विकेंद्रीकरण) —
where villages become self-reliant units of decision-making and development.
📜 Because of his deep commitment to local governance, the idea of local government was included in the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution.
🕊️ Gandhiji believed that real democracy begins at the bottom, not the top.
❓ Question 7: Write the Government structure in rural areas as per Balwant Rai Mehta Committee recommendation.
🏡 Answer:
In 1957, the Government of India appointed the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee to examine the structure and powers of rural local governments.
📋 The committee recommended a three-tier system of Panchayati Raj for rural areas:
🌱 1. Village Panchayat (Gram Panchayat) – At the village level
It is the basic unit of rural self-government where local development begins.
🏢 2. Block Samiti (Panchayat Samiti) – At the block/intermediate level
It coordinates between Gram Panchayats and helps implement development programs.
🏛️ 3. Zila Parishad – At the district level
It oversees and supervises the work of Block Samitis and sets district-level plans.
❓ Question 11: Write four main provisions of the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution.
📜 Answer:
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act (1992) gave constitutional status to rural local bodies (Panchayati Raj Institutions).
Here are the four main provisions:
🏛️ 1. Constitutional Status to Local Governments
Local bodies were given a constitutional base to ensure their continuity and authority.
(स्थानीय सरकारों को संवैधानिक मान्यता)
🗳️ 2. Direct Elections
Members of Panchayats at all levels are to be directly elected by the people.
📆 3. Fixed Tenure
The tenure of Panchayats was fixed at 5 years, and fresh elections must be held before expiry.
(स्थानीय निकायों का कार्यकाल 5 वर्ष तय)
👩🦱 4. Reservation of Seats
🔸 33% seats reserved for women
🔸 33% seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs)
This ensured representation of marginalized and underrepresented sections.
❓ Question 12: What is Block Samiti and what is its function?
🏢 Answer:
The rural local government in India follows a three-tier structure:
🏘️ Gram Panchayat – at the village level
🏢 Block Samiti (Panchayat Samiti) – at the block level
🏛️ Zila Parishad – at the district level
So, the Block Samiti is the middle-level institution, acting between the Gram Panchayats and Zila Parishad.
🔧 Functions of Block Samiti:
🌾 1. Rural Development
It plans and implements development schemes for the entire block area, especially in agriculture, irrigation, health, and education.
🧩 2. Coordination Role
It acts as a link between Zila Parishad and Village Panchayats.
(Zila Parishad और गांव की पंचायतों के बीच सेतु का काम करती है)
👁️🗨️ 3. Supervision & Monitoring
It supervises and guides the functioning of all Gram Panchayats in the block.
❓ Question 13: Write the functions of Panchayats.📜 पंचायतों के कार्य लिखिए।
🛕 Answer:
Panchayats are the grassroots-level institutions in the rural local self-government system. They play an essential role in the development and governance of villages.
🔧 Main Functions of Panchayats:
🗣️ 1. Discuss Local Issues
To hold meetings and discuss the problems and needs of the village. (गांव से जुड़ी समस्याओं पर चर्चा करना)
🛡️ 2. Maintain Law & Order
To ensure peace, cooperation, and social harmony in the village. (गांव में कानून व्यवस्था बनाए रखना)
🌾 3. Fulfill Agricultural Needs
To support and plan for the agricultural development of the village.
🤝 4. Coordination with Higher Bodies
To coordinate with Block Samiti and Zila Parishad for executing government development programs.
💰 5. Utilize Government Aid
To receive and properly use financial aid or grants from the government.
⚖️ 6. Resolve Disputes
To settle minor disputes within the village through mutual understanding.
