India is a country with a rural environment, India is called an agricultural country, farmers live in their villages and do agriculture work on their fields. In case of a good crop, farmers earn their living by selling the extra crop in the market. This rural life is mostly based on monsoon, due to which farmers have to face a lot of loss many times.
Panchayati Raj has been arranged to create administrative access in rural areas and to deliver resources according to the wishes and needs of the villagers.
What is Gram Pradhan?
The Gram Pradhan or the head of the village is directly selected by each Gram Sabha as an administrative representative for the development and progress of that area at the rural level, who along with the Gram Vikas Adhikari, the smallest administrative unit of that area, plans and implements the village. He is the president of that Gram Panchayat and the Gram Pradhan has the right to take decisions in the interest of the village.
Panchayati Raj System
At the time of constitution making, in Article 40, the subject of Gram Panchayat was mentioned very briefly and it was left to the states. Due to this, Panchayati Raj System could not get constitutional status and hence it could be formed only on the wish of the states.
Committees
The Government of India formed several committees from time to time to implement Panchayat Raj in the right manner, which presented their reports to the government. These committees are as follows –
Recommendations of Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957)
Recommendations of Ashok Mehta Committee (1977)
P V K Rao Committee (1985)
Dr L M Singhvi Committee (1986)
Constitutional Status
In 1986, a committee was formed under the chairmanship of Dr L M Singhvi. This committee submitted its report on the basis of which the 73rd amendment was made in the Constitution. Panchayati Raj was given constitutional status on 24 April 1993. By the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, Part 9 and a new Schedule 11 were added to the Constitution. In this, provisions from 243A to 243O were made under Article 243.
Features of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment (73rd Features of the Constitution Amendment)
The features of the 73rd Constitution Amendment are as follows-
Gram Sabha
Formation of Panchayats
Election
Reservation
Qualifications of members
Transfer of subject
What is Gram Sabha?
A Gram Sabha is formed by combining a village or nearby villages with a population of 1000. The members of a Gram Sabha are all those villagers whose names are included in the voter list. All the officials elected by the members of the Gram Sabha are called Gram Panchayat. In a Gram Panchayat, a Pradhan and minimum 9 or maximum 15 ward members are elected.
What is Gram Pradhan?
The Head of Gram Sabha is elected by the people of the village. This happens under the Panchayati Raj system. A Gram Pradhan is elected on a population of 1000. He helps in solving the problems of the villagers in his area. It is a main link to deliver government facilities to the right person.
How to Become Gram Pradhan
To become a Gram Pradhan, you have to take interest in social work. You have to be with the villagers in their happiness and sorrow. You have to be in harmony with all the people of your area. You have to be popular in your area. When you feel that you have a good hold among the people, then you can become Gram Pradhan by contesting the Pradhan election.
Eligibility
To become a Gram Pradhan, it is mandatory for a person to live in the same Gram Panchayat, that is, his residence should be in the same Gram Panchayat. In the Legislative Assembly of some states, passing the eighth or tenth examination has been made mandatory to contest the Gram Pradhan election.
Under the Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill 2015, the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly had made it mandatory for the Sarpanch to pass class eight, but after the formation of the new government, it was made mandatory for the Sarpanch to pass class eight. Later this requirement was abolished.
The Haryana State Government has kept the minimum educational qualification for Gram Pradhan as passing class ten. For women candidates and candidates from scheduled castes, this qualification has been kept at eighth. In this way, from time to time, the state government keeps changing the qualification of Gram Pradhan.
Salary
The salary of Gram Pradhan is different in every state. In Uttar Pradesh, an order has been given to increase the salary of Gram Pradhan from Rs. 3500 to Rs. 5000. Apart from this, Rs. 15000 per month is given separately to the Gram Pradhan. This is paid in the form of travel allowance and other expenses.
How is the Gram Pradhan elected? (Gram Pradhan Election Process in Hindi)
The post of Gram Pradhan or Mukhiya is very important, the election of Gram Pradhan is held once every five years. The state government first gives approval for its election, after which the State Election Commission announces the election of Gram Pradhan. Along with the announcement, the code of conduct is also implemented. A time table is issued in this announcement, in which the date of filing nomination, withdrawal of name and voting is mentioned.
The person who wants to contest the election of Gram Pradhan can file the nomination till the prescribed date, after the date of withdrawal of name, the Election Officer allots an election symbol to each candidate.
The candidate, as per the rules of the code of conduct, campaigns in his area to vote for his election symbol. For this, he goes from street to street of the village and meets people and politely requests them to vote in his favor.
If the image of the candidate is good and he is always ready to help the people, then on the day of voting, all the voters of the village give their vote to him. The voter votes for the candidate according to his wish.
After the completion of voting, Counting of votes is done on the scheduled date. In this counting, the candidate who gets more votes is declared the winner. The election officer gives a certificate to the winning candidate.
Oath to the Gram Pradhan
The winning Gram Pradhan is sworn in by the presiding officer or the Gram Panchayat Secretary. Only after this oath can he take charge.
Work of the Gram Pradhan (Work of Sarpanch OR Mukhiya)
As a Gram Pradhan, the first priority of a person is to develop the village in all aspects.
The Gram Pradhan inspects the primary school and upper primary school of the village. If there is any problem in the school, then he solves that problem with the help of higher officials.
The main work of the Gram Pradhan is to provide the benefits of all government schemes to the eligible person in the village.
Solving the problems of road, electricity, water in the village. For this, representing the village before higher officials, he puts forth the problems of the village in detail.