Detailed, Step-by-Step NCERT Solutions for 11 Political Science Chapter 8 Local Governments Questions and Answers were solved by Expert Teachers as per NCERT (CBSE) Book guidelines covering each topic in chapter to ensure complete preparation.
Local Governments NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Political Science Chapter 8
Local Governments Questions and Answers Class 11 Political Science Chapter 8
Question 1.
Constitution of India visualised village Panchayats as units of self¬government. Think over the situation described in the following statements and explain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayats in becoming units of self governments.
(a) Government of a state has allowed a big company to establish a huge steel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steel plant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolution that before establishing any big industries in the region, village people must be consulted and their grievances should be red- ressed.
(b) The government has decided that 20% of all its expenditure would be done through the panchayats.
(c) A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building for a’. village school, the government officials turned down their proposal saying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannot be spent otherwise.
(d) The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a part of village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased to exist in government’s books.
(e) A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region are depleting fast. They decided to mobilise youth to do some voluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.
Answer:
a) In this situation the gram Panchayats will be weakened because the government has taken the decision of setting of a huge plant without consulting the villagers and village Panchayat.
(b) Second situation will also affect adversely to Panchayat because it will cause financial burden on Panchayat.
(c) Third situation also ignore the Panchayat is demand of building for a school. Therefore this is a case of weakening village Panchayat
(d) Fourth case is also case of weakening village Panchayat.
(e) Fifth case is of strengthening the village Panchayat as it is case of co-operation among the villagers under the leadership of village Panchayat.
Question 2.
Suppose you are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a state, what powers would you endow to the village Panchayats to function as unit of self Government? Mention any five powers and the justification in two lines for each of them for giving those powers.
Answer:
We would give powers to the village Panchayat in following five areas:
1. In the field of education.
2. In the field of health.
3. In the field of agriculture development
4. In the field of marketing the produce.
5. In the field of mobilisation of its financial resource
Village are dependent on agriculture so there needs are also agriculture based. Therefore Panchayats should be involved in agriculture development and to improve the economy of the village. Panchayats should also be involved in improving the educational and health standard of the villagers.
Question 3.
What arc the provisions for the reservation for the socially dis-advantaged groupsrtsper the 73rd Amendment? Explain how these provisions have changed the profile of the leadership at the village level.
Answer:
In 73rd Amendment of Constitution of India one third seats have been reserved for women and similarly one third seats are reserved for Scheduled castes in village Panchayats, Block Samitis and Zila Parishads.
With this reservation the participation of women and Scheduled castes has been ensured. This has brought about sea change in the confidence of these sections. They have become responsible and have got opportunity to express worth in the administration at local level.
Question 4.
What were the main difference between the local governments before 73rd amendment and after that amendment?
Answer:
1. Before 73rd amendment the local governments were organised on the basis of state’s order, but after 73rd amendment local government got the constitutional status.
2. Before 73rd amendment Scheduled castes and women were not ad-equately represented in local governments but after 73rd amendment women and scheduled castes got 33% reservation each.
3. Before 73rd amendment elections were indirect but after 73rd amend-ment elections became direct.
4. Before 73rd amendment tenure were indefinite but now tenure is fixed.
5. Before 73rd amendment they were financially weak but now they are financially sound.
Question 5.
Read the following conversation. Write in two hundred words your opinion about the issues raised in this conversation.
Alok: Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women. Reservations iii local bodies for women ensure their equal share in power.
Neha: But it is not enough that women should be in position of power. It is necessary that the budget of local bodies should have seperate provision for women.
Jayesh: I don’t like this reservation business. A local body must take care of all people in the village and that would automatically take care of women and their interests.
Answer:
The working of local Governments in different states during last 50 years suggest that women and weaker sections of the society like Sched¬uled castes and Scheduled tribes regained unrepresented if there was some representation, it was minimum in proportion to their population.
After 73rd and 74th amendment 33% seats are reserved for women and 33% seats are reserved for scheduled castes in rural and urban local governments which definitely ensured the representations of women and scheduled castes in their proportion and made them powerful.
It is also a fact that reservation is not the ultimate answer for empowerment of the women and Scheduled castes. Socio-economic environment should be condusive for the involvement of all sections of the society in political process and decisions making process in proportion to their population.
It is also fact that local government should be allowed to mobilise their strength ‘and resources and they should be adequately financed by the state and central government. Local governments should involves all the villages so that a feeling of collectivty and co-operation is developed irrespective of caste and sex consideration.
Question 6.
Read the provisins of the 73rd Amendment Which of the following concerns does this amendment address?
a. Fear of replacement makes representative accountable to the people.
b. The dominant castes and feudal landlords dominate the local bodies.
c. Rural illiteracy is very high, illiterate people cannot take decisions about the development of the village.
d. To be effective the village Panchayats need resources and powers to make plans for the village development.
Answer:
‘D’ addresses the 73rd amendment which says that to be effective the village Panchayats need resources and powers to make plans for the village development.
Question 7.
Following are different justification given in favour of local government Give them ranking and explain why you attach greater significance to a particular rationale than the others. According to you, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram Panchayat of Vengaivasal village was based? How?
(a) Government can complete the projects with lesser cost with the involvement of the local community
(b) The development plans made by the local people will have greater acceptability than those made by the government officers.
(c) People know their area, needs problems and priorities. By collective participation they should discuss and take decisions about their life.
(d) It is difficult for the common people to contact their representatives of the State or the national legislature.
Answer:
My ranking of the above rational will be as under
1. c.
2. a
3. b
4. d
Justification of ranking.
‘C’. This rationale says that people of the area know the problems and priorities of the area than others, so they should be allowed to take decisions about themselves.
a. If local people are involved in a project the cost will be lesser
b. The development plan prepared by the local people will be accepted by the people quickly.
d. It is difficult for the common people to have contact with MLAs and MPs
The decision of the Gram Panchayat of Vengaivasal village is based on rational ‘C’ which says that people of the area know the problems and priorities of the area. So by collective participation they should discuss and take the dicisions about their like. It shows that the decisions of the Panchayat of the village Vengaivasal resembles with our ranking of the given rationales.
Question 8.
Which of the following according to you involve decentralisation? Why are other options not sufficient for decentralisation?
a. To hold election of Gram Panchayat
b. Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies and
programmes are useful for the village.
c. Power to call meeting Gram Sabha.
d. A Gram Panchayat receving the report from the Block Development Officer about the progress of a project started by the State government.
Answer:
‘B’ statement given in B involves decentralisation because it is related with the decisions taken by the villagers about themselevs. Other statements do not involve decentralisation to the extent because in a holding of elections of gram Panchayat is given. In ‘C’ power to call a meeting of gram Sabha and statement’d’ is related with just getting the report from the Block Development Officer about the progress of a project.
Question 9.
A student of Delhi University Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study the role of decentralisation in decision making about primary education. He asked some questions to the villagers. There questions are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer would you give to each of these questions?
A meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps should be taken, to enure that every child of the village goes to the school.
(a) How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think who would be able to attend/not attend the meeting because of your choice.
i. A day specified by the B.D.O. or the collector
ii. Day of the village hat
iii. Sunday
iv. Naag panchmi/Sankranti
Answer:
A day specified by the BDO or the collector.
b. What is suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i) Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector
(ii) Religious place in the village
(iii) Dalit Mohalla
(iv) Upper Caste Tola
(v) Village School.
Answer:
Village school will be suitable venue for the meeting because that is the common place of the village where every villager would come.
‘c’ In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the district collector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken to organise an education rally and what should be its route. The meeting did not discuss about the children who never come to school or about girl’s education or the condition of the school building and the timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as it was held on Sunday.
What do you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’s participation?
Answer:
This is the description of real state of affairs about the local government in which no real participation and involvement of the local people do not take place. Meetings are held on inconvinent dates and times and they are just informed about the decisions. Women do not g6t adequate representation and if. at participate their voice remain unheard.
‘d’ Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of the meeting mid suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Answer:
It our class were be a Gram Sabha our agenda regarding the welfare, participation and involvement of the people will be discussed and Nonsenses will be achieved to take the steps for realising the goal of decentral i sal ion. For this following steps can be suggested :
- The goal will be the development of the village with the involvement of the people of the village.
- Decentralisation has to be maximum
- Our representation of women has to be ensured
- Our representation of weaker section has to be ensured
- Co-ordination with the local officers has to t|p achieved
- Governments plans and policies should reach to the villagers.