Panchayati Act, 1973 | WBCS Preparation: All Subjects - WBCS (West Bengal) PDF Download

Panchayati Act, 1973

• Gram Panchayat
  The Gram Panchayat, serving as the foundation of the Panchayati system, operates at the village or small-town level. It is established in villages with a population of 300 or more or through the amalgamation of two or more villages. The Gram Panchayat, led by a sarpanch, focuses on overseeing basic amenities with direct funds from the State Finance Commission and self-generated income. The Pradhan heads the Gram Panchayat, which is authorized to collect land revenue.
• Panchayat Samiti
  The Panchayat Samiti, or Block Panchayat, constitutes the second tier of local self-government. It comprises a Chairman and Vice-chairman directly elected from territorial constituencies, with the Sabhapati as its head. The Block Developmental Officer (BDO) plays a crucial role in developmental activities and fund utilization within the Panchayat Samiti. Membership includes Pradhans of Village Panchayats within the block, elected members of legislative bodies, and Rajya Sabha members residing in the block.
• Zila Parishad
  It is located at the apex of the panchayat system at the district level. Zila Parishad also known as District Panchayat consists of members directly elected from the wards in the districts, Chairman of Panchayat Samitis, members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly whose constituencies lie within the district, Madhya Pradesh of the area, representatives of women, scheduled castes and tribes and backward class are co-opted as members.
  It looks after the administration of rural areas in a district. The office of the Zila Parishad is located in the district headquarters. The Sabhadhipati is the head of the Zila Parishad. The main function of this governing body revolves around providing the essential facilities to rural people and to initiate the developmental programmes in the villages. The main functions of Zila Parishad may be categorised as development, civic, welfare, coordinative, supervisory, financial and advisory.  

Industrial Township
Industrial Township development is part of local self-governance, transforming towns with industrial potential into industrial townships. Sector V of Salt Lake township, known as 'Nabadiganta,' exemplifies this concept.

• Gram Sabha
  Gram Sabha includes all adult citizens of a village covered by a Panchayat, empowered to support the Gram Panchayat body. It plays a vital role in electing Gram Panchayat members, supervising their work, approving budgets, and reviewing overall performance. The government mandates at least two Gram Sabha meetings per year.
  In summary, the Panchayati Act of 1973 introduced a comprehensive three-tier system of local self-government in West Bengal, involving Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zila Parishad, with a focus on empowering communities and facilitating rural development.