Rural Development Schemes and Panchayati Raj
This domain tests the constitutional and legal framework of rural local government and the schemes delivered through it. Expect questions on the 73rd Amendment, Gram Sabha powers, reservations, finance and flagship rural programmes.
Core rules
- The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 inserted Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule (29 subjects); it came into force in 1993.
- Three tiers: Gram Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at block level, Zilla Parishad at district level. The Gram Sabha consists of all registered voters in a village panchayat area.
- Reservations: seats for SC/ST in proportion to population; not less than one-third for women nationally; Maharashtra provides 50% for women in panchayats.
- State Election Commission conducts panchayat elections; State Finance Commission reviews panchayat finances.
- Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1958 governs village panchayats; PESA, 1996 extends special powers to Scheduled Areas.
- MGNREGA, 2005 guarantees 100 days of unskilled wage employment per rural household; Gram Panchayat plays a central role in planning and implementation.
Worked example
Question: “Who approves the annual plan and social audit of works under MGNREGA at village level?” Reason: the Gram Sabha is the village assembly of all voters, while the Gram Panchayat is the elected executive. The Gram Sabha approves the shelf of works and reviews the social audit; the Gram Panchayat prepares and implements. Confusing the two is the usual error.
Traps
- Treating Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat as the same body.
- Confusing the 73rd Amendment (rural) with the 74th (urban).
- Mixing MGNREGA with PMGSY or PMAY-G.
- Forgetting that panchayat elections are conducted by the State Election Commission, not the Election Commission of India.
- Assuming all panchayats have identical reservation rules; Scheduled Areas differ.