CHAPTER XIV

 

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

 

(a)               Evolution of Local Self-Government in the District

 

          Local Self-Government of a district consists of municipal corporations municipal councils, nagar panchayats, Zila parishads, panchayat samities and panchayats.  The first real step towards the introduction of municipal government in the district was, however, taken when Budhlada and Mansa municipalities were constitututed in 1950 and in 1951 respectively under the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911. Later in 1956, Bareta was declared a municipality. Initially, these three municipalities were small town committees.  Local Self-Government in the Punjab is of two kinds; the urban local government and  the rural local government.  The major units of the urban local government are the municipal corporations /councils, whereas minor ones are nagar panchayats.  The main units of the rural local government are Zila parishad, panchayat samities and gram panchayats. These institutions act within the framework evolved by the State Government.  These are manned and managed by persons drawn from amongst the public and are designed to create harmonious co-ordination in running the administration smoothly.  In many respects, these institutions are autonomous though they work under the constant vigilance and guidance of the State Government.

             The main purpose of these self-governing institutions is to provide better civic amenities to the people of the area, and to promote a responsibility and will to participate in matters of local administration.  These local self-government institutions also serve as training centres for the representatives who have been elected by town/city or village in providing primary political leadership and for social service.

 

             Historical Retrospect.- The history of local self-government in India dates back to the Vedic Age.  Effective organizations and institutions, such as panchayats of olden days, were like the present local bodies.  Though the existence of the elected city councils in ancient India cannot be denied, yet there is no doubt that the  foundation of the  modern system of municipal government in India was laid  by the British, particularly after the transfer of power from the East India Company to the Crown.

             As in other parts of India already under the British rule, the administration of local services and affairs was entrusted to bureaucratic district administration established in Punjab, after it came under the British rule in the forties of the 19th century.  Later on, however, it was decided by the Britishers   to decentralize  the  administration  gradually  and  this  process of 

 

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decentralization  began  to  result  in  the  establishment  of  a  new     politico-

administrative organization, called municipal bodies, side by side with the existing district administration, in a few towns.

             The earliest Act in the Punjab dealing with municipal administration was the Municipal Act, 1867, which gave a great fillip to the growth of the municipal bodies.  This act was repealed by the Municipal Act, 1873, which aimed at providing for conservancy, local improvements and education in the towns of the Punjab and for levying taxes on them.  In 1882, Lord Ripon (1880-84) made the historic statement which has since been acclaimed as the Magna Carta of the local self-government in India.  He realised the importance of the local self-government and made every effort to develop it as a political and popular instrument of public administration.  He suggested that the  principle of election should be introduced and the quantum of official members be reduced.  In this way, he wanted to transfer full powers to the efficiently working  popular representatives of the people.  He advocated for greater fiscal autonomy and control for the local bodies to make them stronger and more capable of taking decisions.

             The reforms proposed by Lord Ripon led to the overtaking of the Act IV of 1873 and the Punjab Municipal Act, 1884.  The later Act was repealed by the Municipal Act of 1891, which only introduced such changes as experience had proved to be desirable.  The Act of 1884, however, continued to be the foundation of the municipal administration in the Punjab.

             The Royal Commission on Decentralization, 1909, laid stress on the importance of village panchayats and recommended that the Government control upon, the local self-government should be relaxed.  The Punjab was the first province to incorporate the Royal Commission’s recommendations in a statute.  The Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 was passed, which with certain modifications is still the basis of the Municipal Government in the Punjab.

             In the period 1919-1937, the British developed a system to be known as dyrarchy, which implied government shared by two point authorities or rules.  Under these arrangements, official control was gradually relaxed and local bodies were made  completely elective.  It was desired to establish local self-government, where by the people would be free to manage their own affairs.  The Government of India Act, 1919, prescribed a new scheme of taxes, which could be levied by or for the local bodies. This measure not only enlarged the sphere of taxation but also enabled the local bodies to feel relatively independent. The Punjab Small Towns Act, 1922 simplified the machinery for the municipal administration of small towns each with a population of less than 10,000.  The Punjab Municipal (Executive Officer) Act, 1931, invested the Provincial Government with powers to appoint Executive Officers in the municipalities.

             Until the Independence, the changes introduced in the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, by a series of amending Acts, were relatively of a minor character. After the Independence, the Act was amended to provide for wholly elective municipal committees with democratically elected Presidents.  Provision was also made for the appointment of official advisers who were  entitled to participate in the deliberations of the municipal committee but without right to vote.  New election rules were framed to provide for elections on the basis of adult universal franchise.  Communal electorates and the system of nominations were abandoned.  Provision was also made for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes.

             To cope with the problems created by the influx of refugees on account of communal disturbances before and after the partition, the East Punjab Local  Authorities (Restriction of Functions) Act, 1947 Punjab Act IX of 1947 was passed.  This Act empowered the State Government to notify certain areas and to assume functions of a local authority therein where the local authority was not  capable of performing or did not adequately perform such functions.  Expenses for discharging such functions were to be  paid by the local authority concerned.  The Punjab Local Authority Laws (Exercise of Powers) Act, 1953, provided for the performance of the functions of commissioner under all local governments enactments  by the State Government and the Deputy Commissioner.

             The Punjab Municipal (Second Amendment) Act, 1954, repealed the Punjab Small Town Act, 1921 and converted  town committees into Class III municipal committees.  This Act, which came into force on 1 April 1955, brought the governance of all urban local bodies under a unified corpus of   municipal law.

             In 1954, Local Government (Urban) Enquiry Committee was set up to recommend reforms in the structure of urban local government.  The committee in its report, 1957, recommended enlargement of autonomy of municipal bodies to the maximum extent compatible with the imperative needs of continuity, efficiency and integrity in municipal administration.

             Prior to the merger of PEPSU with Punjab in November 1956, the functioning of the municipal committees was governed by the Patiala Small Town Act.  On the integration of the PEPSU with Punjab, the provisions of Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 were extended to the PEPSU area and hence also to the Bathinda District of which the area of the present Mansa District was a part as its tahsil.  Since 1955, the small committees’ constituted in the Punjab area has acquired the status of Class III municipal committees.  On merger of PEPSU with Punjab the small town area committee of these areas also acquired the status of Class III municipalities.  All enactments relating to the municipal administration in the Punjab State became applicable to the municipalities falling in the area of Mansa District.

             By the Punjab Municipal (Amendment) Act, 1956 reservation has been provided for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes in the services of municipal committees.

             With the setting up of the Directorate of Local Bodies in April 1966, the activities of these bodies are governed by the Director, Local Bodies, Punjab.  Previously, the term of municipal commissioners in the State was three years which extended to five years in 1973.  The latest amendment in Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 was made during 1994.

 

(b)   Organization and Structure

 

Functions and Duties of Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats

 

             Statutorily the Punjab municipal bodies have two types of functions, namely obligatory functions and optional functions. Obligatory functions are those functions which every municipal council has to perform and if for performing them, a municipal council does not make sufficient provision in its budget, the State Government compels it to do so and if the municipal council fails to perform these functions satisfactorily, then the State Government may even supersede the municipal council and place it under the charge of its own officer.  Obligatory functions are of four types, namely public safety and convenience, medical relief, public works and public health.  These functions include such activities as regulating  or preventing the abetment of offensive or dangerous trades, removing of obstructions and projections in public streets, lighting and cleaning of public streets, extinguishing of fires, making provision for regulating of slaughter-houses, maintaining burial and cremation grounds, public latrines, picnic spots, drains and sewers, registering of briths and deaths, making arrangements for public vaccination, inoculation, primary education, etc.

             The list of optional functions is comprehensive and includes construction and maintenance of public streets, public parks, gardens, libraries, museums, dharmsalas, rest-houses, lunatic asylums, furthering educational programmes other than primary education, planting and maintaining of roadside trees, maintaining dairy farms, breeding studs, holding of fairs, exhibitions, etc.

             As on 31 March 2000, there were 5 municipalities in the Mansa District viz. Mansa, Budhlada, Bareta, Sardulgarh and Bhikhi.  Out of these, one each in category of class I, II and III municipal councils and remaining two are nagar Panchayats.  The source of income of the municipal councils/nagar panchayats include octori, house tax, water and sewerage rate, licence fee, building fee, professions and rent from municipal property. The details regarding the income and expenditure for the municipal councils/nagar panchayats during 1992-93 to 1999-2000 are given in Appendix I at page 250.

             A brief account of each municipal council/nagar panchayat is given  below:

Mansa Municipal Council

             A small town committee was constituted at Mansa on 11 August 1951.  Later on it was converted into a Class III municipality.  The status of the committee was raised to Class II in 1953 and further to Class I in 1977. The area of the town within the municipal limits was 30 sq. kms. Its population as per 1991 Census was 55,089 persons.*

             The civic amenities provided by the municipal council include water supply, sewerage system, drainage of water and street lighting.  It also maintains two public parks and a library.  The municipal council provided 5,275 water supply connections, 5,639 sewerage connections and 1,599 street light points upto 31 March 2001.  It also maintains 44.5 km of roads within the municipal area.

 

Budhlada Municipal Council

 

             A small town committee was constituted at Budhlada in the beginning and converted into a municipality in 1950.  The town was electrified in 1958.

             The area of the town within the municipal limits was 10 sq. km. The population of the town as per 1991 Census was 18,721 persons.

             The civic amenities provided by the municipality include water supply, sewerage, street-lighting, surface drains and   arrangements for the cleanliness

of the town and disposal of  the refuse.  The water supply scheme was introduced in 1963 through its own water works in the town by installing one tubewell.  The drainage system was introduced in 1954.  The council has also installed water treatment plant to control the pollution in its area.  It also maintains one public park, one library and one reading room.  The municipal council provided 3,688 water supply connections, 1,242 sewerage connections

and installed 356 street light points (including 75 sodium vapor lamps, upto 31 March 2000.   It also maintains 9 km of roads within the municipal limits.

 

Bareta Municipal Council

 

             Bareta was initially declared a small town committee and later on its status was changed to municipality on 8 September 1956.

             The area of the town within the municipal limits was 6.40 sq. km and its population according to 1991 census was 11,502 persons.

             The civic amenities provided by the municipal council includes water supply, street-lighting, surface drains, arrangements for the cleanliness of the town and the disposal of the refuse.  The water supply scheme was introduced in the town during 1979-80 by installing one tubewell.  The drainage system was introduced in 1957 and the town was electrified in 1962.  During 1999-2000, 1,328 water supply connections and 318 street light points were functioning within the limits of the council.  It also maintains 7 km of roads within the municipal limits.

 

           

*Statistical Abstract of Punjab, 2000

 

Bhikhi Nagar Panchayat

 

             A nagar panchayat was constituted at Bhikhi on 15 January 1993.  The civic amenities provided by the nagar panchayat include street lighting, water supply, arrangements for cleanliness of town and the disposal of refuse.  For the drainage of water, it has laid down surface drains.  It also maintains a park and 7 km of roads within the nagar panchayat limits.

 

Sardulgarh Nagar Panchayat

 

             The Nagar Panchayat Sardulgarh was constituted on 23 December 1996.  The area of the town within the nagar panchayat limits was 6 sq. km. and its population as per 1991 Census was 15,787 persons.

             The civil amenities provided by the nagar panchayat include water supply, sewerage system, street lighting, roads, arrangements for cleanliness of town and disposal of refuse.

 

( c ) Town and Country Planning and Housing

            

             Mansa District falls in the jurisdiction of the Divisional Town Planner, Bathinda.  This office is engaged in the preparation of master plans of various towns as well as for other areas, which serve as a blueprint for further development.  He also prepared the layout plans for various schemes, viz. town planning scheme for the municipal councils, for urban estates and for  industrial areas and industrial development colonies and rehabilitation colonies.

             The work of the Town Planning Department is divided in two sectors namely; urban sector and rural sector.  In the urban sector the activities of the department include preparation of master plans for important cities and towns and places of historical/religious/tourist  importance, preparation of Integrated Urban Development Projects for major cities, preparation of layout plans and schemes of municipal councils.  In the rural sector, the activities of the department include surveys  and studies of community development plans of various levels like District and Block, preparation of development plans for villages selected under the Integrated Rural Development Programme (now Swarn Jyanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna).

             This office, under the directions of the Punjab Government has prepared the lay out plans for the 25 focal points in the Mansa District. The Mansa town has been selected by the Centre Government for its development under the scheme viz. Integrated Development of Small & Medium Towns.  This office prepared a project report worth Rs 4.22 crores, which has been approved by the Centre Government.  Basically, this office renders technical advice to the municipal councils to control the haphazard development and co-ordinates with them in the preparation and implementation of development work.  Town Planning Schemes are prepared under Section 192 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911.

 

(d) Panchayati Raj

 

             The panchayats have existed in villages from ancient times, though such panchayats were not established under any law.  The heads of various communities were members of such panchayats.  These panchayats played a vital role in the life of the people.  With the passage of time, such community panchayats became ineffectual. Then the necessity of village panchayats throughout the country was fully recognized after Independence and it was laid down in the Constitution as one of the Directive Principles of State Policy. In pursuance of this, the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952 and the Punjab Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads Act, 1961 (which have been replaced by the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994) were passed and form the basis of the institution of Panchayati Raj in the State.  Under this Act, the entire rural population of the district has been covered by the panchayats. 

             With a view to provide bold and imaginative leadership for all round development of the village community, the institution of Panchayati Raj was introduced in the State on 2 October 1961. The system of Panchayati Raj is specially designed for rural populations to take care of problems in their area.  The Panchayati Raj involves the rural population in the democratic process and gives powers, functions and authority to rural people, empowering them to work towards their socio economic progress.

             The Panchayati Raj structure consists of three-tiers, viz. a panchayat at the village level, panchayat samities at the block level and Zila parishads at the district level.  All these institutions are organically linked with each other by means of indirect elections.  They are one superior to the other but do not constitute a hierarchy placing one subordinate to the other.  They have clearly defined spheres of activities and have independent and distinct sources of revenue.  This enables them to function without losing their initiatives and self-reliance.

            

             Gram Panchayats.- On the formation of PEPSU in 1948,  PEPSU Panchayati Raj Act was passed in 1951.  Under the Act, niyaya panchayats were constituted separately for a group of 5 or 6 villages.  On the merger of PEPSU in the Punjab on 1 November 1956, the provisions of the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952 became applicable to the Panchayats of Mansa District also.  The PEPSU Panchayati Raj Act, 1951 was repealed by the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952, which was amended in 1960.  Under the Act a gram sabha was constituted for any village or group of contiguous villages with a population of not less than 500 (which was further reduced to 100) and a gram panchayat was elected for the gram sabha area and not for each village.  The government, of course, had the power to relax the restriction.  Every male or female who was entered as a voter on the electoral roll of the State Vidhan Sabha was a member of the gram sabha. The members of the gram sabha, elected the members of the panchayats from amongst themselves.  If no woman was elected as a Panch, the woman candidate securing the highest number of votes amongst the women candidates in that election was co-opted by the panchayat as a panch, and where no such woman candidate was available, two women were co-opted as panches by the competent authority.  Similarly, it had been provided that every panchayat had one or two members of the Scheduled Castes depending upon the ratio of their population in the village.

             The number of panches and the mode of election of sarpanch of a panchayat had been changing from time to time.  In 1960, a gram sabha could elect 5 to 9 panches including the sarpanch and a lady panch.  In 1971, the number of panches was raised from 5 to 11, but the mode of election of sarpanch was made indirect i.e. the panches of a panchayat were to elect the sarpanch from amongst themselves.  In 1972, election of the sarpanch was again made direct, i.e. the members of a gram sabha were to elect the sarpanch in addition to electing the panches, the number of panches remaining the same.  The election of sarpanch was again made indirect in 1978 with no change as to the number of panches..  From 1982, the election of sarpanch had again been made direct without altering the total number of panches.

             A new Act viz. the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (Punjab Act No. 9 of 1994) has been enacted to replace the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952, relating to the Gram Panchayats and the Punjab Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads Act, 1961, relating to the Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads.  The Act came into force on 21 April 19941 .  Under the Act, a gram panchayat is elected for the gram sabha area and not for each village.  Every male or female who is entered as a voter on the electoral roll of the State Vidhan Sabha is a member of the gram sabha. These members of the gram sabha elect the members of the panchayats from amongst themselves.

              The number of panches in any gram panchayat varies from 5 to 13 according to the size of population of the gram sabha. A number of seats for the offices of the panches and sarpanches have been reserved under the Sections  11 and  12 of  the  Act2. Under  the Act, gram panchayat is to meet at

1                Government of Punjab, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats vide

                   Notification No.S.O.21/P.A.9/94/S.I/94, dated 21 April 1994

2    11 (1) The offices of panches shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes in such a way that the number offices reserved for Scheduled Castes shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of offices (to be filled by direct election) in that Gram Panchayat, as the population of the Scheduled Castes to the total population in that Gram Sabha area.

             (2)  Not less than one-third of the total number of offices reserved under sub-section(1) shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

             (3)  Not less than one-third (including the number of offices reserved for woman belonging to the Scheduled Castes) of the total number of offices (to be filled by direct election) in every Gram Panchayat shall be reserved for women.

(Continued on next page)

least once a month at a place within the gram panchayat areas.  The majority of panches for the time      holding office form  a quorum (under Section 24(1) of Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994).

            All the decisions of the panchayat are taken by majority and when the voting is equal the sarpanch or panch presiding as the case may be, can give his casting vote under Section 24(3) of the Act.

             During the year 1999, there were 243 panchayats with 1,783 elected members in the Mansa District (including 551 Harijans and 579 ladies).

            The main functions of the gram panchayat having regard to the availability of funds at its disposal perform the functions, namely, general functions such as preparation of annual plans, annual budget, etc.; constructions, repair and   maintenance of community assets; agriculture including agriculture extension; animal husbandry, dairying  and poultry; fisheries; social and farm forestry, minor forest produce, fuel and fodder; khadi, village and cottages industries; rural housing; rural electrification including  distribution  of electricity; non-conventional energy source; poverty

alleviation  programme; education  including  primary and secondary  schools;

adult and non-formal education-promotion of adult literacy; cultural activities; fairs and festivals; public health and family welfare; women and child development; social welfare including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded; welfare of weaker sections and in particular the Scheduled Castes and public distribution system.

             The main source of income of the panchayats are; grant-in-aid from government, grant-in-aid from local bodies, a percentage of land revenue collection, donation, taxes, duties, cesses and fees, income from village common lands, sale proceeds of dust, dirt and dung, etc.  The fines and penalties which the panchayats impose are also transferred to their funds. 

 

(From previous page)

(4) One office of Panch shall be reserved for Backward Classes in a Gram Panchayat where population of Backward Classes in the Gram Sabha area is more than twenty percent of the total population of that Gram Sabha area.

 

     12  (1)  Offices of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayat in the district shall be reserved for Scheduled Castes and the number of such offices shall bear, as nearly as may, the same proportion to the total number of offices of Sarpanches in the district as the population of Scheduled Castes in the district bears to the total population of the districts.

Provided that not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Sarpanches of Gram     Panchayats in the district shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

 

(2)      Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Sarpanches in the district shall be   reserved for women including such offices, reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes under sub-section(1).

 

(3)     There shall be no reservation in the offices of Sarpanches for Backward Classes.

 

(4)      The offices reserved under this section shall be allotted by rotation to the different Gram Panchayats in such manner as may be prescribed.

            

           The income of the panchayats in the Mansa District, during 1992-93 to 1999-2000 is given below:

                                                                                                               (Rs)

Year                  Grants from                Voluntary           House Tax          Other Sources            Total

                         Government                Contribution

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

1992-93             4,59,06,840                            -               2,42,456             2,05,23,000          6,66,72,296

1993-94             3,65,12,486                  26,700               2,36,198              1,80,92,525          5,48,67,909

1994-95             4,74,45,700                  29,000               2,58,772              2,11,40,224          6,88,73,696

1995-96             2,77,63,705                            -               2,53,897              2,42,87,463          5,23,05,065

1996-97             2,08,35,337                  27,514               2,68,742              1,97,03,538          4,08,35,131

1997-98             2,16,96,081                  38,500               3,82,906              2,43,70,602          4,64,88,089

1998-99             1,73,99,817                  18,200               2,63,898              2,02,67,586          3,79,49,501

1999-2000         3,37,00,367               1,94,850               2,64,644              2,80,42,745          6,22,02,606

                                         ( Source: Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab)

 

                 Panchayat Samitis.- Under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, Panchayat Samiti is constituted at the block level.  The Mansa District is divided into 5 community development blocks.  There is one Panchayat Samiti for each block.  The number of the members of the Panchayat Samiti has been determined under Section 99 of Act3.  The reservation of seats of panchayat samitis has been done under Section 102 of the Act of 19944.

           

3         99        (1)    Every Panchayat Samiti shall consists of: -

 (a)   six to ten directly elected members from territorial constituencies in the Panchayat Samiti area as may be determined under Section 100 of this Act and notified by the State Government so far as practicable, having regard to the uniformity of population of each constituency:

      (b)  representatives of the Sarpanches directly elected by them from amongst the Sarpanches of the Gram Panchayats in the Panchayat Samiti area;

             Provided that ratio of the representatives of the Sarpanches and that of the directly elected members shall be sixty: forty;

                            (c)  Members of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Punjab major portion of whose                                        constituency falls in the Panchayat Samiti area;

                            (d) Members of the Legislative Council of the State of Punjab if any, who are registered                                                              as electors within the Panchayat Samiti area

(2)            The members of the Panchayat Samiti whether or not chosen by direct election from territorial  constituencies in the Panchayat Samiti shall have the right to vote in the  meetings of the Panchayat Samiti.

 

4      102       (1)         Seats shall be reserved for :-

                           (a)   the Scheduled Castes; and

         (b)   the  Backward Classes;

      In every Panchayat Samiti and the number of seats so reserved for Scheduled Castes shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Panchayat Samiti as the population of the Scheduled Castes in that Panchayat Samiti area bears to the total population of that Panchayat Samiti area and such seats may be allotted by the rotation to different constituencies in a Panchayat Samiti.

                      (2)    Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved under sub- section(1)  shall   be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

(3)         Not less than one-third(including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to the   Scheduled Castes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Panchayat Samiti shall be reserved for women and such seats be allotted by the rotation to different constituencies in the Panchayat Samiti area.

(4)     One seat shall be reserved for Backward Classes in a Panchayat Samiti in which the population of   Backward Classes is not less than twenty per cent of the total population of the Panchayat Samiti area.

 

            The Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected from amongst the elected members and their term of office is five years.  The main functions of panchayat samitis are to provide for and make arrangements for carrying out the requirements of the area under its jurisdiction, in respect of the following matters, namely  agriculture, land improvement and soil conservation, minor irrigation, water management and watershed development; fisheries; poverty alleviation programme; animal husbandry, dairying and poultry; fisheries; khadi, village and cottage industries; rural housing; drinking water; social and farm forestry, minor forest produce, fuel and fodder; roads, building, bridges, ferries, water-ways and other means of communication; non-conventional energy sources; education including primary and secondary school, technical training and vocational education; adult and non-formal education; cultural activities; markets and fairs; health and family welfare; women and child development, social welfare including welfare of the handicapped and mental retarded; welfare of the weaker sections and in particular of the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes; maintenance of community assets; public distribution systems; rural electrification; co-operation; libraries and such other functions as may be entrusted by the State Government.

             The main sources of income of the panchayat samitis are: local rate, fees derived from schools and markets, fee from fairs and shows, rents and profits accruing from properties vested in it, and such money and grants which Government may place at their disposal.  Besides, each panchayat samiti can, with the permission of the Zila Parishad, impose any tax which the State Legislature has power to impose under the constitution.

            

             Zila Parishad.- Prior to the formation of zila parishads in the State, their functions were performed by district boards.  These were constituted and administered under the Punjab District Boards Act, 1883.  The district boards used to attend to the development activities of the rural areas just as the municipal councils looked after the urban areas. The Zila Parishad, Mansa was constituted on 28 April 1992, under the Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad Act, 1961. This act has been replaced by the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.  The composition of the Zila Parishad has been detailed under Section 162 of the Act of 19945.  The reservation of seats of Zila Parishad has

 

5         162.          (I) Every Zila Parishad shall consist of-

(a)      the members directly elected from territorial constituencies in the district, each constituency electing one member;

(b)     all Chairmen of Panchayat Samities;

        (c) the members of the House of People and members of the State Legislative                                              Assembly representing a part of whole of the  district where major part of their  Lok                      Sabha  Constituency or, as   the case may be, Assembly Constituency falls;

(d)   the members of the Council of States and the members of the State Legislative Council, if any who are registered as electors within the district;

(2)   All members of a Zila Parishad whether elected or not from territorial constituencies in the Zila Parishad area shall have the right to vote in the meetings of the Zila Parishad .

been given in section 165 of the Act6. The Zila Parishad  is to perform the following functions, namely agriculture; irrigation ground water resources and watershed development; horticulture; statistics; rural electrification including distribution of electricity; distribution of essential commodities; soil conservation; marketing; social forestry; animal husbandry and dairying; minor forest produce and fuel and fodder; fisheries; household and small- scale industries including food processing; rural roads; health hygiene; rural housing; education; social welfare and welfare  of weaker sections; poverty alleviation programmes; social reforms activities; verification of weights and measures in shopping establishments; and promotion of thrift and savings.

     The income of Zila Parishad, Mansa accrues from the Central and State Government funds allotted to it, grants for Jawahar Rojgar Yojna Scheme and Indira Awas Yojna Scheme, share of the state taxes, income from endowments and such contribution as the zila parishad may levy on the panchayat samities.

 

             The income and expenditure of the Zila Parishad, Mansa  during 1992-93 to 1999-2000 is given below :

( Rs in lakhs)

                                                                                                   

Year                                                     Income                              Expenditure

 

1992-93                                                               7.17                                               3.54

1993-94                                                               1.89                                               1.45

1994-95                                                               5.48                                               3.09

1995-96                                                               5.80                                               5.02

1996-97                                                           150.34                                           121.56

1997-98                                                           126.33                                             96.83

1998-99                                                               1.66                                               9.32

1999-2000                                                         36.49                                             26.20

___________________________________________________________________________

                                                                       (Statistical Abstracts of Punjab, 1993 to 2000)

 

 

6             165        (1) Seats shall be reserved for-                                                                                    

    (a)    the Scheduled Castes; and

                      (b)    the Backward Classes;

                               In every Zila Parishad and the number of seats so reserved for the Scheduled Castes shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Zila Parishad as  the population of the Scheduled Castes in that Zila Parishad area bears to the total population of that area and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Zila Parishad.

                (2)      Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved for the members of  the     Scheduled Castes under   Sub-section(1) shall be reserved for women belonging  to the Scheduled Castes.

                (3)        Not  less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women   belonging  to the   Scheduled Castes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Zila Parishad shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Zila Parishad

                (4)        One seat shall be reserved for Backward Classes in a Zila Parishad in which  the  population of Backward   Classes is not less than twenty per cent of the total population of the District.

 

 

 

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