Decentralisation in India Class 10 Notes – Federalism part-4 Quick Revision

Quick Revision Notes – Chapter-2
Federalism Part – 4

🟩 Decentralisation in India: When power of central and state governments is shared with local government, it is called decentralisation.

🟩 Basic idea behind decentralisation:

• There are a large number of problems and issues which are best settled at the local level.
• People have better knowledge of problems in their localities.
• They also have better ideas on where to spend money and how to manage things more efficiently.

🟩 Need for decentralisation: Was recognised in our Constitution.

• Panchayats – In villages
• Municipalities – In urban areas were set up under direct control of state government.

🟩 Problems of local government till 1992:

• Elections to local government were not held regularly.
• Local governments did not have any powers and resources of their own.

Till then, there was very little decentralisation (in effective terms).

🟩 Steps to make decentralisation more effective:

• Constitution was amended in 1992 (73rd and 74th Amendments).
• Now it became mandatory to hold regular elections of local government.
• Reservation of seats was done in local governments for SCs, STs, and OBCs.
• At least one-third of the positions were reserved for women.
• State Election Commission was created to conduct elections of local bodies.
• The state governments were required to share powers and resources with local government. This provision varies from state to state.

🟩 Rural local government is popularly known as Panchayati Raj:

• Panchayat – A council consisting of several ward members (often called Panch) and a president (called Sarpanch).
• Panch and Sarpanch – Directly elected by people of the village by universal adult franchise.

🟩 Panchayat works under supervision of Gram Sabha:

• Gram Sabha – A constitutional body constituted by all the adults of the village who elect the Gram Panchayat.
• Functions of Gram Sabha:
• To approve annual budget of Gram Panchayat
• To review the performance of the Gram Panchayat

🟩 The local government structure goes up to district level:

• Panchayats (a few) are grouped together to form Panchayat Samiti or Block or Mandal.
• Panchayat Samitis are grouped together to form a Zila Parishad at district level.
• Zila Parishad – It is an elected body headed by a Chairperson.
• Members of Zila Parishad – MP and MLA of that area.

🟩 In urban areas, local governments are known by different names:

• Municipalities – In towns
• Municipal Corporations – In cities

Head of Municipality: Chairperson

Head of Municipal Corporation: Mayor

🟩 Number of elected representatives in Panchayats and Municipalities: About 36 lakhs

🟩 Constitutional status of local governments has:

• Helped to deepen democracy
• Increased women’s representation and voice in our democracy

🟩 Some challenges faced by local governments:

• While elections are held regularly and enthusiastically, Gram Sabhas are not held regularly.
• State governments have not transferred significant powers and resources to the local governments.