Chapter VII Functions of Panchayats

Section 75 (A) Functions of Gram Panchayat - subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Government from time to time, the Gram Panchayat shall perform the functions specified below: (1) General functions (i) (ii) (iii) Preparation of annual plans for development of the Panchayat area; Preparation of annual budget; Organizing voluntary labour and voluntary contribution for community works; (iv) (v) (vi) (2) Removal of encroachments on public properties; Undertaking relief work during natural calamities; Maintenance of essential statistics of villages.

Agriculture, including Agriculture Extension (i) (ii) (iii) Execution of plans for development of agriculture and horticulture; Execution of plans for reclamation of wasteland; Development and maintenance of grazing lands and preventing their un authorized alienation and use.

(3)

Cooperation with Government and the Panchayat Samiti in land development, land reclamation and land conservation works.

(4)

Implementation of minor irrigation, water management and water coverage development plans.

(5)

Animal husbandry, dairy farming and poultry (i) Implementation of schemes for improvement of breed of cattle, poultry and other livestock ; (ii) Implementation of the Scheme for promotion of dairy forming, poultry and piggery.

(6)

Fisheries - Implementation of scheme for development of fisheries in villages,

(7)

Social and farm forestry (i) Plantation and preservation of trees on the sides of roads and other public lands under its control ; (ii) (iii) Implementation of social and farm forestry schemes ; Plantation for fuel and implementation of schemes for fodder development. (iv) Carrying out of programme for development and promotion of sericulture.

(8)

Minor forest produce (i) Providing for collection, processing, storage and marketing of minor forest produce.

(9)

Khadi, Village and cottage industries (i) Implementation of schemes for development of village and cottage industries ; (ii) Making schemes for development of agricultural and commercial industries and implementing them; (iii) Organising awareness camps, seminars and training programmes, agricultural and industrial exhibitions for benefit of rural areas.

(10)

Rural Housing (i) (ii) (iii) Implementation of rural housing schemes ; Distribution of house - sites within its jurisdiction; Maintenance of records relating to building sites and other private and public properties.

(11)

Drinking water facilities (i) Construction, repair and maintenance of public wells, ponds and hand - pumps for drinking water, washing clothes and bathing; (ii) (iii) (iv) Taking measures for prevention and control of water pollution ; Conducting and maintaining rural water supply scheme ; Management of water sources .

(12)

Roads, buildings, bridges, culverts, water ways and other means of communication (i) Construction and maintenance of rural roads, drains and bridges culverts. (ii) Maintenance of the building under its control or transferred by the Government or any public Authority. (iii) Maintenance of boats, ferries and water - ways.

(13)

Rural Electrification (i) Provision for and maintenance of lighting public streets and other places ; (ii) Helping rural electrification .

(14)

Non - conventional energy source (i) Promotion and development of non- conventional energy - sources;

(ii)

Maintenance of community non - conventional energy sources including bio - gas plants ;

(iii)

Propagation and publicity of improved ovens and other energy means.

(15)

Poverty alleviation programme (i) Promotion of public awareness and participation in poverty alleviation programmes for full employment and creation of productive assets; (ii) Selection of beneficiaries under various programmes through Gram Sabhas; (iii) Ensuring effective implementation and monitoring of schemes.

(16)

Education, including primary and secondary schools (i) Promotion of public awareness and participation in primary and secondary education; (ii) Ensuring full enrollment and attendance in primary schools and their management; (iii) (iv) Providing for education guarantee; Management of secondary schools.

(17)

Adult and non - formal education carrying out of programmes for promotion of adult literacy.

(18)

Technical training and professional education Village arts and selection and training of artisans.

(19) (20)

Establishment and maintenance of libraries and reading rooms. Sports and cultural activities -

(i)

Encouragement of sports and cultural activities, and establishment and maintenance of village clubs;

(ii) (21)

Arranging cultural seminars.

Markets and fairs Management of fairs (including cattle fair), markets and haats in Panchayat area.

(22)

Hygiene and Sanitation (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) Promotion of village sanitation. Cleaning of public streets, ponds, wells and roads; Construction and maintenance of public latrines; Management and control of bathing and washing ghats; Vaccination; Prevention and remedial measures against epidemics; Maintenance and regulation of burning and burial grounds;

(viii) Disposal of unclaimed corpses and carcasses; (ix) (23) Preventive measures against stray animals.

Welfare of weaker sections and in particular the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (i) Implementation of specific programmes for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and weaker sections of the society; (ii) Programmes against exploitation of and injustice to weaker sections of the society.

(24)

Health and family welfare (i) Management of health and family welfare programmes;

(ii) (iii) (25)

Measures for prevention and control of mal nutrition; Encouraging small family norm.

Social welfare and social security including women welfare (i) Making and implementing schemes for mentally and physically handicapped persons; (ii) (iii) Provision of pension for the old, the disabled and the destitute; Specific programmes for social development of women and children.

(26)

Maintenance and preservation of community assets (i) Specific provision for community assets created by the Government, local authority and other agencies and arrangements for their proper use; and (ii) Encouraging people's participation in this.

(27)

Public distribution system (i) Arousing social consciousness regarding distribution of essential commodities; (ii) Management of public distribution system and constant supervision for making it efficient and transparent.

(28) (29)

Management of Child Development Programme. Enlarging Cooperative activities (i) Management of cooperative - based agriculture, dairy, pisciculture and forest and environment programmes; (ii) Encouragement to cooperative - based handicraft, handloom, tasar, lac and Malwari production. (iii) Development of Cooperative marketing system.

(30)

Encouraging the common people towards saving and promoting collective saving system.

(31)

Organising self-help groups and activating villagers towards a self dependant village.

(32)

Maintenance of records of birth, death, marriage etc. and arousing awareness in people to register birth and death.

(33)

Others (i) Substantial provision to meet unforeseen situation or natural calamity; (ii) (iii) (iv) Provision for casual medical aid to the poorest and cremation of the destitute; Cooperation in affairs of national interest such as cooperating in census, collection of desirable information; To do work as specified by the State Government, Zila Parishad, Panchayat Samiti;

(B)

Additional functions of Gram Panchayat in Scheduled Area Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by this Act, a Gram Panchayat, in the scheduled area, subject to the support, control and instruction of the Gram Sabha, shall have the following powers:1. To manage the village market, fairs including cattle fair, by any name whatever the same be known; 2. To have control over the sources and expenditure of the local scheme including the tribal sub scheme; and 3. To exercise such other powers and discharge such functions as the State Government may endow or entrust it under any law in force for the time being.

(C)

The functions of the Gram Panchayat mentioned in sub-section (A) and (B) of section (75) shall not affect the other Acts/ Rules of the Government in force for the time being, nor their jurisdiction.

(D)

The government may delegate powers by varying the Acts/ Rules in force for the time being relating to the functions of the Gram Panchayat or its additional functions mentioned in sub-section (A) and (B) of section (75) after due deliberation.

Section 76 (A) Functions of Panchayat Samiti Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Government from time to time, as far as in keeping with the Panchayat Samiti Fund, the Panchayat Samiti follows :(i) It shall make schemes for its balanced uplift and for ensuring their implementation in the following fields :(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) Integrated rural development; Integrated agriculture development; Integrated social forestry; Integrated animal husbandry and pisciculture; Integrated health and sanitation; Integrated education and adult education; Integrated cooperative; Integrated village and cottage industry; Integrated welfare (women, children, weaker section the disabled and destitute); shall perform in its area the functions enumerated as

(j) (k) (l) (m) (ii)

Integrated employment programme; Integrated recreation and sports; Integrated road and building construction; Integrated minor irrigation.

General Work (a) Preparation of the Annual Plans for development of the Panchayat Samiti area and submission thereof to the Zila Parishad for inclusion in the District Plan; (b) (c) Preparation of annual budget of the Panchayat Samiti; Preparation of plans for relief work during natural calamities and their implementation; (d) Maintenance of essential statistics;

(iii)

Agriculture, including extension of agriculture (a) Development and promotion of agriculture and horticulture (gardening); (b) Maintenance of Agricultural Seed farms and Horticultural Nurseries; (c) (d) Storage and distribution of insecticides and pesticides; Encouraging dry farming and marketing of vegetables, frutis and flowers; (e) Management of activities regarding training to farmers and their extension; (f) Integrated management of waste lands;

(g)

Development and maintenance of grazing grounds and preparation of integrated plans for prevention of their unauthorized alienation and use, and supervision of the affairs of Gram Panchayats.

(iv)

Assistance to the Government and the Zila Parishad in land development, land reclamation and land conservation.

(v)

Development of minor irrigation, water management and water shed as well as drainage of slanting water (a) Assistance to Government and Zila Parishad in providing minor irrigation works; (b) Preparation of integrated plan for community and private minor irrigation and ensuring implementation thereof.

(vi)

Animal husbandry, Dairy and Poultry (a) (b) Maintenance of animal husbandry and veterinary services; Causing execution of keeping supervision over integrated plan for improved breeding of domestic cattle, poultry and other live stock; (c) (d) Promotion of Dairy, Poultry and Piggery etc; Prevention and control of epidemics and contagious diseases.

(vii)

Pisciculture (a) (b) Integrated development of fisheries in villages; Promoting marketing facilities.

(viii) Social and farm forestry and minor forest produce (a) Preparation of an integrated plan for plantation and preservation of trees on the sides of roads and other public

lands under its control, and for their preservation, implementation thereof and constant supervision; (b) Integrated development and promotion of social and farm forestry and sericulture; (c) Plantation for fuel and fodder development programme and extensive publicity and propagation for environment

preservation; (d) Integrated management and supervision of collection, storage, processing and marketing management of minor forest products; (ix) Khadi, village and cottage industry (a) Aiding and encouraging development of village and cottage industries; (b) Aiding development of agricultural and commercial

industries; (c) Arranging at Panchayat Samiti level agricultural and industrial exhibitions along with awareness camps, seminars and training programmes for benefit of rural areas. (x) Rural Housing (a) Ensuring supervision and balanced development of rural housing programmes; (b) ensuring supervision and balanced distribution of building sites within its jurisdiction; (c) Ensuring maintenance of records concerning houses, sites and other private and public properties. (xi) Drinking water facility -

(a) (b)

Control and prevention of water pollution; Integrated provision for rural water supply schemes, their repairs and maintenance;

(c) (xii)

Integrated management of drinking water sources.

Roads, buildings, bridges and culverts, water - ways and other means of communication (a) Ensuring construction and maintenance of village roads, drains and bridges culverts benefiting two or more than two villages within its jurisdiction. (b) Preservation of buildings under its control or those transferred by the Government or any Public Authority; (c) Helping integrated development of boats, ferries and water ways.

(xiii) Rural electrification (a) Helping Gram Panchayats in providing light at public streets and other places and in its maintenance; (b) Helping rural electrification.

(xiv) Non - conventional sources of energy (a) Endeavouring for integrated promotion and development of non - conventional energy schemes; (b) Development and extension of community non - conventional energy sources including bio - gas plants; (c) Extensive publicity and circulation of improved ovens and other programmes of energy sources. (xv) Poverty alleviation programme -

(a)

Preparation of plans for full employment and creation of productive assets et al and taking action with respect to their implementation;

(b)

Cooperation in effective implementation and monitoring.

(xvi) education including Primary and Secondary Schools (a) Development of infrastructure for primary, secondary and high school education. (b) Taking necessary steps relating to education - guarantee after preparing a plan therefore. (xvii) Adult and non formal education (a) Execution of integrated plan for hike in adult literacy.

(xviii) Technical training and professional education. (a) Encouraging village arts and artisans.

(xix) Helping libraries for their development. (xx) Sports and cultural activities (a) Encouraging sports and cultural activities and assistance to establishment of village - clubs; (b) Arranging for cultural seminars at Panchayat Samiti level.

(xxi) Hygiene and Sanitation (a) Helping and guiding Gram Panchayats by making an integrated plan for encouraging village sanitation, for cleanliness of public streets, ponds, wells and roads, for construction and maintenance of public lavatories, for management and control of bathing and washing ghats, for vaccination, for prevention and control of epidemics, for

preservation and operation of burning and burial grounds, for disposal of unclaimed corpses and carcasses, for preventive measures against stray animals. (xxii) Welfare of weaker sections, particularly scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (a) Preparation of an integrated plan and ensuring

implementation thereof in respect of specific programmes for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and weaker sections of the society; (b) Preparation of an integrated plan and ensuring

implementation thereof, in respect of programmes against exploitation of and injustice to weaker sections of the society; (c) Ensuring strict compliance of directions and orders issued regarding prevention of untouchability. (xxiii) Health and family welfare (a) Integrated extension of health and family welfare

programmes; (b) Integrated measures for prevention and control of mal nutrition; (c) Carrying out of extensive programmes for encouraging small family norm. (xxiv) Social welfare and social security including women's welfare (a) Preparation and implementation of an integrated plan for welfare of the people mentally and physically retarded; (b) Helping Gram Panchayats in providing pension to the old, the disabled and the destitute;

(c)

Management of an specific integrated programme for social development of women and children.

(xxv) Preservation and maintenance of community assets (a) Specific provision for community assets created by the Government, local authority and other agencies and ensuring measures for their proper use; (b) Awarding incentive amounts to the Gram Panchayats successful in this regard with the object of encouraging people's participation in this behalf. (xxvi) Public distribution system (a) Ensuring distribution of essential commodities as per rules and ensuring identification and evaluation of persons living below the poverty line, constantly in this regard; (b) Constant supervision for making the Public Distribution System efficient and transparent. (xxvii) Supervision of Child Development Programme and helping and guiding Gram Panchayats in this programme and preparing a programme for integrated development and getting the same implemented. (xxviii) Enlarging cooperative activities (a) Management of an integrated programme as to cooperative based agriculture, dairy, pisciculture and forestation & environment programmes; (b) Preparing an integrated plan for encouraging cooperative based -handicraft, handloom, Tasar, lac and Malwari

production and cause its implementation;

(c) (xxix)

to help developing a cooperative marketing system.

To encourage the common people to savings and to help the Gram Panchayat develop a group saving scheme.

(xxx)

Help to Gram Panchayats for Organising self - help groups and for activating the villagers towards a self dependant village.

(xxxi)

Maintenance of records of birth, death, marriage etc. and arousing awareness in people for registration of births and deaths and helping Gram Panchayats in this behalf.

(xxxii) Others (a) Substantial provision to deal with an unforeseen situation or natural calamity; (b) Casual medical aid to the poorest and help to Gram Panchayats in arranging cremation of the destitute. (c) Cooperation in affairs of national interest such as cooperating in census, collection of desirable information; (d) Preparation of annual plans for economic growth and social justice of the district and ensuring implementation of such plans by the Panchayats; (e) Preparation of annual plan respecting the plans entrusted to it by any law as well as respecting the plans entrusted to it by the Central Government or the State Government. (f) Coordination, evaluation, persuasion of activities of the Gram Panchayats and to guide them; (g) Ensuring thorough supervision, coordination and integration of the plans prepared by the Gram Panchayats.

(h)

Ensuring implementation of the plans entrusted to it by any law as well as of the plans entrusted to it by the Central Government or the State Government;

(i)

Ensuring execution of functions, programmes, plans and projects transferred or delegated to it by the Central Government or the State Government;

(j)

Re-allocation of the funds made available by the Central or State Government in respect of the functions, programmes, plans and projects transferred or delegated to it by them, to the Gram Panchayats according to the criteria fixed by the Central or State Government;

(k)

To coordinate and forward to the Zila Parishad the resolutions for grants for some specific purpose received from the Gram Panchayats;

(l)

Ensuring execution of such plans, such projects and such other works as belong to two or more Gram Panchayats jointly;

(m)

To make all out efforts to have resources by exercise of the powers endowed to it by any law or by the Central or State Government;

(n)

To advise the Zila Parishad about activities related with development, preservation of environment, social forestry, family welfare and welfare of weaker sections, destitute, women, youths and children;

(o)

The Panchayat Samitis shall control and supervise the administration within their jurisdiction; and the functions conferred on and the plans entrusted to the Blocks by the

State Government shall be executed under supervision, guidance and control of the Panchayat Samitis according to such directions as the State Government may from time to time give; (p) To take all necessary measures, in exercise of the powers endowed to it by any law or by the Central or State Government, for raising resources; (q) To exercise such other powers and to discharge such other functions as may from time to time be conferred on or entrusted to it by the State Government; (r) (s) Maintenance of essential statistics; To take up regional plans and development plans for basic amenities within the Panchayat Samiti; (t) Preparation of plans for basic civil amenities and their management; (u) Implementation, execution and supervision of the schemes and construction works within Gram Panchayats; (v) Control and persuation of the specific plans prepared for the beneficiaries; (w) Rise voluntary labour and community - ownership sense pertaining to community work; (x) Ensuring execution of schemes, projects and programmes entrusted by the Central or State Government or the Zila Parishad or the Panchayat Samiti; (y) Control over the personnel posted within the Gram Panchayat area;

(z)

Letting of minor water bodies for pisciculture and other commercial purposes.

(B)

Additional powers of Panchayat Samiti in scheduled area Without prejudice to the generality of the powers endowed by this Act, a

Panchayat Samiti in any of the scheduled areas shall have the following powers :1. Preparing a plan for minor reservoirs belonging up to a specified water area, owning and managing the same; 2. Controlling the organisations and works transferred to them in all social fields; 3. Control over the local plan, in which the tribal sub - plan, its sources and expenditure are included; and 4. Exercising such other powers and performing such other functions as the State Government may, under any law for the time being in force, confer on it or vest in it; 5. The functions of the Panchayat Samiti mentioned in sub-sections (A) and (B) of section (76) shall not affect the other enactments/rules of the government for the time being in force, and their jurisdiction; 6. The Government may delegate powers by bringing about changes, after due deliberation, in the enactment rules in force for the time being as regard the functions of the Panchayat Samiti or its additional functions mentioned in sub - section (A) and (B) of section (76). Section 77 (A) Functions of Zila Parishad Subject to such conditions as my be prescribed by the Government from time to time, the Zila Parishad shall perform the following functions: (i) General Functions -

(a)

Preparing annual plans for economic development and social justice of the district and ensuring coordinated execution thereof;

(b)

Preparing annual plans for the schemes entrusted to it by any law and for the schemes entrusted to it by the Central or State Government, and ensuring coordinated execution thereof;

(c) (d)

Preparing annual budget of the district; Coordinating, evaluating, persuading and guiding the activities of Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats;

(e)

Ensuring execution of the schemes, functions and works as well as the projects entrusted by any law or entrusted or transferred or delegated by the Central or State Government;

(f)

Re-allotment of the funds made available by the Central or State Government appertaining to the transferred functions, work, schemes and projects, to the Panchayat Samitis and Gram Panchayats according to their criteria;

(g)

Coordinating and forwarding to the State Government the resolutions of grants for any specific purpose received from Panchayat Samitis;

(h)

Ensuring execution of plans, projects and other works for benefit of two or more than two Panchayat Samitis;

(i)

Executing the works, schemes and projects, which have been transferred to the State Government, through Gram Panchayats or through acting agencies, regardless of sources of their fund;

(j)

Taking necessary steps to raise resources, in exercise of the powers conferred by any law or by the Central or State Government;

(k)

Power to do relief work during natural calamity;

(l) (ii)

Maintenance of essential statistics.

Agriculture, in which exentension of agriculture is included (a) Popularising use of improved agricultural implements and to adopting improved agricultural practices to increase agricultural production; (b) Opening and managing agricultural seed farms and commercial farms; (c) (d) Conducting agricultural fairs & exhibitions; Preparing plans for integrated extension of agriculture and horticulture, and executing the same; (e) Preparing a plan for integrated extension of land reclamation and soil conservation, and executing the same; (f) Establishing training centres and providing for training of farmers.

(iii)

Land development, and land improvement and soil conservation (a) (b) Developing and extending soil conservation activities; Making an integrated plan for development of waste land and implementing the same.

(iv)

Minor irrigation, water management and water shed - development (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Construction and management of lift irrigation; Extension of water shed programme; Maintenance of available water sources; Development of ground level water resources; Encouraging community water committees and installing

community pump sets.

(v)

Animal Husbandry, dairy and poultry (a) Preparing an integrated plan for improvement in breed of domestic cattle, poultry and other live stock and executing the same; (b) (c) Promotion of dairy industry, poultry farming and piggery, etc; Establishment of veterinary hospitals and artificials insemination centres; (d) Measures for control and prevention of cattle - diseases and infections maladies; (e) (f) Integrated development of fodder; Extending and persuading for activities for rearing pigs, goats and ducks; (g) Facilities of dairy farms and cold storage.

(vi)

Pisciculture (a) (b) (c) (d) Production and distribution of spawns; Setting up fish shopping cooperative societies; Pisciculture in private and community tanks; Welfare schemes for uplift of fishermen;

(vii)

Social and agricultural forestry (a) Integrated management of plantation on flanks of roads and other public lands under its control; (b) (c) Integrated management of social & agricultural forestry; Integrated management of minor forest products.

(viii) Khadi, village & cottage industries (a) Aiding development of village & cottage industries;

(b)

Identifying traditionally expert artisans and implementing an integrated scheme of development of household industries befitting them;

(c) (d)

Provision for training and financial help to craftsmen and artisans; Popularising readymade products and providing for sale & purchase thereof;

(e)

Encouraging organisation for Khadi, handloom and handicraft industries;

(f) (g)

Ascertaining the needs for raw materials and ensuring their supply; Design and production in keeping with changing needs of consumers;

(h) (ix)

Providing for bank loans.

Rural housing (a) Integrated management of execution of rural housing programmes in the district; (b) Assisting the Gram Panchayats and the Panchayat Samitis in coordinating, supervising and maintaining distribution of building sites within its jurisdiction; (c) Identification of homeless families and integrated management of provision for low cost houses for them.

(x)

Drinking water facility (a) (b) (c) Control and prevention of water pollution; Extension of rural water supply; Management of drinking water sources.

(xi)

Roads, buildings, bridges - culverts, waterways and other means of communication (a) Overall planning for roads excepting national and state highways, and bridges & culverts, getting them constructed and making provision for their maintenance; (b) Preparing a comprehensive plan for link roads to markets, educational and health centres, getting them constructed and providing for their maintenance; (c) (d) Maintenance of boats, ferries and water ways; Repairs of building lying within the Zila Parishad and construction of new buildings; (e) Organizing the people for voluntary land acquisition for new roads and widening the existing roads.

(xii)

Rural Electrification (a) (b) Help in making available light at public streets and other places; Extension of rural electrification.

(xiii) Non - conventional sources of energy (a) Conducting comprehensive programme for promotion and

development of non conventional energy plans; (b) Propagation and publicity of community non conventional energy sources including bio-gas plants; (c) conducting programmes for raising public - conscience regarding improved ovens and other energy sources. (xiv) Poverty alleviation programme-

(a)

Preparing a time bound plan for poverty alleviation and ensuring its implementation;

(b)

Arousing awareness in people for full employment and creation of productive assets et al and participation in poverty alleviation programmes;

(c) (xv)

Supervision and monitoring of all poverty alleviation programmes.

Primary, secondary, adult and non formal education (a) Propagation and publicity of science and technical education in rural areas; (b) Ensuring layout and implementation of an incentive scheme with the object of ensuring full enrollment and attendance in primary schools; (c) (d) Planning and implementing an education guarantee scheme; Provision for hostels, hutments and stipend for poor and meritorious students; (e) (f) Extension of adult and non formal education; Survey and evaluation of educational activities.

(xvi) Technical training and professional education (a) Conducting exhibitions, fairs etc. to encourage rural art and craftsmen; (b) Propagation and publicity of computer education.

(xvii) Library (a) Aiding Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis in establishment and maintenance of libraries; (b) Developing information centres at block and Panchayat levels.

(xviii) Sports and cultural activities (a) Encouragement, initiation and maintenance of sports and cultural activities; (b) (c) (d) Convening cultural seminars; Development of sports grounds and stadium; Encouraging traditional festivals, dances and other arts and giving then a new dimension by publicising them country - in and country out. (xix) Market and fair (a) Aids in managing fairs (cattle fair included), markets and hats in the Panchayats' areas. (xx) (a) Hygiene and Sanitation Ensuring promotion of rural sanitation and cleanliness of public streets, ponds, wells and roads; (b) Preparing an integrated plan for public toilets, getting the same implemented and their maintenance; (c) Conducting extensive programme for disease, immunization and vaccination; (d) Preparing and implementing a comprehensive plan for control and prevention of epidemics; (e) Establishment and maintenance hospitals, primary health centres and dispensaries save medical College hospitals, T.B. - Sanitoriums, leprosy hospitals and mental disease hospitals; (f) (g) Activities appertaining to maternity and Child - care; Convening Health- camps in coordination with Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis;

(h)

Taking measures for safety against environmental pollution.

(xxi) Welfare of weaker sections particularly Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (a) Making an integrated plan for specific programmes for the scheduled Castes, the scheduled tribes and the weaker sections of the society; (b) Management of integrated programme against exploitation of and injustice to the weaker sections of society; (c) Sanction of other grants for stipend, scholarships, hostel allowance to and for purchase of books and other ancillary articles for the Scheduled Castes and tribes as well as other backward classes; (d) (e) Management of hostels for benefit of the Scheduled Castes and tribes; Preparing a plan for Gram Panchayats/ Panchayat Samitis for eradication of illiteracy and for organising nursery Schools, balbaries, and Ratri Pathshalas to impart general education and getting the same implemented; (f) Conducting model welfare centres and crafts centres to impart training to the Scheduled Castes and tribes in cottage and village industries; (g) Provision for residential basic schools for the scheduled castes and tribes; (h) Providing marketing facilities for the goods produced by the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled tribes; (i) Constituting cooperative societies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; (j) Other welfare schemes for development and uplift of the scheduled Castes and the scheduled tribes;

(xxii) Health and family welfare (a) Extension of health and family welfare programmes;

(b) (c)

Integrated measures for control and prevention of Mal nutrition; Extensive encouragement to small family norm.

(xxiii) Social welfare and social security including women's welfare (a) Preparing and implementing an integrated plan for mentally and physically disabled persons; (b) Integrated management of pension for the old, the invalid and destitute, the disabled and widows; (c) Specific programmes for organisations of women and children and their development; (d) (e) Maintenance of orphanage, reformatory home and welfare institutions; Encouraging intercaste marriage and giving incentive money to the couple entering into such marriage, one of whom belongs to the scheduled caste or tribes; (f) Campaign against superstition, intoxication, untouchablity and others social evils; (g) (h) (i) Vigilance over theft, tax wasion, adulteration, usury and the like crimes; Identification of bonded labourers and their rehabilitation; Assistance to taking back of aboriginals infected land and to development of land given to landless labourers.

(xxiv) Preservation and maintenance of Community assets (a) Integrated provision for proper use of community assets constructed by government, local authority and other agenceis; (b) Encouraging peoples participation in this regard.

(xxv) Public distribution system (a) Integrated programme for arousing social consciousness pertaining to distribution of essential commodities;

(b)

Constant supervision for making the public distribution system efficient and transparent.

(xxvi) Integrated management of child development programme Help to Gram Panchayats / Panchayat Samitis.

(xxvii) Raising cooperative activities (a) Integrated management of programmes of cooperative based

agriculture, milk production, pisciculture, forest and environment; (b) Encouraging integrated manner, the cooperative based handicraft, handloom, Tasar, lac and Malwari production; (c) Developing cooperative marketing system at the district level.

(xxviii)Encouraging the common people to saving and development group saving norm.

(xxix) Assistance to Gram Panchayats/ Panchayat samitis in formation of self help groups.

(xxx) Preparing integrated programme to activate villager towards self dependent village.

(xxxi) maintenance of records of birth, death, marriage et al and arousing awareness in people to register birth and death.

(xxxii) Others (a) Making consolidated integral provision to face unforeseen situations and natural calamities;

(b)

Aiding Gram Panchayats/ Panchayat Samities in providing casual medical help to the poorest;

(c)

(i)

Cooperating in work of national interest and cooperating as desired, in census, collection of informations;

(ii)

Collection, compilation, analysis and timely renewal of desirable figures at Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and district levels;

(d)

To administer and control, as determined by the State Government by general or special orders from time to time, the personnel employed and posted in Panchayats, including the staff transferred to the Panchayats by the State Government.

(B)

(i) of

Merger of district rural development Agency into Zila Parishad

the district Notwithstanding any thing contained in the Societies Registration Act or any other Act of the State for the time being in force, district rural development agency of the district shall be deemed merged into the Zila Parishad of the district and all assets and liabilities of the said agency and all functions thereof shall stand transferred to the concerned Zila Parishad and shall remain vested in that and the same shall be discharged and performed by the Zila Parishad concerned;

(ii)

Notwithstanding any thing contained in this Act or the rural or

Bye-laws made thereunder, all the employees of the District Rural Development Agency shall, on the date of commencement of this subsection, have the same salary, allowances and benefits as the salary, allowances and benefits exist at present.

(c)

Additional powers of Zila Parishad in Scheduled area -

Without prejudice to the generality of the powers endowed by this Act, the Zila Parishad in a scheduled area shall have following powers (1) Making a plan for minor reservoirs up to the limit of an specified area, having ownership on them and managing the same; (2) Controlling the organisations and their work, in all social fields, transferred to them; (3) Having control of the sources and expenditure of the local scheme, in which tribal sub-scheme is included; and (4) Exercise of such other powers and discharge of such functions as the State Government may, under any law for the time being in farce, confer on it or Vest in it; (D) The functions of the Zila Parishad mentioned in sub-sections (A) and (C) of section (77) shall not affect other enactments/ rules of the government for the time being in force, and their jurisdiction;

(E)

The Government may delegate powers by bringing about changes, after due deliberation, in the enactments/ rules for the time being in force appertaining to the functions or additional functions of the Zila Parishad mentioned in sub-sections (A) and (C) of section (77).

section 78 Powers of the State Government as to the functions of Panchayats (1) (a) Subject to such conditions as may be specified by the State Government by general or special order, the Panchayats shall, at proper levels, have such powers and authority, which appertaining to the subjects listed in schedule (1) within which come the preparation of plans and implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice as well as other duties and functions conferred under

section 10(6), sections (75), (76), (77), as may be necessary to make them capable of serving as institutions of self government.

(b)

The State Government, by notification, for the sake of efficient

implementation of schemes, may confer on the Panchayats the powers and responsibilities at proper levels for selecting, recruiting, employing and managing any cadre or any cadres of requisite employees subject to the staffing pattern approved by the State Government and such others conditions as it may consider proper.

(2)

The State Government, by general or specific order, may increase any functions of the Panchayats or may withdraw the functions and duties conferred on such Panchayats. When the State Government will take over execution of any functions conferred on a Panchayat, the Panchayat shall not be responsible for such functions so long as the State Government does not reconfer such functions on the said Panchyayat.

(3)

The Government, by notification, subject to the conditions specified therein (a) May transfer management and maintenance of forests situate in Panchayat area to a Panchayat; (b) May make over management of public uncultivated (Parti) land, grazing ground or vacant land situate in Panchayat area to a Gram Panchayat; (c) May make over the programme of realising rent on the behalf of the Government and of maintaining the records concerned therewith to a Gram Panchayat;

Provided that no assignment under clause (c) shall be done without consent of the Gram Panchayat concerned; Provided also that when transfer of management and

maintenance of any forest is done under clause (a), then the Government shall order to entrust to the Gram Panchayat a particular sum or an adequate portion of the income from the said forest for such management and maintenance.

(4)

The Government may, by notification, modify, change or cancel the functions assigned under sub-section (3) of this section.

Section 79 Powers of Gram Panchayat regarding public health facilities and safety Subject to such rules as may be made by the State Government in this behalf, a Gram Panchayat shall have powers (1) to maintain sources of sanitation, cleanliness, water emission, water transition, water supply; (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) to regulate uses of water; to ensure environmental control; to remove structures and trees; to regulate trade of nasty or dangerous things; to regulate establishment of workshops, factories and other industrial units; (7) to perform such functions as is necessary by or under the provisions of this Act.

Section 80 Control over construction of buildings -

The Gram Panchayat may take actions in tandom with the specified rules with the object of preventing from trespass over public streets, buildings and houses in the village.

Section 81 Powers of Gram Panchayat regarding hindrances and obstructions to and trespass over public streets and open places (1) Any person who, within the Gram Panchayat area, will cause any obstruction and hindrance to and trespass over any public street or open places or any drain on such street. (a) by constructing or making any wall, fence, window, pillar, stall, varandah, terrace, stairs or any structure; or (b) by constructing any verandah, balcony, room or any other structure without the written order of the Gram Panchayat or contrary to the words mentioned in such order, in such a way that the same be protruding on any public street or on any drain situated at the said street; or (c) by removing earth, sand or other materials from any spot, as of crime; or (d) by doing cultivation in any grazing ground or other land in an unauthorised manner, may be punished with such fine as may be enacted by the government. (2) Notwithstanding any thing contained in the sub-section (1), The Gram Panchayat shall have power to remove any such obstruction or trespass and to remove any crop grown unauthorized on grazing ground or any land, not being private property, and shall also have the like power to remove any similar unauthorized obstruction or trespass or protruding portion in any open spot, not being private property, whether or not the

said spot is vested in the Gram Panchayat, and the expenses incurred in such removals shall be paid by the person who has trespassed as such, and in case of failure to pay such expenses, the said expenses may be realised from the said person in accordance with the prescribed rules;

Providing that notwithstanding any thing contained in sub-section (1) and in this sub-section, if the Gram Panchayat resolves to remove any obstruction, hindrance or trespass from the land vested in the State Government, it may intimate the Anchaladhikari for removal of such obstruction, hindrance or trespass from the said land and the Anchaladhikari shall take necessary action under the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act or the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act or any other related rule for the time being in force.

(3)

Notwithstanding any thing contained in this section, the Gram Panchayat may give permission, according to the by-laws made under this Act, to use any public place or to make any construction or to construct protruding portion thereon temporarily according to necessity on the occasion of festivals and ceremonies in such a manner that the public or any person may not have any inconvenience.

(4)

The Gram Panchayat shall not pass any order in exercise of the powers under this section unless the person concerned has been given reasonable opportunity of hearing.

Section 82 Power to Compromise With the prior permission of the prescribed Authority, Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, or Zila Parishad may enter into a compromise in respect of

any such suit which has been filed by or against it or in respect of any such claim or demand, which has arisen out of any contract, on such terms as it thinks proper.

Section 83 Regulation of markets or fairs (1) Save as provided in the Agricultural Market Act for the time being (in force), no person save the Gram Panchayat shall either fix or use any place within the Gram Panchayat for the purpose or establishment of any market or fairs;

Provided that the State Government may declare any market or fair to be public market or public fair, and the public market or the public fair declared as such shall be vested in the Panchayat Samiti.

(2)

The State Government may make rules for the market or the fair specified in sub-section (1).