The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 introduced the concept of ___ for rural governance.

Panchayati Raj

True or False: The Panchayati Raj system is a top-down approach to governance in rural areas.

False. The Panchayati Raj system is a bottom-up approach that fosters grassroots democracy.

Fill in the blank: The three levels of the Panchayati Raj system include Gram Panchayat at the village level, ___ at the block level, and Zila Parishad at the district level.

Panchayat Samiti

How does the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee contribute to the Panchayati Raj system?

It proposed the three-tier Panchayati Raj system and emphasized democratic decentralization.

True or False: The Gram Sabha consists of all registered voters in a village Panchayat area.

True

What is the primary role of Zila Parishad in the Panchayati Raj system?

It serves as the advisory and coordinating body responsible for planning at the district level.

Fill in the blank: The ___ Act of 1996 extended the provisions of the Panchayati Raj system to the Scheduled Areas.

PESA

What are the compulsory provisions mandated by the 73rd Amendment for Panchayati Raj institutions?

Establishment of Panchayats at three levels, direct elections, reservation of seats for SCs, STs, and women, and a fixed tenure of five years.

True or False: The Finance Commission reviews the financial positions of Panchayati Raj institutions every two years.

False. The Finance Commission reviews the financial positions every five years.

What is a key recommendation of the Ashok Mehta Committee regarding the structure of Panchayati Raj?

It recommended replacing the three-tier system with a two-tier system, consisting of Zila Parishad and Mandal Panchayat.

Fill in the blank: The ___ is responsible for conducting elections to the Panchayat bodies.

State Election Commission

Explain the significance of the Eleventh Schedule in the context of Panchayati Raj.

The Eleventh Schedule contains 29 functional items that define the responsibilities and powers of Panchayati Raj institutions.

True or False: The PESA Act allows Panchayats at higher levels to assume the powers of lower-level Panchayats.

False. The PESA Act prevents higher-level Panchayats from assuming the powers of lower-level Panchayats.

What are the challenges faced by Panchayati Raj institutions in terms of financial empowerment?

Panchayati Raj institutions often lack adequate devolution of funds, rely heavily on government grants, and have weak internal resource generation.

Fill in the blank: Reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions is ___ of the total seats.

One-third

Identify one major finding of the G.V.K. Rao Committee regarding Panchayati Raj.

Bureaucratization weakened Panchayati Raj.

• Over-centralization hinders local governance.

• Decentralization promotes community participation.

• Enhanced planning strengthens grassroots democracy.

What is the role of the Gram Sabha in the Panchayati Raj system?

The Gram Sabha acts as the foundation of the Panchayati Raj system, empowering local participation and decision-making.

True or False: The duration of Panchayats is fixed at seven years.

False. The duration of Panchayats is fixed at five years.

Discuss the impact of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act on local governance.

The 73rd Amendment empowers local governance.

• Establishes Panchayati Raj institutions.

• Ensures regular elections for local bodies.

• Strengthens grassroots democratic processes.