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Panchayats
The Panchayats was inserted under Part IX in 1992.
Article no
243 Definitions
243-A Gram Sabha
243-B Constitutions of Panchayats
243-C Composition of Panchayats
243-D Reservation of seats
243-E Duration of Panchayats etc
243-F Disqualification for membership
243-G Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayat
243-H Power to impose taxes by, and funds of the Panchayats
243-I Constitution of Finance Commission
243-J Audit of accounts of Panchayats
243-K Elections to the Panchayats
243-L Application to Union Territories
243-M Part not to apply to certain areas
243-N Continuance of existing laws and Panchayats
243-O Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.
Community Development Programme
1. This programme was launched on October2, 1952.

2. The objective is to bring both economic and social development of rural
people on an area basis.
3. Agriculture was given top priority.
4. Other developmental activities are animal husbandry, education, welfare of
rural women and children, promotion of cultural activities etc.,
5. For the implementation of the programme, the country was divided into
blocks.
6. Each block consists of about 1 lakh people inhabiting around 100 villages.
7. Nearly 5011 blocks were constituted in the country.
8. Each block is headed by a Block Development Officer (BDO) who is assisted
by Extension Officers in Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Health, Co-
operation and Education.
National Extension Service
To achieve the objectives of Community Development Programme, the
National Extension Service was launched on 2nd October, 1953.
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee:
To suggest measures for the efficient implementation of Community

Development Programme and National Extension Service, Balwant Rai
Mehta Committee was appointed by the planning Commission on
January16, 1957.
Recommendations:
1. 3 Tier System.
2. 1st Tier-Gram Panchayat, 2nd Tier-Panchayat Samithi & 3rd Tier- Zila
Parishad.
3. Direct elections to Gram panchayat.
4. In-direct elections to Panchyat Samithi and Zila Parishad.
5. The Panchayat Samithi should be the executive body while Zila
Parishad should be the advisory, co-coordinating and supervisory body.
6. The District Collector should be the Chairman of the Zila Parishad.
 The committee submitted its report on 24th November 1957 to NDC.

 The recommendations were accepted by the NDC in January 1958.
 Rajasthan was the 1st State to establish the institution of Panchayat Raj.
 The scheme was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru
on October 2, 1959 in Nagaur District.
 Rajasthan was the 1st state in India, where Panchayat Raj was implemented in
the whole Sate.
 Rajasthan was followed by Andhra Pradesh which also adopted the system on
1st November 1959.
 Tamilnadu adopted a 2 Tier System.
 West Bengal adopted a 3 Tier System.
Ashok Mehta Committee:
 The Ashok Mehta Committee was appointed by the Janata party

Government in December, 1977 to suggest steps for improving the functioning
of the Panchayathi Raj system.
 It submitted its report in August 1978 and made 132 recommendations to
revive and strengthen the declining Panchayati Raj System in the country.
Recommendations:
1. The 3 tier system should be replaced by 2 tier system. The Zila Parishad at the
district level and below it the Mandal Panchayat consisting of a group of
Villages comprising a population of 15,000 to 20,000.
2. Decentralization of power at the District level.
3. The Zila Parishad should be the executive body.
4. There should be an official participation of the political parties at all the levels
of Panchayat elections.
5. The Panchayat Raj institutions should have compulsory powers for taxation to
mobilize their own financial resources.
6. There should be a regular social audit by a district level agency and by a
committee of legislators to check whether the funds allotted for the
vulnerable social and economic groups are actually spent on them.
7. A minister for the Panchayathi Raj should be appointed in the state council of
Ministers to look after the affairs of the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
8. Seats for the SCs and the Sts should be reserved on the basis of their
population.
 Due to collapse of the Janata Government before the completion of its term, no
action could be taken on the recommendations of the Ashok Mehta committee
at the central level.
 Some of the recommendations of the Ashok Mehta Committee were
implemented in 3 States (Karnataka, West Bengal & Andhra Pradesh).


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Panchayats

The Panchayats was inserted under Part IX in 1992.

Community Development Programme

1. This programme was launched on October2, 1952.

Balwant Rai Mehta Committee:

To suggest measures for the efficient implementation of Community

 The committee submitted its report on 24th November 1957 to NDC.

 The Ashok Mehta Committee was appointed by the Janata party

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