NCERT Book Class 6 Social Science Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas PDF Download

Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy - Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas

The real India lives in its villages.
- M.K. Gandhi

Let us now see how the government functions at the local level. In this chapter, our focus will be on local government in rural areas; we will move to urban areas in the next chapter. India is a country of enormous size and diversity. We have about 600,000 villages, 8,000 towns and over 4,000 cities. Our population has crossed 1.4 billion, almost two - thirds of which live in rural areas. How do we govern ourselves in this complex society?

Let us take a trip to Lakshmanpur, a small village in the foothills of the Himalayas. It has 200 houses and a population of about 700, most of whom are farmers. People cultivate their lands and rear cows or goats. Some have relatives serving in the armed forces; a few younger villagers have migrated to the city in search of jobs. What are the needs of this village - maybe water for the fields, repairing the main road if it got damaged by heavy rains, or maintaining the village's primary school? How will the villagers take decisions about such matters that affect their daily lives? And where will they get the resources to meet those needs? What will happen if there is a dispute about land or if some of the crop is stolen? Many such questions can arise in a village. Can people run to the State or the national capital for every such issue?

Panchayati Raj System

Like every village in India, the Lakshmanpur people have a system of local government called 'Panchayat', which refers to a village council. Panchayats bring governance closer to the people, making it possible for them to actively participate in decision - making processes. That is why the Panchayat system, also known as Panchayati Raj, is a form of self - government. Panchayats play a vital role in addressing local issues, promoting development and ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach the grassroots level.

[Figure 11.1: Three-tier system of Panchayati Raj showing Village level (Village Parishad / Gram Panchayat), Block level (Block Panchayat / Panchayat Samiti / Mandal Parishad), and District level (District Panchayat / Zila Parishad), See in your textbook]

As is clear from the diagram, the Panchayati Raj system works at three levels - from bottom up - the village, the block and the district. This is called a 'three - tier system'. Together, these institutions' responsibilities cover almost all aspects of life in the district, from agriculture, housing, maintenance of roads, management of water resources, education, health care and social welfare to cultural activities.

Gram Panchayat

Let us begin with the base of Fig. 11.1 on page 164 - the Gram Panchayat, which is closest to the people in rural areas. Its members are elected directly by the Gram Sabha, which is a group of adults from a village (or group of neighbouring villages) who are enrolled as voters. In the Gram Sabha, women and men discuss all matters related to their area and take decisions. Each Gram Panchayat elects a head or president called the 'Sarpanch' or 'Pradhan'. In recent years, more and more women have become Sarpanchs.

Teacher's Note

Remember that the Gram Sabha is the group of all eligible voters in a village, while the Gram Panchayat is the elected body that represents them. The Gram Sabha is where decisions are made and discussed by everyone; the Gram Panchayat carries out those decisions. This distinction often appears in exam questions.

[Figure: A Gram Sabha meeting showing villagers gathered together discussing matters, See in your textbook]

Key Points

• The Panchayati Raj system is a form of self - government that brings decision - making closer to the people in villages.
• The system operates at three levels: village (Gram Panchayat), block, and district, working from the bottom up.
• The Gram Panchayat, the smallest unit, is elected by the Gram Sabha, which is made up of all adult voters in the village.
• Panchayats handle local issues such as water, roads, education, health care, agriculture, housing and social welfare.

This is a preview of the first 3 pages. To get the complete chapter, click below.