Panchayati Raj
Grade 06
Class Notes
Concepts Covered
Office
Panchayati bearers of
raj institutions gram
panchayat
Panchayati
Raj
Gram
Gram sabha
panchayat
and its
and its
functions
functions
Panchayati Raj: What Is It?
Panchayat Raj: What Is It?
• Panchayati raj is a system of local self-government in
rural areas.
• There are three institutes that form the panchayati raj.
Zila parishad
(District level)
It administers the panchayat samitis
of blocks in the district.
Janpad panchayat/ Panchayat
Panchayati Raj samiti (Block level)
Institutions It presides over the village
panchayats of that block.
Gram panchayat
(Village level)
It administers the development of the
village. It comprises a sarpanch and
other panches.
It is the forum All the members
where people of the village
discuss the issues above 18 years of
in their village and age are members
the solutions to of the gram
their problems. sabha.
Gram Sabha
The members of It is the general
gram sabha elect body of the gram
the gram panchayat.
panchayat.
Gram Panchayat: What Is It?
• Gram panchayat is a democratic institute at the
grassroot level of India.
• It is a temporary body as the members of the gram
sabha elect the members of the gram panchayat.
• Thus, gram panchayat consists of the representatives of
the gram sabha.
Ensures that education and
healthcare are available to
people in the villages
Functions of
Ensures sanitation and drinking
Gram water supply for the village
Panchayat
Maintains roads, birth and death
records, burial records, and
cremation grounds
Every gram panchayat is headed by a person called the
sarpanch or the Pradhan, who is elected directly from the gram
sabha.
The members of the gram panchayat are elected for a term of
five years.
Office Bearers
of Gram
Panchayat
Evolution of Making of
rule of law new laws
Sarpanch Panchayat secretary
Presides over the Keeps account of
meetings of panchayat’s expenses and
the panchayat prepares reports of
panchayat’s works
Important Questions
Q1: Briefly discuss the functions of gram panchayat.(3 marks)
Q2: Describe the three-tier structure of gram panchayat. (3
marks)
Q3: How does the gram sabha hold the gram panchayat
accountable? (3 marks)
Q4: Differentiate between gram sabha and gram panchayat. (5
marks)
Difference between Gram Sabha and
Gram Panchayat
Gram Sabha Gram Panchayat
Is a temporary body that is
Is a permanent body
elected for a term of 5 years
Is a deliberative body Is an executive body
Comprises of all Comprises of the sarpanch,
members of the village the ward members (panchs),
above 18 years of age and the panchayat secretary
Members are elected from
Members are not elected
the gram sabha
Did You Know?
The word panchayat comes from the
word panch which means five. It refers to
a committee of five members. In the
olden days, five older men used to settle
village disputes and make important
decisions.
