Lok Sabha Question No. 5029 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: Importance of Gram Sabha
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Patel Umeshbhai Babubhai

## GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5029 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2025

## IMPORTANCE OF GRAM SABHA

+5029. SHRI PATEL UMESHBHAI BABUBHAI:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) the importance of gram sabha under Gram Panchayat,

(b) the designation of the officials whose presence is mandatory in the Gram sabha along with the details thereof;

(c) the action likely to be taken against the accountable officials who remain absent on regular basis in Gram Sabha along with the officer authorized to take action against those officials;

(d) whether all the schemes of the Government are applicable in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and if not, the names of such schemes which are not applicable along with the reasons therefor; and

(e) the authority to be contacted in case of non-allocation of annual budget for Gram Panchyats, District Panchayats and Municipal Councils?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (PROF. S.P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (c ) "Panchayat, being "Local Government", is a State Subject and part of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Accordingly, Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. In terms of provisions of Article 243A of the Constitution of India, a Gram Sabha may exercise such powers and perform such functions at the village level as the Legislature of a State may, by law, provide. Therefore, powers and functions of a Gram Sabha, including to organise Gram Sabha meetings and to create awareness about Gram Sabha meetings etc comes under the jurisdiction of the State concerned.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj does not maintain records of any officials whose presence is mandatory in the Gram sabha nor who remains absent on regular basis in Gram Sabha along with the officer authorized to take action against those officials.

(d) The Ministry has been implementing the Revamped Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) since the financial year 2022-23 in States and Union Territories, including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

This Ministry has also implemented the Central Sector Scheme of Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA Scheme) to provide the 'Record of Rights' to village households owning houses in villages also to facilitate asset monetizationin rural areas besides enabling Panchayats in assessing and collecting property tax in their endeavor to enhance their own sources of revenue. Till now, 31 States and Union Territories, including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, have on-boarded the Scheme.

(e ) "Panchayat, being "Local Government", is a State Subject and part of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Accordingly, Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts, subject to the provisions of the Constitution.Therefore, details related to authorities to be contacted in case of non-allocation of annual budget are not maintained by Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Panchayats may receive funds from different sources which primarily include Central Finance Commission, States Finance commission, Central Schemes, State Schemes etc. On receipt of the XV-FC recommended grants from the Union Government the State Governments are required to transfer the same to the panchayats/traditional bodies concerned within 10 working days. Any delay beyond 10 working days the State Government is required to release the grant with interest for the period of delay as per the average effective rate of interest on market borrowings/State Development Loans for the previous year.

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