Panchayats have been associated with Indian villages since the beginning of recorded history. It refers to a council of elected members who look after the social, economic, and cultural needs of the villages and settle the dispute between them. The Gram Panchayat can be set up in a village with a population of more than six hundred.

If the population is less than six hundred then two or more villages are clubbed together and have a common gram Panchayat. Members of the Gram Panchayat are elected directly by the members of the gram sabha from among themselves on the basis of secret voting.

The president is the head of the panchayat is known as sarpanch, while the other members are the panchs. The sarpanch is selected from among the elected members of the gram panchayat. The sarpanch presides over the meetings of the gram panchayat and supervises its work. He implements the development work. A deputy sarpanch is also elected who assists the sarpanch in his work. The term of the panchayat is five years.

The gram panchayat has a secretary who is also the secretary of the gram sabha. The panchayat secretary is a salaried officer appointed by the government. His main task is to record and register the work done by the panchayat and to prepare the budget. He also advises the villages in matters of health, farming, village and development, and education.

The Gram Panchayat meets regularly and one of its main tasks is to implement development programs for all villages that come under it. As you have seen, the work of the Gram Panchayat has to be approved by the gram Sabha. In some states, Gram Sabhas form committees like construction and development committees. These committees include some members of the Gram Sabha and some from the Gram Panchayat who work together to carry out specific tasks.

The work of a Gram Panchayat includes

1. Levy and collection of taxes, tolls, and fees.
2. Ensuring the welfare of the people at the village level including health, education.
3. Communal harmony, social justice, particularly gender and caste-based discrimination, dispute resolution, the welfare of children, especially the girl child.
4. Construction and repair of village wells, roads, drainage, and school buildings and plantation of trees.
5. Maintenance of records relating to births, deaths, and marriage in the village.
6. Implementing government schemes for generating employment in the village.

Sources of income

The gram panchayat needs money to discharge all these functions. Certain sources of income have been allotted to the gram panchayat for this purpose.

The main source of income is a tax levied on houses and shops and other open spaces in the village. Other sources of income include professional tax, taxes on pilgrimages, fairs and markets, and animal trade. It also receives grants from the state government and the Zila Parishad.

Reservations of seats

In the gram panchayat, some of the seats are reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and women. Besides, there is a provision to reserve some of the seats for the backward classes of citizens. One-third of the total number of seats is reserved for women.

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