CHAPTER XIV

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

(a) Evolution of Local Self Government in the district

Local Self-Government in the Fatehgarh Sahib District like other districts of the State consists of municipal councils, nagar panchayats, zila parishads, panchayat samities and panchayats. The origin of the local self-government in erstwhile Princely State of Patiala, to which this area of Fatehgarh Sahib District was a part, may be traced as the enactment of Patiala Small Town Act, Bikrami 1995 (AD 1938). The small town committees were established under the Act at Bassi Pathana in 1939 and at Amloh and Mandi Govindgarh in 1949. The small town committee at Sirhind was established before 1947. Local Self-Government in the Punjab is of two kinds; the urban local government and the rural local government. The major units of the urban local government are the municipal corporations/ councils, whereas minor ones are nagar panchayats. The main units of the rural local government are zila parishad, panchayat samities and gram panchayats. 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 designed to create harmonious co-ordination 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 first municipal elections in present area of Fatehgarh Sahib were held in 1952 and the municipal committees became independent local bodies.

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 centers for the representatives who have been elected by town/city or village in providing primary political leadership and for social service.

Historical Retrospect.- The most of the area of the present Fatehgarh Sahib District was part of erstwhile Princely States of Patiala and Nabha. The erstwhile Patiala State had its own Local Self Government Department. The local bodies of the State functioned under this department. Except Patiala municipality, all other local bodies were declared as small town committees. Officials and non-officials were nominated as members. Tahsildars and Naib-Tahsildars were nominated as President of the committees. Thus, before the constitution of municipal committees in the present area of the Fatehgarh Sahib District in the first half of the 20^th century, the functions of the local bodies were performed by the Government Department of the erstwhile Princely State.

The history of local self government in India dates back to the Vedic Age. Effective organizations and institutions, such as panchayats of olden days were like the present local bodies. Though the existence of the elected city councils in ancient India cannot be denied, yet there is no doubt that the foundation of the modern system of municipal government in India was laid by the British, particularly after the transfer of power from the East India company to the Crown. As in other parts of India already under the British rule the administration of local services and affairs was entrusted to bureaucratic district administration established in Punjab, after it came under the British rule. Later on, however, it was decided by the Britishers to decentralize the administration gradually and this process of decentralization began to result in the establishment of a new political administrative organization, called municipal bodies, side by side with the existing district administration, in few towns. The beginning of municipal administration in the district, in the modern sense could be traced to the ‘fourth decade of’ the twentieth century. Prior to the formation of PEPSU in 1948, the most of the area included in the present Fatehgarh Sahib District was mainly under the territorial jurisdiction of Princely States of Patiala and Nabha. Before the information of PEPSU, however, the growth of local bodies in the present area of Fatehgarh Sahib District was very slow. During the Princely rule, the local bodies could not levy taxes and they were devoid of any autonomy. Moreover, the rulers wanted to keep full control over the working of these bodies. The growth of these bodies has been speeded up with appreciable progress after attainment of Independence.

Until the Independence, the changes introduced in the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, by a series of amending Acts were relatively of a minor character. After the Independence, the Act was amended to provide for wholly effective municipal committees with democratically elected presidents. A provision was also made for the appointment of official advisors who were entitled to participate in the deliberations of the municipal committees but without right to vote. New election rules were framed to provide for elections on the basis of universal adult franchise. 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 problem 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 a 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 Authorities Laws (Exercise of Powers) Act, 1953, provided for the performance of the functions of the commissioner under all local government enactments by the State Government and the Deputy Commissioner.

The Punjab Municipal (Second Amendment) Act, 1954, repealed the Punjab Small Towns Act, 1922 and converted town committee in its report, 1957, recommended enlargement of autonomy of 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 the enlargement of autonomy of municipal bodies to the maximum extent, compatible with the imperative needs of continuity, efficiency and integrity in municipal administration.

The function of the municipal committees in the area of the present Fatehgarh District. Prior to the merger of PEPSU with Punjab in Novermber,1956.The functioning of the municipal committees in the area of present Fatehgarh Sahib District was governed by the Patiala Small Town Act, On the integration of PEPSU with Punjab, the provisions of Punjab Municipal Act, 1911, were extended to the PEPSU area and hence also to Patiala District of which Fatehgarh Sahib was a part. Since 1955, the small committees constituted in the Punjab area had acquired the status of Class III municipal committees. On the merger of PEPSU, with Punjab the small town area committees of these areas also acquired the status of Class III municipalities. All enactments relating to the municipal administration in Punjab State became applicable to the municipalities falling in the area of present Fatehgarh Sahib district. The reservation has been provided for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes in the services of municipal committees under the Punjab Municipal Amendment Act, 1956.

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. Earlier, the term of the office of Commissioners in the State was three years. Which was extended to five years in 1973. The Government of India meanwhile passed the constitution Seventy fourth (Amendment) Act of 1992, to strengthen the institution of municipalities by (i) constituting an Election Commission for the State for timely holding the elections municipalities, (ii) establishing a Finance Commission (iii) providing reservations to various classes of the people, etc. The Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 has been amended through Punjab Act No. 11 of 1994 to bring it in confronting with the provisions of the Constitution Amendment Act, 1992.

(b) Organisation and Structure

Functions and Duties of Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayat

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 landuse 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.

There were 5 municipalities viz. Bassi Pathana, Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib, Amloh, Mandi Govindgarh and Khamano as on 31 March 2001 in Fatehgarh Sahib District. Out of these, Mandi Gobindgarh was Class I, Sirhind Fatehgarh Sahib and Bassi Pathana Class II, Amloh was Class III municipal council whereas Khamano was nagar panchayat. The source of income of the municipal council, nagar panchayats, include octroi, house tax, water and sewerage tax, tehbazari, license fee, building fee, professional tax, rent from municipal property, etc. The details regarding income and expenditure during the years 1992-93 and 1996-97 to 2000-2001 are given in Appendix I at page-.

A brief account of the evolution of each municipal council in the district is given below :

Municipal Council, Amloh

Municipal Council Amloh was constituted in 1949 as a small town committee .Now it is a class III Municipal Council. According to 2001 Census, the area of the town within the municipal limit was 2.69 sq. km and its population was 12,689 persons. During 2000-2001, it had 14 non-official members. It also maintains 16 Km of roads.

The civic amenities provided by the municipality include water supply, sewerage system, draining of water, park and street lighting. As on 31 March 2001, the municipal council provided 351 street light points.

Nagar Panchayat, Khamano

Nagar Panchayat, Khamano was constituted in 1997. It had 11 members. According to the 2001 Census the population of this Nagar Panchayat was 8,842. The area of the town within the nagar panchyat limit was 9.20 km. It also maintains 10 km roads within the nagar panchyat limit. The civic amenities provided by the nagar panchyat include water supply, street lighting and one park.

Municipal Council, Bassi Pathana

This is the oldest municipality in the area of present Fatehgarh Sahib District which was constituted as a Small Town Committee in 1939. It was reconstituted as a Class II municipality in 1955 under the provisions of new Act, it is now Class III municipal council. It had 10 members. The civic amenities provided by the municipal council include water supply roads, drains, street lighting and cleanliness of the town. It maintains 12 km roads within the municipal limit.The area of the town within the municipal limit was 3.89 sq. km. The population of the town according to 2001 Census was 19,058 persons.

Municipal Council Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib

A Small Town Committee was constituted at Sirhind a little before 1947. It was upgraded to the status of Class II municipality on 7 September 1956. Fatehgarh Sahib has been made the headquarter of newly formed District of Fatehgarh Sahib on 13 April 1992. Keeping in view the importance of the place, the status of Fatehgarh Sahib village was raised to a town on 23 December 1996 by forming a Nagar Panchayat there. The towns of Sirhind and Fatehgarh Sahib were so intermingeld that it is very difficult to recognize their separate identity. To solve this problem both the council and nagar panchayat were merged into one on 8 April 1998¹and now it is known as Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib Municipal Council.

As per 2001 census, the area of the municipal council was 11.50 sq. km, with a population of 79,825 persons. It had 28 members during 2000-2001 The civic amenities provided by the municipal council include cleanliness of the town, sewerage water supply, street light points , maintenance of roads, etc. Upto 31 March 2001, municipal council Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib issued 3,330 water supply connections and 492 sewerage connections in the area under its jurisdiction. It maintained 46 km of roads and 1,890 street light points.

Municipal Council Mandi Gobindgarh

It was constituted in 1949. It had 20 members during 2000-2001. It is Class I municipal council. According to 2001 Census, the area of the town within the municipal limit was 9 sq. km and its population was 55,403 persons. It had 20 non-official members.

The civic amenities provided by this municipal council

include water supply, street lights, arrangement for water supply sewerage system and cleanliness of the town. Hand pumps have been installed wherever necessary, surface drains exists, sullage water is disposed of through disposal works at various points. It maintains 106 km roads within the municipal limits. It also maintains 3,400 street light points, beautiful garden and a number of park.

(c) Town and Country Planning and Housing

Town planning in modern sense means the planned development of various towns and villages of the district. Most of the towns and villages of Fatehgarh Sahib District presently haphazard and ill-planned development while newly developed areas of some towns like Fatehgarh-Sirhind, Mandi Govindgarh and Bassi Pathana in this district present signs of town planning.

1 Vide Notification No.10/39/97-52GIII/3663,dated 8 April 1998

The office of the District Town Planner, Fatehgarh Sahib came into existence in July 1995. The District Town planner, Fatehgarh Sahib works under the administrative control of the Divisional Town Planner, S.A.S. Nagar Mohali. The District Town Planner is responsible for initiating programmes of the city development controlling and organizing urban development. The office prepares master plan for towns as well as for other areas, which serve as a blue print for future development. Besides, he prepares the layout plans for various schemes, viz. town planning schemes for the municipal councils for urban estates and for industrial areas and industrial development colonies and rehabilitation colonies and development schemes for the improvement trusts.

The work of the Town Planning Department is divided in two sectors namely; urban sector and rural sector. In the urban sector the activities of the department include preparation of master plans for important cities and towns and places of historical/religious/tourist development preparation of Integrated Urban Development Projects for major cities, preparation of layout plans and schemes of Improvement Trusts and municipal councils. In the rural sector, 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 selected villages under the Integrated Rural Development Programme (now SwarnJyanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna). This office under the directions of the Government has prepared the master plans for the towns namely, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sirhind and Gobindgarh to control the growth of the towns in a planned manner. Basically, this office renders technical advice to the municipal councils to control the haphazard development and to coordinate with them in the preparation and implementation of development work. Town Planning schemes are prepared under section 192 of the Punjab Municipal Act,1911 and development schemes are prepared under section 192 of the Punjab Municipal Act,1911. This office under the directions of the Punjab Government has prepared the layout plans for the 19 focal points in the Fatehgarh Sahib District. The Sirhind-Fatehgarh Sahib town has been selected by the Central Government for its development under the scheme viz. Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns. In Mandi Gobindgarh five town planning schemes were sanctioned i.e. Town Planning Scheme No.1 which covers an area of 43.77 acres, Town Planning Scheme No. 2 covers an area of 25.38 acres, Town Planning Scheme No.3 covers an area of 50.00 acres, Town Planning Scheme No. 4 covers an area of 15.92 acres and Town Planning Scheme No. 5 covers an area of 64.89 acres. 3 Town Planning Schemes has been prepared Bassi Pathana i.e. Town Planning Scheme No. 1 covers an area of 13.38 acres, Town Planning Scheme No.2 covers an area of 4.09 acres and Town Planning Scheme No. 3 covers an area of 5.52 acres. Town Planmning Schems has also been prepared for Sirhind and Amloh.

(d) Panchayati Raj

The Panchayats have existed in the villages from ancient times though such panchayats were not established under any law. The heads of various communities were member of such panchayats. The British regime did a great harm to this institution with a centralized bureaucratic system of administration. After the Independence it was strongly felt that the panchayats must be revived. Mahatma Gandhi also drew pointed attention to this basic necessity. Accordingly the organization of village panchayats was made one of the Directive Principles of the State Policy in the Constitution of India. The Punjab Gram Panchayats Act, 1952 and the Punjab Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishad Act, 1961 as amended to date form the basis of institution of Panchayati Raj in the State. The Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 introduced a change in composition, election, etc. in the institution of Panchayati Raj. The Panchayati Raj is a three-tier system of administrtion for the development of rural area with the Gram Panchayat at the village level, the Panchayat Samities at the block level and Zila parishad at the district level. As the economic uplift of the community can not be entrusted to any other organization than the one represented by the village people themselves, the role of the Panchayati Raj institution in rebuilding of the rural India becomes inevitably important.

The three-tier system of Panchayati Raj the Gram Panchayats, the Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad are described below:

Gram Panchayats.- In the erstwhile Princely State of Patiala Panchayati Raj system was introduced in 1912. Eighteen centers of panchayats were formed with local Lambardars and other influential villagers as the members. On the formation of PEPSU in 1948, PEPSU Panchayati Raj Act was passed in 1951. Under this Act, niaya panchayats were constituted separately for a group of 5 to 6 villages. On the merger of PEPSU with Punjab in November 1956, the provisions of the Punjab Gram Panchayat Act, 1952 became applicable to the panchayats of this district also. The PEPSU Panchayati Raj Act, 1952 was repealed by the Gram Panchayat Act 1951 which was amended in 1960. Under the Act, a gram sabha may be constituted for any village or group of contiguous villages with a population of not less than 500 and a gram panchayat is elected for the gram sabha area and not for each village. The Government of course, has the power to relax the restriction . Every male or female who is entered as a voter on the electoral role of the State Vidhan Sabha is a member of the Gram Sabha. The members of the Gram Sabha elect the members of the panchayats from amongst themselves. If no women is elected as a panch, the women candidate securing the highest number of votes amongst the women candidates in that election is co-opted by the panchayat as a panch, and where no such woman candidate is available, two women are co-opted as panches by the competent authority. Similarly, it has been provided that every panchayat shall have one or two members of the Scheduled Castes depending upon the ratio of their population in the village.

The number of panches and the mode of election of sarpanch of a panchayat has been changing from time to time. In 1960, a Gram Sabha could elect 5 to 9 panches including the sarpanch and a lady panch. In 1971, the number of panches was raised from 5 to 11, but the mode of election of sarpanch was made indirect, i.e. the panches of the panchayat were to elect the sarpanch from amongst themselves. In 1972, the election of the sarpanch was again made direct, i.e. the members of the gram sabha were to elect the sarpanch in addition to electing the panches, the number of panches remaining the same. The election of sarpanch was again made indirect in 1978 with no change as to the number of panches. From 1982, the election of sarpanch has again made direct without altering the total number of panches.

Whereas it is expedient to replace the present enactments by a comprehensive new enactment to establish a three tier Panchayati Raj System in the State of Punjab with elected bodies of the Village, Block and District levels in keeping with the provisions of the constitution (Seventy Third Amendment) Act,1992 for greater participation of the people and more effective implementation of rural development and Panchayati Raj System.

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.

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

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 422 panchayats with 2,640 elected members in the Fatehgarh Sahib District (including 926 Harijans and 961 ladies, Out of these 422 panchayats, 133 panchayats were having

2 11 (1) The offices of panches shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes in such a way that the number 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 Panchayat 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.

Harijans Sarpanches and 139 panchayats were having ladies Sarpanches during the same year. The election of these panchayats were held in 1998. The election of 7 panchayats were held unanimously.

The main functions of 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 source of income of the panchayats are; grant-in-aid from government, grant-in-aid from local bodies, a percentage of land revenue collection, donation, taxes, duties, cesses and fees, 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 Fatehgarh Sahib District, during 1992-93 ,1995-96 to 2000-2001 is given below:

(In rupees)

Year Grants from Voluntary House Tax Other Sources Total

Government Contributions

_______________________________________________________________________________________

1992-93 22593040 124403 3561760 26279203

1995-96 23808326 10000 126463 2533986 26478775

1996-97 13880900 35750 177681 1939854 16034186

1997-98 14272516 19670 169043 1903710 16364939

1998-99 22738154 22500 128565 4730298 27619517

1999-2000 24691194 12500 127710 67706140 92537544

2000-2001 32594200 10200 176986 6019583 38800969

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

Panchayat Samitis.- Under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, Panchayat Samiti is constituted at the block level. The Fatehgarh Sahib 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 provisions of the Punjab Panchayat Samities and Zila Parishad Act, 1961 which are the basis of evolution of development of blocks in the constitution of Panchayat Samities are also applicable to Fatehgarh Sahib District as it was an integral part of Patiala, Ludhiana and Rupnagar District till the date of its formation. The three-tier system viz. Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats is also prevailed in this part of the district earlier to its formation. 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;

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 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.

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 welfare of the handicapped and mental 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 Parishad.- 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.

The Zila Parishad, Fatehgarh Sahib was constituted on 6 June 1992, with its headquarters at Fatehgarh Sahib after the formation of this district on 13 April 1992, under the Punjab Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad Act, 1961. This act has been replaced by 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

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 of 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 .

seats of Zila 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; 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 programmes; social reforms activities; verification of weights and measures in shopping establishments; and promotion of thrift and savings.

The income of Zila Parishad, Fatehgarh Sahib 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 of Zila Parishad Fatehgarh Sahib District during the years 1992-93 and 1996-97 to 2000-2001 is given below:

(Rs)

Year	Income	Expenditure
1992-93	..	1,72,376
1996-97	4995.00	15,44,209
1997-98	1,865.00	12,13,957
1998-99	5,857.00	16,38,049
1999-2000	3,662.00	17,12,059
2000-2001	1,831.00	19,23,478

(Source: Deputy Chief Executive Officer Zila Parishad, Fatehgarh Sahib District)

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.