DAILY A SSAM

Lesson 3

Election in the Village

Like previous years Rupa and Deep are again in Bongaon to enjoy
their summer vacation. Bongaon is their uncle's village. But this time
the atmosphere in the village is different and unfamiliar. Everybody is
very busy and their uncle, Mr Mohan Bora is meeting visitors till late
at night. The two children could not understand anything and at last
at night they got a chance to talk with their uncle.
Deep Uncle, are you still busy ? May we talk to you for sometime ?
Uncle Oh Deep, you can certainly talk with me now.
Rupa Thank you, uncle. Is there anything wrong in the village?
Everyone is, talking and discussing in groups. So many people
are coming to you, why ?
Uncle Oh no, nothing is wrong in the village. So, you noticed the
difference. What else did you notice ?
Deep There are posters, banners and flags all around the village.
Sometimes we see processions also.
Uncle Well, all these are going on because we will have the village
panchayat elections next month. The villagers are involved in
the preparations for the elections.
Rupa Uncle, what are panchayat elections?
Uncle Children, do you know what form of government we have in
our country ? Who rules it?
Deep Uncle, I've read in my book that India is a democracy and this
country is ruled by a government that is elected by its
citizens.
Uncle Exactly. The people of India elect their own government. As
you know, our country is very big and the government cannot

11
 reach out to all the people directly. The people too cannot

participate directlyin every function of the government. If the

people cannot participate in governance, the democracy
cannot function efficiently.

S
a .
w

Rupa What is the solution to this problem ?

Uncle The solution is local self-governance. The villages, towns and
districts should have their own governing bodies duly elected
by the people where they can easily participate. This system
of self governance in the villages is called panchayati raj in
our country. It is the grassroot level of democracy in India.
Deep: Oh now I understand, all the cities, towns and villages in
India have panchayats. Isn't it so uncle?

12
 DAILY A SSAM
Uncle Well, not really. It's a little different because cities and towns
do not have panchayats, only villages have. Panchayati raj is
a self-governance system at three levels. The first level is
panchayat in the villages, the second
level is panchayat samiti in the blocks
and the third level is the zila parishad
in the districts. The people directly
elect the members of the panchayats
while panchayat samiti is formed by the
members elected by the panchayat.
Rupa Uncle, I want to know one thing. When
wasthis system begun in our country?
Uncle Actually, this is an ancient system
practised in Indian villages but in
independent India the first panchayat under the nationwide
system was established in Rajasthan in 1959. However,
Assam has had its panchayats since 1948. At present there
are more than 4.5 lakh panchayats in the country.
Deep
Deep Are all the villagers members of a panchayat ?
Uncle All villagers can actively participate in the activities of the
panchayat but the number of its elected members may be
within five and thirty one. The head of the panchayat is called
the president or sarpanch. This year
am also contesting in the
panchayat elections. I am a

candidate for the post of president in

our panchayat.

Deep Oh now I understand why you have

so many visitors. But is there any
other aim of these institutions?
Uncle Panchayats have an important aim
of making the villagers aware of
their rights and responsibilities as
citizens.
13
Rupa : Uncle, what are the functions of panchayats ?
functions such as
Oncle : Panchayats are responsible for many
production, rural industries, medical relief,
agricultural
maintenance of
women and child welfare, rural employmnent,
etc. All the plans undertaken by the
village roads, tanks
are implemented by the panchayats. Moreover,
government
are also helped by the
nowadays, the popular self-help groups

panchayats.
Rupa Can women too participate in panchayats ?
Rupa
have a very important role in the
the
Uncle In fact, panchayats
of rural women because 33% of the panchayat
empowerment
for women. Similarly backward
membership are reserved
also given necessary representation
sections of a society are

in panchayats.
in the society also. Now
Rupa: So it helps in maintaining equality
understand the real importance of this system in our
I
country.
Do the towns and cities also have any self-governance
Deep
system ? How are they governed ?
Uncle : Of course, they have the town committees and the municipal
boards instead of the panchayats.

Uncle, can we also participate in this system? Can we vote ?

Deep
Youll have to wait till the age of eighteen years when you will
Uncle
be eligible to vote.

OK, but I think I'll definitely participate in this system

as
Deep
early as possible.

Rupa : I would also like to work in the grassroot level of democracy.

have understood the importance of
Uncle: I am very happy that you
this system. When all the citizens realize this and participate
in the system, the panchayati raj will be a great success.

14
 Wordnote

previous (adj) :last; immediately before a time

atmosphere (n) :the feeling or mood in a particular place
unfamiliar (adj) :unknown
governance (n) :the activity of governing or ruling a
country
grassroot (n) : the ordinary people in a society or
organisation
aware (adj) knowing something
rights (n) :legal claim; privilege
responsibilities (n): duties
vote (n) : a formal choice made in an election
empowerment (n) : the act of giving power to someone

implement (v) carry out

undertake (v) : to take up a work to do
reserve (v) :to keep something specially for someone

EXERCISE

Comprehension
1.
1. Answer the following questions in a single sentence each.
1x10-10
vacations ?
a) Where does Deep like to spend his
b) What is a village panchayat?
c) When was the first panchayat established in India ?
be there in a panchayat ?
d) How many members can

What is panchayat samiti ?

e) a

What is the minimum age for voting in India ?

1
there in
At present how many village panchayats are

India ?
15
 are
reserved for women in a
of seats
h) What percentage
panchayat ?
?
has had its panchayats
i) Since when Assam
called ?
head of the panchayat
) What is the questions.
2x5-10
the following
2 Give brief a n s w e r s to in India ?
of local self-governance
a) What is the necessity and Rupa experience
atmosphere do Deep
b) What kind of ?
duringtheir visit to the village
of the panchayati raj
system in
Explain the three levels
c)
India.
?
the functions of the panchayats
d) What are
to maintain equality in the
the
How do panchayats help
e)
society ?
true' or false'.
statements are
Write whether the following
ax6-3

doesn't like to visit the village.

a) Deep
b) India is a democratic country.
are very busy for the elections.
c) The villagers
role to play in the rule of the land in
d The citizens have no

India.
have five members.
e) Panchayats always
The rural development plans are implemented through
the panchayats.

Grammar and usage

Look at the following sentences.

The people elect the government.

i
ii) The government is elected by the people.
In the first sentence, the subject itself performs the action. i.e
it is ACTIVE. In the second sentence the subject is no

16
 performing the action. i.e. it is PASSIVE. Sentences in active
voice can be turned into passive and from passive into active
voice.
Active voice : Subject + Verb + Object
Passive voice: Sub (Obj) +Be' verb + Verb (past participle)+
by' agent (sub).
5. Change the voice of the following sentences.
a We elected the leader.
b) Different plans are implemented by the panchayats.
c) We should maintain social balance in society.
d) Women are given proper representation in panchayats.
e) They speak English properly.
f Who rules our country ?
gEveryone likes his company.
h What is wanted by him ?
6. Rewrite the following sentences correcting the tense of the
verbs.
a) They lived in the village since 1995.
b) Raju came before the guests left.
c) The baby sleeps now.
d The children played after it stopped raining.
e) I came from school just now.

to school by bus.
1 I a m always going

Vocabulary
7. Select the correct meaning of the following words in italics from
the alternatives given.
a)
a) The atmosphere in the village was unfamiliar.
i) Friendly, i) Wonderful ii) Unknown iv) Quiet.
b) .. aim of making the citizens aware of their rights.
i) Correct ii) Privilege i) Duties iv) Rituals.

17
 c) Panchayats are responsible for many functions.
activities
i) Cultural programmes ii) Special
in) A part of a programme iv) Operation
panchayats.
dDifferent plans are implemented through
i) Emphasised ii) Carried out iii) Imported iv) Prepared
the following words.
8. Make sentences using
Govern (v), Government, Represent (v), |
Elect (v), Election,
Representation.

Composition
villageof a panchayat.
9. Suppose you meet the president
a n interview including questions
about the n a m e of
Prepare
the village, members in the panchayats, various works
village
already done and future plans.

Spoken activity
10. If you are a candidate in the election of the captain of the class,
how will you campaign for yourself? Give a speech in the class
supporting your candidature.

Assignment
11. Collect the names of at least six important rural development
plans being implemented now by the government with the help
of the panchayats.

Note to the teacher

In
should be taught exercises in
this chapter the students
change (different sentence types such as assertive, interrogative etc.
voice
They should also be taught miscellaneous exercises in tense and useof
noun forms and verb forms of words. They should be encouraged to know
about the surroundings in society and social institutions like
panchayats,
elections etc.

18