Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies
Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies
Local self-government gives villages and towns their own elected bodies. The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) made them constitutional. NTPC asks the committees behind Panchayati Raj, the first state to adopt it, the levels of panchayats, reservations, and the Schedules and Parts added.
1. Panchayati Raj
| Item | Facts |
|---|---|
| Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) | Recommended a three-tier system |
| First state | Rajasthan, at Nagaur on 2 October 1959 (inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru) |
| Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) | Recommended a two-tier system |
| 73rd Amendment (1992) | In force 24 April 1993 (National Panchayati Raj Day); added Part IX (Articles 243 to 243-O) and the Eleventh Schedule (29 subjects) |
| Three tiers | Village (gram panchayat), intermediate (block) and district (zila parishad) |
| Reservation | At least one-third of seats for women; seats for SCs and STs in proportion to population |
| Term | 5 years; elections conducted by the State Election Commission |
| Gram Sabha | All registered voters of a village |
2. Urban Local Bodies
| Item | Facts |
|---|---|
| 74th Amendment (1992) | In force 1 June 1993; added Part IXA (Articles 243-P to 243-ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule (18 subjects) |
| Types | Nagar panchayat (area in transition), municipal council (smaller urban area), municipal corporation (larger urban area) |
| Planning bodies | District Planning Committee; Metropolitan Planning Committee |
| Finance | State Finance Commission every 5 years (Article 243-I for panchayats, 243-Y for municipalities) |
Article 40 (DPSP) asked the State to organise village panchayats
✗ Panchayati Raj was first adopted in Andhra Pradesh | ✓ Rajasthan was first (Nagaur, 2 October 1959); Andhra Pradesh followed later in 1959
✗ The Eleventh Schedule lists municipal subjects | ✓ The Eleventh is for panchayats (29); the Twelfth is for municipalities (18)
हिंदी नोट: पंचायती राज की सिफ़ारिश बलवंत राय मेहता समिति (1957) ने की; सबसे पहले राजस्थान के नागौर में 2 अक्टूबर 1959 को लागू हुआ। 73वें संशोधन ने भाग IX और ग्यारहवीं अनुसूची (29 विषय), तथा 74वें संशोधन ने भाग IXA और बारहवीं अनुसूची (18 विषय) जोड़ी।
Exam Pointer: These patterns had no verified NTPC shift in our check and are tagged syllabus-based. Local-government questions recur in railway and SSC papers in these forms.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Committees and the first state
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which state first adopted Panchayati Raj?
Rajasthan, at Nagaur on 2 October 1959.
Answer: Rajasthan
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which committee recommended a three-tier Panchayati Raj, and which later committee recommended two tiers?
The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) recommended three tiers; the Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) recommended two.
Answer: Balwant Rai Mehta; Ashok Mehta
Pattern 2: The 73rd Amendment
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which Schedule lists the subjects of panchayats, and how many are there?
The Eleventh Schedule, with 29 subjects.
Answer: Eleventh; 29
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which Part did the 73rd Amendment add, when did it come into force, and what is the minimum reservation for women?
Part IX, in force from 24 April 1993 (now National Panchayati Raj Day). At least one-third of seats are reserved for women.
Answer: Part IX; 24 April 1993; one-third
Pattern 3: The 74th Amendment and urban bodies
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which Schedule lists the functions of municipalities?
The Twelfth Schedule, with 18 subjects.
Answer: Twelfth
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which Part did the 74th Amendment add, and which body is set up for an area changing from rural to urban?
Part IXA. A nagar panchayat is set up for an area in transition.
Answer: Part IXA; nagar panchayat
Pattern 4: Elections and finance of local bodies
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who conducts elections to panchayats?
The State Election Commission.
Answer: State Election Commission
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. How often is a State Finance Commission set up for local bodies, and who forms the Gram Sabha?
Every 5 years. The Gram Sabha consists of all registered voters of the village.
Answer: Every 5 years; all registered voters of the village
60-Second Revision
- Balwant Rai Mehta 1957 (3 tiers); first state Rajasthan, Nagaur, 2 Oct 1959.
- 73rd: Part IX, 11th Schedule (29), in force 24 Apr 1993.
- 74th: Part IXA, 12th Schedule (18), in force 1 Jun 1993.
- One-third seats for women; State Election Commission conducts polls.