Astudent of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to studythe role of decentralisation in decision-making about primaryeducation. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questionsare given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer wouldyou give to each of these questions?
Ameeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what stepsshould be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to theschool.
a.How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think whowould be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of yourchoice.
(i)A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii)Day of the village haat
(iii)Sunday
(iv)Naag panchami / sankranti
b.What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i)Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii)Religious place in the village.
(iii)Dalit Mohalla
(iv)Upper caste Tola
(v)Village school
c.In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the districtcollector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken toorganise an education rally and what should be its route. The meetingdid not discuss about the children who never come to school or aboutgirls’ education, or the condition of the school building andthe timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as itwas held on Sunday.
Whatdo you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’sparticipation?
d.Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of themeeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Whichof the following according to you involves decentralisation?
Why areother options not sufficient for decentralisation?
a.To hold election of the Gram Panchayat.
b.Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies andprogrammes are useful for the village.
c.Power to call meeting of Gram Sabha.
d.A Gram Panchayat receiving the report from the Block DevelopmentOfficer about the progress of a project started by the Stategovernment.
Thefollowing are different justifications given in favour of localgovernment. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greatersignificance to a particular rationale than the others. According toyou, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayatof Vengaivasal village was based? How?
a.Government can complete the projects with lesser cost with theinvolvement of the local community.
b.The development plans made by the local people will have greateracceptability than those made by the government officers.
c.People know their area, needs, problems and priorities. By collectiveparticipation they should discuss and take decisions about theirlife.
d.It is difficult for the common people to contact theirrepresentatives of the State or the national legislature.
Readthe provisions of the 73rdAmendment. Which of the following concerns does this amendmentaddress?
a.Fear of replacement makes representatives accountable to the people.
b.The dominant castes and feudal landlords dominate the local bodies.
c.Rural illiteracy is very high. Illiterate people cannot takedecisions about the development of the village.
d.To be effective the village panchayats need resources and powers tomake plans for the village development.
Readthe following conversation. Write in two hundred words your opinionabout the issues raised in this conversation.
Alok:Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women.Reservations in local bodies for women ensure their equal share inpower.
Neha:But it is not enough that women should be in positions of power. Itis necessary that the budget of local bodies should have separateprovision for women.
Jayesh:I don’t like this reservations business. A local body must takecare of all people in the village and that would automatically takecare of women and their interests.
Whatwere the main differences between the local governments before 73rdamendment and after that amendment?
Whatare the provisions for the reservations for the sociallydisadvantaged groups as per the 73rd amendment? Explain how theseprovisions have changed the profile of the leadership at the villagelevel.
Supposeyou are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, whatpowers would you endow to the village panchayats to function as unitsof self-government? Mention any five powers and the justification intwo lines for each of them for giving those powers.
Constitutionof India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government.Think over the situation described in the following statements andexplain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayatsin becoming units of self-government.
a.Government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a hugesteel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steelplant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolutionthat before establishing any big industries in the region, villagepeople must be consulted and their grievances should be redressed.
b.The government has decided that 20 % of all its expenditure would bedone through the panchayats.
c.A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building forvillage school, the government officials turned down their proposalsaying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannotbe spent otherwise.
d.The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a partof village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased toexist in government’s books.
e.A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region aredepleting fast. They decided to mobilise village youth to do somevoluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.
explain aricle 368
A student of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study the role of decentralisation in decision-making about primary education. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questions are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer would you give to each of these questions?
A meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps should be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to the school.
a. How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think who would be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of your choice.
(i) A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii) Day of the village haat
(iii) Sunday
(iv) Naag panchami / sankranti
b. What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i) Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii) Religious place in the village.
(iii) Dalit Mohalla
(iv) Upper caste Tola
(v) Village school
c. In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the district collector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken to organise an education rally and what should be its route. The meeting did not discuss about the children who never come to school or about girls’ education, or the condition of the school building and the timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as it was held on Sunday.
What do you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’s participation?
d. Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of the meeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Which of the following according to you involves decentralisation?
Why are other options not sufficient for decentralisation?
a. To hold election of the Gram Panchayat.
b. Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies and programmes are useful for the village.
c. Power to call meeting of Gram Sabha.
d. A Gram Panchayat receiving the report from the Block Development Officer about the progress of a project started by the State government.
The following are different justifications given in favour of local government. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greater significance to a particular rationale than the others. According to you, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayat of Vengaivasal village was based? How?
a. Government can complete the projects with lesser cost with the involvement of the local community.
b. The development plans made by the local people will have greater acceptability than those made by the government officers.
c. People know their area, needs, problems and priorities. By collective participation they should discuss and take decisions about their life.
d. It is difficult for the common people to contact their representatives of the State or the national legislature.
True or false?
Astudent of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to studythe role of decentralisation in decision-making about primaryeducation. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questionsare given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer wouldyou give to each of these questions?
Ameeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what stepsshould be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to theschool.
a.How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think whowould be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of yourchoice.
(i)A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii)Day of the village haat
(iii)Sunday
(iv)Naag panchami / sankranti
b.What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i)Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii)Religious place in the village.
(iii)Dalit Mohalla
(iv)Upper caste Tola
(v)Village school
c.In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the districtcollector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken toorganise an education rally and what should be its route. The meetingdid not discuss about the children who never come to school or aboutgirls’ education, or the condition of the school building andthe timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as itwas held on Sunday.
Whatdo you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’sparticipation?
d.Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of themeeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Whichof the following according to you involves decentralisation?
Why areother options not sufficient for decentralisation?
a.To hold election of the Gram Panchayat.
b.Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies andprogrammes are useful for the village.
c.Power to call meeting of Gram Sabha.
d.A Gram Panchayat receiving the report from the Block DevelopmentOfficer about the progress of a project started by the Stategovernment.
Thefollowing are different justifications given in favour of localgovernment. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greatersignificance to a particular rationale than the others. According toyou, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayatof Vengaivasal village was based? How?
a.Government can complete the projects with lesser cost with theinvolvement of the local community.
b.The development plans made by the local people will have greateracceptability than those made by the government officers.
c.People know their area, needs, problems and priorities. By collectiveparticipation they should discuss and take decisions about theirlife.
d.It is difficult for the common people to contact theirrepresentatives of the State or the national legislature.
Readthe provisions of the 73rdAmendment. Which of the following concerns does this amendmentaddress?
a.Fear of replacement makes representatives accountable to the people.
b.The dominant castes and feudal landlords dominate the local bodies.
c.Rural illiteracy is very high. Illiterate people cannot takedecisions about the development of the village.
d.To be effective the village panchayats need resources and powers tomake plans for the village development.
Readthe following conversation. Write in two hundred words your opinionabout the issues raised in this conversation.
Alok:Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women.Reservations in local bodies for women ensure their equal share inpower.
Neha:But it is not enough that women should be in positions of power. Itis necessary that the budget of local bodies should have separateprovision for women.
Jayesh:I don’t like this reservations business. A local body must takecare of all people in the village and that would automatically takecare of women and their interests.
Whatwere the main differences between the local governments before 73rdamendment and after that amendment?
Whatare the provisions for the reservations for the sociallydisadvantaged groups as per the 73rd amendment? Explain how theseprovisions have changed the profile of the leadership at the villagelevel.
Supposeyou are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, whatpowers would you endow to the village panchayats to function as unitsof self-government? Mention any five powers and the justification intwo lines for each of them for giving those powers.
Constitutionof India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government.Think over the situation described in the following statements andexplain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayatsin becoming units of self-government.
a.Government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a hugesteel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steelplant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolutionthat before establishing any big industries in the region, villagepeople must be consulted and their grievances should be redressed.
b.The government has decided that 20 % of all its expenditure would bedone through the panchayats.
c.A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building forvillage school, the government officials turned down their proposalsaying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannotbe spent otherwise.
d.The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a partof village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased toexist in government’s books.
e.A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region aredepleting fast. They decided to mobilise village youth to do somevoluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.
explain aricle 368
A student of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study the role of decentralisation in decision-making about primary education. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questions are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer would you give to each of these questions?
A meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps should be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to the school.
a. How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think who would be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of your choice.
(i) A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii) Day of the village haat
(iii) Sunday
(iv) Naag panchami / sankranti
b. What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i) Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii) Religious place in the village.
(iii) Dalit Mohalla
(iv) Upper caste Tola
(v) Village school
c. In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the district collector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken to organise an education rally and what should be its route. The meeting did not discuss about the children who never come to school or about girls’ education, or the condition of the school building and the timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as it was held on Sunday.
What do you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’s participation?
d. Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of the meeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Which of the following according to you involves decentralisation?
Why are other options not sufficient for decentralisation?
a. To hold election of the Gram Panchayat.
b. Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies and programmes are useful for the village.
c. Power to call meeting of Gram Sabha.
d. A Gram Panchayat receiving the report from the Block Development Officer about the progress of a project started by the State government.
The following are different justifications given in favour of local government. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greater significance to a particular rationale than the others. According to you, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayat of Vengaivasal village was based? How?
a. Government can complete the projects with lesser cost with the involvement of the local community.
b. The development plans made by the local people will have greater acceptability than those made by the government officers.
c. People know their area, needs, problems and priorities. By collective participation they should discuss and take decisions about their life.
d. It is difficult for the common people to contact their representatives of the State or the national legislature.