CHAPTER XIV

 

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

 

(a)  Evolution of Local Self-Government in the District

 

                  Local self-government ordinarily means the administration of a locality smaller than the State by a body representing the local people, having some autonomy in raising a portion of its income through local taxation and spending it on local services such as public health, water supply, sewerage, medical relief, communications, etc., distinct from the services rendered by State and Centre Government.  Local self-Government in Punjab as in other States of India is of two kinds, namely urban local government and rural local government. The major units of urban local self-government are the municipal corporations/councils, whereas minor ones are nagar panchayats. The main units of rural local government are zila parishad, panchayat samities and gram panchayats. These units possess a defined area, a population, an organization and also the authority to perform public activities. Within its territory a local government unit seeks to give opportunities to the people for the expression of their opinion in regard to local affairs. It enables them to choose their representatives  to take care of local affairs on their behalf. These institutions act within the framework evolved by the State Government. These are manned and managed by persons drawn from amongst the public and are designated to create harmonious cooperation in running the administration smoothly. In many respects these institutions are autonomous though they work under the constant vigilance and guidance of the State Government.

            The main purpose of these self-governing institutions is to provide better civic amenities to the people of the area, and to promote a responsibility and will to participate in matters of local administration. These local self-government institutions also serve as training centres for the representatives who have been elected by town/city/village in providing primary political leadership and for social service.

            The first step towards the establishment of Local Government in the area now comprising the Nawashahar District was the constitution of municipal council Nawashahr, Rahon and Banga under the Punjab Municipal Act, 1867. Balachaur municipal council came into existence in January 1993.

 

Historical Retrospect.- The panchayats have existed in the villages from ancient times, though these panchaysts were not established under any law. The heads of various communities were members of these panchayats. These panchayats played initial role in the life of the rural people. Municipal Government in India has also its roots in pre-historic times. Some   form of municipal authority appears to have been well established even during the period of Harappan Civilization. Positive evidence of highly developed urban civilization is provided by the archaeological excavations at Harappa and Mohenjodaro in Pakistan. The streets were well planned with obvious town planning restrictions on sporadic building. Most impressive were the systems of drains. They testify to the vigilance of some regular and effective municipal government.

            The village was the unit of State in ancient India. There was, however, no clear dividing line between a village (grama) and a town (nagara). Gramani was the head of the village as well as of the town. During the Mauryan and Gupta periods villages developed into towns and a city creature was evolved and reached its high water marks. Cities had their councils and also most probably had municipal administrations on the pattern of metropolitan city of Pataliputra as described by Magasthenes. These councils were elected bodies. India, can thus rightly be a claimant of the hoariest traditions of local government in the world. Though the existence of effective city councils in ancient India cannot be denied yet there is no doubt that the foundations of modern system of municipal government were laid by the British particularly after the transfer of power from the East India Company to the Crown in 1858. The dominant considerations which prompted the British to establish local government institutions in India were paucity of finances of imperial power, administrative problems due to the large size of the country and the need of providing relief to the District Officer from some of the details of his work.

            The earliest Act in Punjab dealing with municipal administration was the Punjab Municipal Act, 1867. The Act was a carte-blanche given to Lt. Governor Punjab, to establish whatever form of the municipal government he would choose. The enactment of this statute gave a great spur to the growth of municipal bodies. This was repealed by the Punjab Municipal Act, 1873, which aimed at providing for conservancy, local improvements and education in the towns of the Punjab and for levying taxes in them. In 1882, Lord Ripon made the historic statement which has since then been acclaimed as the Magna Carta of local self- government in India. Soon after, Lord Ripon’s Government passed a famous resolution on local self-government. The Punjab Government agreed with his proposals and issued a resolution in September, 1882, in which it was stated that the object of the reforms introduced by the resolution was to educate the people to manage their own affairs and that the enlightenment policy of Lord Ripon should be given a real and genuine trial. Acts were also passed in 1883 (the Punjab Local  Boards Act) and 1884 (the Punjab Municipal Act), which greatly enlarged the constitution, power and functions of municipal authorities. Further development of municipal administration in Punjab took place under the Municipal Act, 1891, which repealed the Act XIV of 1884 and introduced such changes as experience has shown to be desirable. It introduced communal representation. The Act of 1884, however, continued to be the foundation of the municipal administration in Punjab.

            The Royal Commission on ‘Decentralization’, 1909, strongly recommended the decentralization of administration and democratisation of local bodies. The Punjab was the first province to incorporate the Royal Commission’s recommendations in a statute. In 1911, the Punjab Municipal Act was passed, which, with certain modifications is still the basis of Municipal Government in the Punjab.

            In the period  1911-1937 the British developed a system to be known as dyarchy which implied government shared by two point authorities or rules. Under these arrangements, official control was gradually relaxed and local bodies were made completely elective. It was desired to establish local self-government where by the people would be free to manage their own affairs. The Government of India Act, 1919, prescribed a new scheme of taxes, which could be levied by or for the local bodies. This measure not only enlarged the sphere of taxation but also enabled the local bodies to feed relatively independent. The Punjab Small Towns Act, 1922 simplified the machinery for the municipal administration of small towns each with a population of less than 10,000. The Punjab Municipal (Executive Officers) Act, 1931, invested the Provincial Government with powers to appoint Executive Officers in the municipalities.

Until the Independence, the changes introduced in the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, by a series of amending Acts, were relatively of minor character. After the Independence, the Act was amended to provide for wholly elective municipal committees with democratically elected Presidents. Provision was also made for the appointment of official advisers who were entitled to participate in the deliberations of the municipal committee but without right to vote. Now election rules were framed to provide for elections on the basis of  universal adult franchise. Communal electorates and the system of nominations were abandoned. Provision was also made for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes.

            To cope with the problems created by the influx of refugees on account of communal disturbances before and after the partition, the East Punjab Local Authorities (Restriction of Functions) Act, 1947 (Punjab Act IX of 1947), was passed. This Act empowered the State Government to notify certain areas and to assume functions of local authority therein where the local authority was not capable of performing or did not adequately perform such functions. Expenses for discharging such functions were to be paid by the local authority concerned. The Punjab Local Authority Laws ( Exercise of Powers) Act, 1953, provided for the performance of the functions of commissioner under all local governments enactments by the State Government and Deputy Commissioners.

            The Punjab Municipal (Second Amendment) Act, 1954, repealed the Punjab Small Town Act, 1921 and converted town committees into class III municipal committees. This Act which came into force on 1  April 1955, brought the governance of all urban local bodies under a unified corpus of municipal law.

            In 1954, Local Government (Urban) Enquiry Committee was set up to recommend reforms in the structure of urban local government. The committee in its report, 1957, recommended enlargement of autonomy of municipal bodies to the maximum extent compatible with the imperative needs of continuity, efficiency and integrity in municipal administration.

            With the setting up of the Directorate of Local Bodies in April 1966, the activities of these bodies are governed by the Director, Local Bodies, Punjab. Previously, the term of Municipal Commissioners in the State was three years which was extended to five years in 1973. The latest amendment in Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 was made during 1994.

 

                                    (b) Organization and Structure

 

Functions and Duties of Municipal  Councils/Nagar Panchayats

 

            As per Punjab Municipal (Amendment) Act, 1994, the municipal councils/ nagar panchayats have to perform two main functions such as (i) the preparation of plans for economic development and social justice and (ii) the performance of functions and implementation of the schemes which may be entrusted to them including the following, namely; urban planning including town planning; regulation of land use and construction of building; planning for economic and social development; roads and bridges; water supply for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes; public health, sanitation, conservancy and solid waste management; fire services; urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects; safeguarding the interests of weaker sections of society including the handicapped and mentally retarded; slum improvement and upgradation; urban poverty alleviation; provision of urban amenities and facilities such as parks, gardens and play grounds; promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects; provision for burial grounds, cremation grounds and electric crematoriums; cattle ponds and prevention of cruelty to animals; vital statistics including registration of births and deaths;  public amenities including street lighting, parking lots, bus stops and public conveniences and regulation of slaughter houses and tanneries, etc.

            As on 31 March, there were 4 municipal bodies in the district at Nawashahr, Rahon, Banga and Balachaur. The sources of income of the municipalities include octroi, house tax, toll tax, water and sewerage rate, licence fees, building fee, professional tax, sale proceeds of sullage water and compost from municipal property, etc. The income and expenditure of the municipalities functioning in Nawashahr District during 1997-98 to 2000-2001 are given in Appendix I at page 333. A brief account of each municipal council is given below:

 

Nawashahr Municipal Council

 

            A municipality at Nawashahr was  first constituted in 1867 and was raised to the status of  Class II in 1885. It was converted into a notified area committee in 1911 and made a small town committee in 1924. The small town committee was however, again made a Class II municipality in 1951. The number of councillors as on 31 march 2001 was 15. During 2000-2001, the area of the town within the municipal limits was 9.59 sq. kms. As per 2001 Census the  population of the town was 30,999 persons.

            The civic amenities provided by the municipal council include water supply, sewerage, street lighting, surface drains, arrangements for the cleanliness of the town and disposal of the refuse. Seven tubewells has been functioning in the municipal area for supplying  drinking water. About 70 per cent area under municipal limit has been covered under water supply scheme and about 60 per cent area has been covered under sewerage. The municipal council has installed 1,600 street light points in its area. The municipal council maintains 1 library and 4 parks within the municipal limits. The municipality maintains 39.40 kms of roads within the municipal limits.

 

Banga Municipal Council

 

The municipality was first constituted in 1867. The area of the town during 2000-2001 was 9.00 sq. kms. The population of the town as per 2001 Census was 18,809. The number of non-official members of the council  as on 31 March 2001 was 13.

The civic amenities provided by the municipal council include street lighting, arrangement for the cleanliness of the town, water supply, sewerage and disposal of town refuse, etc. The council has installed 810 street light points within the municipal area. It also maintains 1 library, 2 parks and 11 kms of roads within the municipal limits.

 

Rahon Municipal Council

 

A municipality at Rahon was constituted in 1867. It was raised to Class II status in 1886. On account of continued decrease in the population of the town, and again its status was lowered at changed Class III muncipality. As per 2001 Census the population of the town was 12,134 persons. The area of the town during 2000-2001 was 9.72 sq. kms. As on 31 March 2001 the municipal council had 13 non-official members.

The civic amenities provided by the municipal council include water supply, sewerage, street lighting, maintenance of roads within the municipal limits and disposal of refuse of the town. Municipal Council Rahon has 3 tubewells which supply water to the towns. The council has installed 462 street light points. It maintains 5 kms of roads within the municipal limits.

 

Balachaur Municipal Council

 

            Balachaur municipal council was constituted on 1 January 1993. During 2000-2001, the area of the town within the municipal limits was 6.00 sq. kms. As per 2001 Census, the population of the town was 12,466 persons. As on 31 March 2001 the  municipal council had 13 non-official members. Civic amenities provided by the council are street lighting, water supply, sewerage, maintenance of roads, etc.

             Balachaur municipal council maintains 7.50 kms of roads, installed 823 street light points working in the municipal limits. The council has 2 tubewells through which water supply is provided to the public.

 

(c) Town and Country Planning and Housing

 

            The town planning helps to eradicate the evils of haphazard and ugly growth of towns. The area comprising Nawashahr District falls under the jurisdiction of Divisional Town Planner, Jalandhar, who works under the administrative control of Chief Town Planner Punjab, Chandigarh. This office is engaged in the preparation of master plans of various towns as well as for other areas which serve as a blueprint for further development. He also prepares the layout plans for various schemes, viz. town planning scheme for the municipal councils, urban estates for the housing and urban development, industrial areas and industrial development colonies and rehabilitation colonies.

            The work of the Town Planning Department is divided in two sectors viz., urban sector and rural sector. In the urban sector the activities of department included preparation of master plans for important cities, towns and places of historical/religious/tourist importance, preparation of integrated urban development projects for major cities, preparation of layout plans and schemes of Improvement Trusts and Municipal Councils. In the rural section the activities of the department include surveys and studies of Community Development Plans at various levels like District and Block, preparation of Development Plans for Integerated Rural Development Programme (now Swarn Jyanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna).

Under the Local Planning Area/ Master Plan this office has prepared the local area plan 2000-2011( 5,313 hectares), land utilization plan February 1995 and proposed land utilization plan Nawashahr (1995-2015). In order to develop rural industrial focal points, the Divisional. Town Planning Office has prepared the layout plan for 5 rural industrial focal points in Nawashahr District. Under the Integrated Small and Medium Towns Scheme the office has prepared the following plans for Nawashahr: the lay out plan of public shopping complex; layout plan of community centre and commercial complex; Sasapur road Nawashahr standard  design of shops; layout plan proposed  slaughter house; plan shopping strengthening/ improvement of Arya Smaj Road; standard design of drain pipe; I&II and retaining wall layout plan of proposed laboratory; widening  of crossings  road standard design of booths; location plan of Nawashahr and lay-out plan for standard designe of community centre of Nawashahr.

            Besides, this office issues no objection certificate to  petrol pumps, marriage palaces and government projects (approved by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority) as recommended by the Deputy Commissioner.

(d) Panchayati Raj

           

The village panchayats which used to manage the affairs of biradari (brother hood) ceased to have any official status during the British  regime. However, it was still a patent force among the united village communities. It continue to regulate their private affairs as well as those affecting their common interests. The appointment of Lambardars in the villages, by the Government under its patronage, from amongst the leading members, replaced the panchayats. The average villager gradually become aware that under the regime of Lambardars, the Panchayats were completely ignored so he ceased to pay any regard to their wishes. This virtual disappearance of panchayats brought about a disintegration of village communities. It was, however, realized that for the routine administration of common affairs of village some organization should be created. To achieve this, an attempt to revive the panchayat system was made in 1912. The Village Panchayat Act, 1922, abolished the Panchayats created by the Act of 1912 and provided for the Constitution of Panchayats of elected members (called panches). The Panchayats were given administrative functions and judicial powers both civil and criminal. The Panchayat Act of 1939 consolidated and extended the law relating to panchayats and gave them power of taxation.

After Independence, the necessity of establishing village panchayats was fully recognized and this was laid down in the Constitution of India as one of the Directive Principles of State Policy. In pursuance of this Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952 was passed. Under this enactment the entire rural population of the area presently in Nawashahr District was covered by Panchayats.

To complete the process of Panchayati Raj in the State, the Punjab Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parished Act 1961 was passed. Under the Act, the Panchayati Raj became a three-tier system having Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at block level and Zila Parishad at district level. All these institutions are organically linked with each other by means of indirect elections. These are one superior to the other but do not constitute a hierarchy placing one subordinate to  the other. They have clearly defined spheres of activities and have independent and distinct sources of revenue. This enables them to function without  losing their initiative and self-reliance.       

The term Panchayati Raj came into usage after the acceptance of the recommendations on Democratic Decentralization of Balwant Rai Mehta Study Team and in pursuance thereof the passage of the Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads Act, 1961. Previously the terms used were  village  panchayat’ ‘district board’ or sub-district board’ which were self governing bodies at the village or regional levels. Panchayati Raj implies the creation of local government institutions at the , block and district levels. These bodies play a role in rural  administration in the present age, when more and more governments are carrying the banner of welfare State.

            Panchayati Raj is a three-tier system of rural local governments in India viz. Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level and Zila Parishad at the district level. It has been introduced to provide a bold and imaginative leadership for all round development of the village community. As the economic uplift of the community  cannot be entrusted to any other organisation than the one represented by the village people themselves, the role of the Panchayti Raj Institutions in rebuilding of the rural India becomes inertably   important.

            The Punjab Gram Panchayat Act,1952, the Punjab Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishads Act, 1961, as amended up-to-date form the corner stones of the Panchayati Raj in the State. Panchayati Raj movement, launched in the State on 2 October 1961, is a unit of local self-government, as agency of the State Government. Panchayti Raj involves the rural population in the democratic process and gives powers, functions and authority to rural people, empowering them to work towards their socio-economic progress

 

Gram  Panchayats.- The earliest legislation on panchayats in Punjab was the Punjab Panchayat Act of 1912, which was followed by another Act in 1921-22. These enactments failed badly in their purpose and did not get any encouraging response from the people. Another Act passed in 1939 superseded the earlier Acts and conferred, among others, wide judicial powers, both civil and criminal, on the panchayats. Efforts were also made to improve the financial resources of panchayats through Government grants. A separate panchayat department was created to look after panchayats.

             Keeping in view their importance, constitution of Panchayat  in every village has been enriched as one of the Directive Principles of State Policy in Article 40 of the Constitution of India. The Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952, repealed the 1939 enactment. This Act was also amended in 1960, and that was the first step towards the establishment of Panchayati Raj in the State. A new Act viz. the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (Punjab Act No. 9 of 1994) has been enacted to replace the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952, relating to the Gram Panchayats and the Punjab Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads Act, 1961, relating to the Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishads.  The Act came into force on

21  April 19941.

             Under the Act, a gram panchayat is elected for the gram sabha area and not for each village.  Every male or female who is entered as a voter on the electoral roll of the State Vidhan Sabha is a member of the gram sabha. These members of the gram sabha elect the members of the panchayats from amongst themselves. The number of panches in any gram panchayat varies from 5 to 13 according to the size of population of the gram sabha. A number of seats for the offices of the panches and sarpanches have been reserved under the Sections 11 and 12 of the Act2. Under the Act, gram panchayat is to meet at least once a month at a place within the gram panchayat areas. The majority of panches for the time       holding office form a quorum (under Section 24 (1) of Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.

            All the decisions of the panchayat are taken by majority and when the voting is equal the sarpanch or panch presiding as the case may be, can give his casting vote under Section 24 (3) of the Act.

             During the year 2001, there were 440 panchayats with 2,661 elected members  in  the  Nawashahr  District  (including 1,023 Harijans and 921 ladies),  Out  of  these  440  panchayats the election of   87   panchayats    was   held unanimously and 167 and 147 panchayats were having Harijan and ladies sarpanches, respectively.

 

 

1  Government of Punjab, Department of Rural Development and Panchayats vide        Notification No.S.O.21/P.A.9/94/S.I/94, dated 21 April 1994

2    11 (1) The offices of panches shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes in such a way that the number of offices reserved for Scheduled Castes shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of offices (to be filled by direct election) in that Gram Panchayat, as the population of the Scheduled Castes to the total population in that Gram Sabha area.

             (2)  Not less than one-third of the total number of offices reserved under sub-section(1)    shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

(3)     Not less than one-third (including the number of offices reserved for woman belonging to the Scheduled Castes) of the total number of offices (to be filled by direct election) in every Gram Panchayat shall be reserved for women.

(4)  One office of Panch shall be reserved for Backward Classes in a Gram Panchayat where population of Backward Classes in the Gram Sabha area is more than twenty percent of the total population of that Gram Sabha area.

     12  (1) Offices of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayats in the district shall be reserved for Scheduled Castes and the number of such offices shall bear, as nearly as may, the same proportion to the total number of offices of Sarpanches in the district as the population of Scheduled Castes in the district bears to the total population of the districts.

Provided that not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Sarpanches of Gram Panchayats in the district shall be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

(2) Not less than one-third of the total number of offices of Sarpanches in the district     shall be   reserved for women including such offices, reserved for women belonging     to the Scheduled Castes under sub-section(1).

(3)  There shall be no reservation in the offices of Sarpanches for Backward Classes.

       The offices reserved under this section shall be allotted by rotation to the different        Gram Panchayats in such manner as may be prescribed.

            The  gram panchayat having regard to the availability of funds at its disposal perform the functions, namely, general functions such as preparation of annual plans, annual budget, etc.; constructions, repair and maintenance of community assets; agriculture including agriculture extension; animal husbandry, dairying  and poultry; fisheries; social and farm forestry, minor forest produce, fuel and fodder; khadi, village and cottages industries; rural housing; rural electrification including distribution of electricity; non-conventional energy source; poverty alleviation  programme; education  including primary and secondary schools; adult and non-formal education promotion of adult literacy; cultural activities; fairs and festivals; public health and family welfare; women and child development; social welfare including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded; welfare of weaker sections and in particular the Scheduled Castes and public distribution system. The main sources of income of the panchayats are; grant-in-aid from government and local bodies, a percentage of land revenue collection, donation, taxes, duties, cesses and fees imposed and realized under the Act, income from village common lands, sale proceeds of dust, dirt and dung, etc.  The fines and penalties which the panchayats impose are also transferred to their funds.              

             The income of the panchayats in the Nawashahr District during 1996-97 to 2000-2001 is given below:

                                                                                                                             (Rs)

Year

Grants from Government

House Tax

Any other Source

Total

1996-97

2,44,67,385

2,46,409

1,61,09,649

4,08,23,444

1997-98

1,49,50,821

2,48,087

1,90,99,578

3,42,98,484

1998-99

1,79,09,461

5,89,586

1,84,99,042

3,69,98,089

1999-2000

10,52,18,327

2,74,990

2,52,40,826

13,07,34,143

2000-2001

5,73,85,109

2,67,294

2,76,26,187

8,52,78,590

      ( Source : Director, Rural Development and Panchayats, Punjab) 

             

Panchayat Samitis.- Constituted under the Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads Act, 1961, the panchayat samitis form the second tier of the Panchayati Raj Scheme. This tier of local self-government act as a bridge between the Zila Parishad and Village Panchayats. Under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, Panchayat Samiti is constituted at the block level. The Nawashahr District is divided into 5 Community Development Blocks. There is one Panchayat Samiti for each block. The number of the members of the Panchayat Samiti has been determined under Section 99 of Act3. The reservation of seats of panchayat samitis has been done under Section 102 of the Act of 19944.

             The Chairman and Vice-chairman are elected from amongst the elected members and their term of office is five years.  The main functions of panchayat samitis are: to provide for and make arrangements for carrying out the requirements of the area under its jurisdiction, in respect of the following matters, namely,  agriculture, land improvement and soil conservation, minor irrigation, water management and watershed development; fisheries;            poverty alleviation programme; animal husbandry, dairying and poultry; fisheries; khadi, village and cottage industries; rural housing; drinking water; social and farm forestry, minor forest produce, fuel and fodder; roads, building, bridges, ferries, water-ways and other means of communication; non-conventional energy sources; education including primary and secondary school, technical training and vocational education; adult and non-formal education; cultural activities; markets and fairs; health and family welfare; women and child development, social welfare including

 

3         99          (1)    Every Panchayat Samiti shall consists of :

 (a)   six to ten directly elected members from territorial constituencies in the Panchayat  Samiti area as may be determined under Section 100 of this Act and notified by the  State Government so far as practicable, having regard to the uniformity of population of  each constituency:

(b)   representatives of the Sarpanches directly elected by them from amongst the Sarpanches  of the Gram Panchayats in the Panchayat Samiti area;

            Provided that ratio of the representatives of the Sarpanches and that of the directly elected members shall be sixty: forty;

                          (c)  Members of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Punjab major portion of whose                                       constituency falls in the Panchayat Samiti area;

                          (d)  Members of the Legislative Council of the State of Punjab if any, who are registered                                                             as electors within the Panchayat Samiti area

(2)    The members of the Panchayat Samiti whether or not chosen by direct election   from territorial  constituencies in the Panchayat Samiti shall have the right to vote in   the  meetings of the Panchayat Samiti.

 

4      102            (1)    Seats shall be reserved for :

                           (a)   the Scheduled Castes; and

         (b)   the  Backward Classes;

      In every Panchayat Samiti and the number of seats so reserved for Scheduled Castes   shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be   filled by direct election in that Panchayat Samiti as the population of the Scheduled   Castes in that Panchayat Samiti area bears to the total population of that Panchayat   Samiti area and such seats may be allotted by the rotation to different constituencies in   a Panchayat Samiti.

                          (2)   Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved under sub- section(1)  shall   be reserved for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes.

     (3)  Not less than one-third(including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to             the Scheduled Castes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in             every Panchayat Samiti shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by             the  rotation to different constituencies in the Panchayat Samiti area.

(4)    One seat shall be reserved for Backward Classes in a Panchayat Samiti in which the   population of   Backward Classes is not less than twenty per cent of the total population   of the Panchayat Samiti area.

welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded; welfare of the weaker sections and in particular of the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes; maintenance of community assets; public distribution systems; rural electrification; cooperation; libraries and such other functions as may be entrusted by the State Government.

             The main sources of income of the panchayat samitis are: local rate, fees derived from schools and markets, fee from fairs and shows, rents and profits accruing from properties vested in it, and such money and grants which Government may place at their disposal.  Besides, each panchayat samiti can, with the permission of the Zila Parishad, impose any tax which the State Legislature has power to impose under the constitution.

 

               Zila Parished.- Prior to the formation of Zila Parishads in the State their functions were performed by District Boards. These were constituted and administered under the Punjab District Boards Act, 1883. The district boards used to attend to the development activities of the rural areas just as the municipal councils looked after the urban areas. District Board Jalandhar, formed on 13 June 1884 was replaced on 10 April 1962 by the Zila Parished, Jalandhar constituted under the Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads Act, 1961. Till November 1995 the area of the present Nawashahr District was under the jurisdiction of Zila Parishad Jalandhar and Hosiarpur, but from November 1995 it has started functioning as an independent office. The Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad Act, 1961 has been replaced by the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act 1994.

             The Zila Parishad, Nawashahr was constituted in November 1995, with its headquarters at Nawashahr after the formation of  the district on 7 November 1995, under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.  The composition of the Zila Parishad has been detailed under Section  162   of   the   Act   of   19945.   The  reservation of seats of Zila

 

5         162.          (I) Every Zila Parishad shall consist of-

(a)      the members directly elected from territorial constituencies in the district, each constituency electing one member;

(b)     all Chairmen of Panchayat Samities;

        (c) the members of the House of People and members of the State Legislative  Assembly representing a part or whole of the  district where major part of their  Lok  Sabha  Constituency or, as   the case may be, Assembly Constituency falls;

(d)   the members of the Council of States and the members of the State Legislative Council, if any who are registered as electors within the district;

(2)   All members of a Zila Parishad whether elected or not from territorial constituencies in the Zila Parishad area shall have the right to vote in the meetings of the Zila Parishad .

Parishad has been given in section 165 of the Act6. The Zila Parishad  is to perform the following functions, namely agriculture; irrigation, ground water resources and watershed development; horticulture; collection  and publication of statistics; rural electrification including distribution of electricity; distribution of essential commodities; soil conservation; marketing; social forestry; animal husbandry and dairying; minor forest produce and fuel and fodder; fisheries; household and small scale industries including food processing; rural roads; health hygiene; rural housing; education; social welfare and welfare  of weaker sections; poverty alleviation programmers; social reforms activities; verification of weights and measures in shopping establishments; and promotion of thrift and savings.

     The income of Zila Parishad, Nawashahr accrues from the Central and State Government funds allotted to it, grants for Jawahar Rojgar Yojna Scheme and Indira Awas Yojna Scheme, share of the State taxes, income from endowments and such contribution as the zila parishad may levy on the panchayat samities.

The income and expenditure of the Zila Parishad Nawashahr during 1997-98 to 2000-2001 is given hereunder:

                                                                                                (Rs in lakhs)

Year

Income

Expenditure

1997-98

2.49

2.39

1998-99

71.69

69.43

1999-2000

93.29

63.00

2000-2001

301.54

241.96

            (Statistical Abstracts of Punjab 1998 to 2001)

 

6     165        (1) Seats shall be reserved for-                          

    (a)    the Scheduled Castes; and

                      (b)    the Backward Classes;

                               In every Zila Parishad and the number of seats so reserved for the Scheduled Castes shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same proportion to the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in that Zila Parishad as  the population of the Scheduled Castes in that Zila Parishad area bears to the total population of that area and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Zila Parishad.

                (2)      Not less than one-third of the total number of seats reserved for the members of  the Scheduled Castes under sub-section(1) shall be reserved for women belonging  to the Scheduled Castes.

                (3)      Not  less than one-third (including the number of seats reserved for women   belonging  to the   Scheduled Castes) of the total number of seats to be filled by direct election in every Zila Parishad shall be reserved for women and such seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in a Zila Parishad

                (4)        One seat shall be reserved for Backward Classes in a Zila Parishad in which  the  population of Backward   Classes is not less than twenty per cent of the total population of the District.


                                               APPENDIX I                   (Vide page 323)

 

Income and Expenditure of Muncipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats in the Nawashahr District during 1997-98 to 2000-2001

 

                                                                                                                                                (Rs in thousand)

Name of the Municipal Council/Nagar Panchayat

Particulars

1997-98

1998-99

1999-2000

2000-2001

Banga

Income Expenditure

13,428 11,473

15,854 16,034

19,471 19,338

28,348 28,258

Nawashahr

Income Expenditure

20,224 19,585

23,297 22,117

28,759 27,197

43,183 40,078

Rahon

Income Expenditure

5,080 4,428

5,266 4,239

11,574 5,475

19,442 10,618

Balachaur

Income Expenditure

4,435 4,418

7,102 7,362

8,942 8,931

13,945 13,340

(Statistical Abstracts of Punjab 1998 to 2001)

                                                                       

                

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